The Gantt Report:
I moved to the State of Florida in 1975 and, God willing, I hope to move out of the Sunshine State in 2017.
I’m not trying to move because I’m mad with the state. I just think it is time for me to return to my hometown, Atlanta, Georgia. I feel like during my stay in Florida I have contributed a lot to the state and I have accomplished a lot.
But there is one thing I haven’t done. I haven’t been able to mentor and nurture the next “great” columnist.
I’ve trained television, radio and print media reporters. I’ve trained advertising and public relations professionals.
I haven’t been able to work with young people who want to work in media to speak out on the issues that are important to Black people and young people who were willing to risk their careers or their lives to make sure that Black people knew the truth.
If you read The Gantt Report you know I’m not afraid to write about devils and beasts.
You know very well that there are some bad, evil and wicked people who are doing devilish things wherever you go and wherever you are.
“The Gantt Report style,” as some would call it has cost me some opportunities and perhaps a few dollars here and there but my column has given me worldwide recognition and global media respect.
If you didn’t know, excerpts from The Gantt Report were placed on display at The National Freedom Museum in the Freedom of Speech section, The University of Oklahoma requested that many of the political Gantt Report columns and All World Consultants political advertisements be given to the University’s Julian P. Kanter Political Commercial Archive to be “preserved” forever and The Gantt Report has been the reason why I’ve been invited to appear on various television, radio and internet streamed talk shows in a number of states and on multiple continents.
I wish I could talk to students about media and about journalism but don’t worry about me teaching any time soon, most colleges, including HBCUS, don’t even want me to set foot on their campuses!
But that’s cool. I’ll just teach the young people who read The Gantt Report!
In that regard, I want to commend the journalists that have been reporting on the activities and events taking place in Putin’s White House!
Game recognizes game and I want young people to know how to investigate situations and come up with exclusives and scoops that other journalists can only parrot and copy.
Young journalists, “leaks” are not leaks as they have been described by political criminals. The “breaking news” is just conversations between media professionals and reliable sources.
If I had a chance to teach a political reporting or investigative reporting class somewhere, I would explain to students that politicians exaggerate, belittle or outright lie!
If you want the facts about what’s going on in government or in politics, establish a very good relationship with political aides, political staff, with clerical workers, security guards and even with butlers and janitors!
They really know what goes on in government and politics!
My good friend, Joe Williams, worked in the offices of every Governor of Florida, Republicans and Democrats, from Claude Kirk to Lawton Chiles. I wish I could have co-written a book with him but he has taken his final journey to the Land of Plenty. He gave me some tid bits but no one knew as much as he did about what really happen in the Governor’s office.
Remember the movie “The Butler”? Well, butlers don’t just serve coffee and tea, they listen!
So young media people, the moral of today’s lesson is, quit hero worshiping and get to know the best sources of information in any area that you may be assigned to work in. To be a media player, you have to know the media game!
Buy Gantt’s latest book, “Beast Too: Dead Man Writing” on Amazon.com and from bookstores everywhere. Contact Lucius at www.allworldconsultants.net. And, if you want to,“Like” The Gantt Report page on Facebook.
