Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson of the Financial Times profiles Bloomberg News editor in chief Matt Winkler as the news service celebrates 20 years in existence and looks to grow.
Edgecliffe-Johnson writes, “There is ‘a dark, satanic-like struggle’ between information and misinformation, he says, and too many news organisations are financially hobbled, incapable of doing the rigorous reporting required for information to prevail. He dodges a question about what business models might reverse that trend but adds that he still sees room for improvement and growth at Bloomberg itself.
“New York magazine once likened Mr Winkler to CNN founder Ted Turner and Hugh Hefner of Playboy, in having devised ‘a new journalistic paradigm through sheer force of will.’ He rattles off a list of colleagues with whom to share the credit but it is clear that the Bloomberg News culture flows from one man and his rules.
“Bloggers have mockingly chronicled Mr Winkler’s sometimes angry enforcement of the Bloomberg Way, reprinting intemperate memos that lambast loose adjectives or careless tweets. Such stories paint him as a tyrant, running an anachronistically centralised organisation.
“‘Tyranny’s always bad, actually. I’m not a fan of tyrants,’ he comments coolly. ‘You can’t come to work every day and do the things we’re trying to do without a passion for excellence but I don’t believe anger is an effective way of managing. I have learnt over the years we are far more effective by figuring out ways to inspire people.'”
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