Greg TV News said
Hi all!

We’ve heard from one of Jodi’s coworkers in particular who said she frequently arrived late.  Many people on the forum assume that this is true. However, I would like to offer a contrary point of you to challenge this accepted truth that we really don’t know to be fact.

For one thing, everyone agrees that Jodi was very passionate about her job at KIMT.   People who love their work and want to shine in their positions, typically, go out of their way to do more than is required of them.  In fact from what we know of her journals, Jodi wrote about her passion to succeed in broadcasting.

We know that Jodi’s news director Doug Merbach said he never knew of her being late until AFTER her adduction.

 Now here’s where I can offer some real perspective. I work as an anchor early morning in a small market TV station. I know without a doubt one of the worst kept secrets in a newsroom is a coworker’s lack of effort, especially doing the minimum required. Small television stations usually require all hands on deck to complete each newscast— especially mornings nags. At my station, we are very shorthanded in the mornings.  That’s exactly the way it was for Jodi  and the staff at KIMT. 

With this in mind. When one person is slacking, the station and the newscast suffers. I find it highly doubtful that EVERYONE would be loyal enough to keep Jodi’s chronic lateness a secret. This is especially true when you consider the competitive nature of this business. Someone is always looking to move up.

 I have a problem with one of Jodi’s closest coworkers who stated herself that Jody was chronically late. She also stated in a subsequent interview she always want to Jodi’s job but not the way that it happened with Jodi disappearing. We also later have an interview conducted by this website where THE SAME employee indicated JodI was difficult to work for. That they weren’t friends. She claimed Jodi would sometimes shout at her.  She is the first person who described Jodi in such a matter. Everyone else has  always complemented her positive, genuine personality. 

 With that in mind, what better way to move up than to report JodI if she truly were a slacker and a frequently late? AND HOW AOUT THIS? What is my motivation to cover for someone who yells at me sometimes and can be mean to me?

Remember the day before her disappearance, Jodi attended a charity golf tournament for the station. She stayed late. Maybe on this particular Tuesday morning she decided to sleep in or accidentally overslept this one time, one of the only or few times she was ever late 

It’s NOT fair so many people take the word of one person JodI was late so frequently. 

As a morning anchor in a small TV station, I can assure you if I were repeatedly late, I would be reported to the boss by someone who wanted my spot or at least wanted  to get me into trouble or reprimanded so that I begin to pull my weight.

 I don’t mean to imply that any coworker had anything to do with Jodi’s abduction. But I think it’s time someone offered this perspective because the assumption widely held that Jodi was cavalier about her job and late ONLY  matches allegations of one coworker, as opposed to many who talk of how dedicated she were to her job.  And that one coworker had no motivation to keep Jodi’s secret if she wished to move up.

 I sincerely do not want to offend anyone even Jodi’s former coworker. But this is always bothered me about the widely accepted “fact” Jodi was always late.

 And one more thing: if Jodi answered her phone that morning and said she would be there in 10 minutes, and then no one could get her back on the phone, the police should have been called BEFORE the newscast. Someone could have called and asked for a welfare check prior to the news. 

I would certainly hope my station would call police for a welfare check on me if I said I were on my way and didn’t show up.

I want to apologize again if this comes off judgmental because I was not in the shoes of Jodi’s coworkers that morning. But I’m curious as to what some of you think about this point of view.  

Although I've never worked in a newsroom, I wouldn't imagine it'd be that uncommon for coworkers to cover for someone they all like and respect and get along with. I've worked places where slacking off by certain employees are never reported due to their popularity. I've also worked at a place where the one who never showed up to work, missed or left early a lot..did the bare minimum was the boss...and this carried on for a couple years and no one ever reported it due to her popularity and connections. I've been late to work at times and had coworkers kind enough who understood why and did not get me in trouble. 

Although ashamed to admit it, I've always had a problem getting up early and tardiness has been an issue for me. But I am still an excellent employee and devoted and dedicated and do my work well.

jodi could have simply been the same..just a young woman who struggled with getting up so early. Doesn't make her a bad person..makes her very human. Doesn't mean she was a crappy employee either, she could have struggled with time and been an amazing worker which seems the case since everyone sang her praises.

i can see a young, talented, beautiful popular lady also maybe being a bit rude or getting full of herself and being not so kind to others...again, doesn't make her bad, just makes her human.,a young person finding herself and figuring life out.

i have always been amazed that they did a well check with the police instead of an employee just continuing to call or going to her apartment on their own..or even just ignoring it. I've had coworkers not show up or call in and no one has ever called the police.

it was some quick thinking and an amazing brilliant decision to contact the police in this case..whoever had the idea should be thanked..because they got the ball rolling quickly and her disappearance was noted right away.