If you are a regular reader of this column, then you know that I used to be a journalist. You know that when I was a member of the fourth estate – I was so proud of myself. You can recall how happy I was when I joined the Brooklyn Daily Eagle as their Assistant Publisher and that I wanted nothing more then to be a journalist for the rest of my life. If you are an avid reader of this column – then you also know that since I have jumped the journalistic fence and went to making the news instead of reporting it – my love for the media has shifted from camaraderie and respect to outright hate and disgust – and today – that hate and disgust tripled.

The reason that my hatred for the media went from worse to intolerable today was because of a story that made the front cover of one of New York City’s ethically challenged tabloids that was so inaccurate – it made Orson Wells’ famous Martian prank seem even more authentic then people thought it was. Besides scaring the hell out of everyone who read it – the paper’s main goal – it cost my Commissioner his job. Before this “story” was published, I was angry at the media – now I’m downright mad.

If the media wishes to abandon its job of reporting the news and resort to making it up – that’s something both I and the rest of the world have no control over and are forced to stomach each day the next bundle of lies, smut and gossip hits the “news” stand – but when the latest lie costs an honest and decent man his job – that is where you have to ask the question, “How much is a story worth?” To my surprise – and disgust – I got the answer to that question today – and when I heard it – I finally realized what the fourth estate has turned into.

As we pulled up into my Commissioner’s driveway, the same paper that was kind enough to publish an article that cost him his job was camped out in front of his house – because you know how closely the press follows a good story – just ask Princess Diana. So when the Commissioner and I get out of his car, they begin to snap his photo. As the photographers were taking their pictures, one of them says to him, “So Commissioner, did you get fired because of the story we published – because we would love to take credit for that.” Right then and there I got my answer to how much a story is worth to the “media” – anyone’s livelihood.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for my Commissioner. I had a great working relationship with him. Whenever I dealt with him, he was professional, attentive, friendly – and most of all – like a mentor to me. He gave me the room I needed to learn and grow in the Department and I will always be grateful for that. But besides our professional relationship – he was a good friend. Frequently would we chat about our families and our personal lives whenever there was a break in the madness of City Service. The City of New York truly lost a valued servant today because of a reporter and a paper who makes its living by ruining other people’s lives and reputations.

I hope they sleep well at night.