Jim Taszarek had us going for a minute or two with an item in his TazMedia email claiming that just before he was forced out of office, Gov. Eliot Spitzer had pitched the National Governors Association on the idea of state licensing of radio sales people to boost tax revenue. Then we read the other items in his April 1 edition.
We were on guard, though, knowing that Sam Zell and Randy Michaels are now running Tribune Company. So, we didn’t bite on the company news release announcing a name change to ZellCoMediaEnterprises Inc., or ZCMEINC.
“H—, I put $315 million into this thing, and we’re on the hook for $13 billion — the least I ought to get is my name on the company’s stationery,” said Zell in the phony release.
The announcement said the company’s nine newspapers were going paperless, using edible ink on a licorice printing system.
“Now our newspapers can be put to good use for something other than news, information, and lining bird cages. Although I’m told it’s a little dry, a family of four will be able to get a week’s worth of nourishment off the Sunday edition of the Chicago Tribune,” Michaels was quoted as saying.
The Tribune.com main page was even changed to go along with the gage, although it is likely back to normal today. We particularly like the “DEBToMETER” and TipJar. And we wonder if it was Sam or Randy who requested all of the cute photos of puppies and kitties.
But that was April Fool’s Day – and now we all have to get back to more serious pursuits.
