[markbarbera]

Nowhere in the exchange were staff thrown "under the bus".

What did happen is an email was sent to Paul Berton, editor in chief of the Hamilton Spectator in which Bratina complained about the obvious bias a couple of reporters have against him, along with an attempt to set the record straight on a few of the many inaccuracies his reporters have been making. The Spec, in the spirit of yellow journalism, responded by taking excerpts of this email out of context in another round of tabloid sensationalism designed to attempt to further discredit the mayor.

Bratina was unwise to send this email, although I can appreciate how he would feel compelled to challenge the latest volley of bottom-dweller journalistic techniques employed by Berton's somewhat less than intrepid reporting staff.

Bratina should have known that there is no point in challenging Fort Frid. The pro-Eisenberger shop has a blatently obvious bias against him and he could not possibly have expected this email to change that bias. In fact, it just gave them fodder to try to convey more bad ink at his expense. In the world of single-source print media, Fort Frid has developed such a culture of entitlement they feel it their duty to destroy the mayor to avenge the loss of their Man, and to pave the way for His triumphant return.

With such a swarthy gang of yellow journalists inhabiting Fort Frid (the finest the least amount of money can buy), Bratina needs a communications specialist to navigate the minefield they lay down. A media relations person can't quell their bias, but they can try to manage keep some of it in check.