OLD Media Moves

Cramer: I expect Morrow to get well, work again

January 22, 2010

TheStreet.com co-founder and “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer believes that David Morrow, the former TheStreet.com editor in chief who is now a business journalism professor at the University of Nevada, will conquer cancer the same way he conquered the Web site’s newsroom.

In an e-mail to Talking Biz News Thursday night, Cramer wrote, “First as I told Dave today, we aren’t done working together. I fully expect him to be up and at ’em to edit me again soon. Why? Because he performed one miracle already — he saved TheStreet.com from oblivion and disaster and made us relevant, topical and, a rarity for any journalist, profitable. This health stuff seems easier to beat!

“Now, here’s what you need to know about Dave. At a time when journalism has been under tremendous stress and models are blowing up left and right, Dave succeeded in putting out a first-class edition every hour for years and years as a much loved and respected editor in chief. I am searching my brain to remember a minute where Dave didn’t get back to anyone within a nanosecond, and believe me there were plenty of people-including yours truly– that weren’t easy or fun to get back to. Responsive, intuitive, respectful, diligent, careful, spontaneous, rigorous, hilarious, all Dave.

“But maybe the most descriptive is CARING. He cares. About everything. He cares about integrity as much as he cares for people personally. No compromises on integrity ever but lots of accommodations for people who have difficulties or issues or face the vagaries of life on a daily basis. Why does that matter? Because it’s rare, so rare as to spin your head. The guy IS sincere, not faux sincere but actually sincere. You love working for and with Dave. HE’s that kind of guy.

“When I brought Dave in to thestreet.com it was pure chaos and anarchy. We were day-to-day. We didn’t know if the darned thing was going to come out. Within a week there was calm, and the tension was creative not cataclysmic. He brings a calm with him. He brought it to us.  I envied his decision to go academic, to be able to think for more than the moment, but, more important, I envied the students who would take his course and find out what journalism in the 21st century means.

“I don’t miss Dave. No need to. He will be walking into that street.com newsroom any minute now. Why not? It’s the home he built, a sturdy and lasting home that is his lasting legacy, and, hopefully, just his first miracle.”

I echo the sentiment. Get well, Dave.

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