At the Daily Voice, a group of local-news websites, we see another example of how the indirect style is ill conceived in bad-news messages. Based on this Friday email, would employees expect layoffs on Monday? Carll Tucker is the company chairman, and Zohar Yardeni was the CEO, who recently resigned.

On Monday, the good news came: all 11 of the company's Massachusetts sites would be closed, and major layoffs would take place in Connecticut and New York.

Sounds like bad news to me.

Gawker offered this advice:

"...we would not advise applying for one of the Town Reporter positions currently posted on the Daily Voice's site. If the phone interview goes well, they'll bring you in the next day to punch you in the face."

Discussion Starters:

• What is a better approach for the news of layoffs?
• When is it appropriate to use the indirect style for bad-new messages?