We in the media are used to getting not-so-flattering correspondence from the public. Hey, it's part of the job. We read the hate mail, roll with it, sometimes even respond in a professional manner.
News10 anchor Cristina Mendonsa, on her blog on the station's Web site, decided to share one of the more flaming e-mails she's received. My favorite part is when the angry crank viewer says it's "nothing personal" after having just eviscerated Mendonsa's appearance, personality and journalistic skill.
Check it out below (we feel for you, Cristina). By the way, the typos and punctuation are the way it was received:
"there is nothing pleasing in your presence on News 10, viz., your physical appearance ranging from your long, stringy, dyed hair to your lipstick that rarely matches your outfits. And, while Dale is reading his lines from the teleprompter and you are waiting your turn, you turn and look at him longingly while nodding your head up and down in the affirmative. Your delivery is choppy and, instead of looking at the camera and at least makeing believe that you are addressing your viewers, you oftentimes look at Dale as though it is he alone to whom you are addressing your commentary. How disgusting and unprofessional. As stated earlier, you would do well to take your cues from Jennifer Smith and Alicia Malaby because they cover you like a dollar covers a dime and they are classy ladies in all aspects of Communications 101 as well as personal appearance. But I don't blame you entirely because the person(s) who hired you must share some of the blame. Your first contract can be excused because they didn't know what they were getting......sorta like "a pig in a poke". But, after knowing what they got, they chose to renew or extend your contract and that was sheer lunacy. From here, I can only conclude that: you come cheap; you are related to the person(s) who hired you; or you've "got something" on those responsible for your contract and its renewal. Worthy of note is the fact that there is nothing personal in my remarks...........strictly objective comments not meant to offend you in any way. In a nutshell, it's just my personal preference for any other co-anchor at News 10 and my dissatisfaction with management for being so stupid as to extend your contract with utter disregard for its viewers. Accordingly, we will continue to seek our news from another station when the circumstances warrant."
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