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AN INVESTIGATIVE NEWS SERIES ON THE STANDARDS AND PRACTICES OF THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU START WITH TRUTH |
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| Who Jimmie Rivers is the pen name of an Emmy nominated, former CBS affiliate news director in a top 20 market. Mr. Rivers also served as publisher of an investigative journal that was the state's largest paid circulation magazine. For several years he worked for one of the nation's highest profile advertising agencies. |
What bbbroundup.com is a multi-part, investigative report on the standards and practices of the Better Business Bureau. With the exception of the editorial pages, the subject matter of bbbroundup is confined to news gathered from interviews, screen shots of published content, and other sourced material on the Better Business Bureau. The editorial pages will include opinion, both of the editor and selected reader comments. The bbbroundup's slogan is "start with truth." I belong to an age that grew up questioning authority--just because someone bigger than you says something does not make it true. While there are indications that there is a story behind our choice in subject matter, we are seekers of truth rather than seekers of a story. Therefore, this series will go where the truth takes us. There are no pre-conceived notions, no pre-defined ending point or conclusions. We will adhere to the model of journalism that news is fact, and objectivity is ideal and start with questions that beg for answers. Jimmie Rivers
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| When bbbroundup.com, with the exception of the editorial pages, is published monthly. The editorial pages may be published more frequently, as situations warrant. Where bbbroundup may be obtained online at www.bbbroundup.com. Additionally, one may subscribe to the editorial pages by rss feed. There is no charge for either news service. |
Why I quit journalism when it became clear that packaging the product was more important than the product--in journalism's case, the product being the story. This trend inevitably lead to journalism's biggest failure of the decade as reporters proudly parroted the phrase 'embedded journalists' to describe their activities in covering the war on Iraq. Sounds like the job description of a whore to me. A few months ago, reports were brought to my attention by several non-related parties of possible wrong-doing within the BBB. Some exploratory digging revealed that this is a story worth pursuing, so let the journey begin. |
| Editor's note: Neither I or this website have a problem with the Better Business Bureau. Indeed, there is a need for a consumer advocacy group that the public can turn to, and in most cases, the Better Business Bureau fulfills this role adequately. What we do have a problem with is the BBB's "A-F" grading system. It is demonstratively biased, based on hearsay, weighted in favor of dues paying members and offers no recourse when the BBB makes an error. It is obvious the Better Business Bureau does not now, nor ever will have, the resources to fully investigate the four million businesses in their database, much less grade them with any sense of accuracy. It's an impossible job, and to think otherwise is a mistake that the BBB should acknowledge so they can get back to their reason for existence--protecting the consumer. There's an old saying, "who will watch the watchers" and it applies here as the BBB has set themselves up to be above the law. We are simply here to help the Better Business Bureau do a better job so that they may properly serve the consumer, the business community and themselves. | |
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2009 bbbroundup.com. all rights reserved. |
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