Henderson Promises "Transparency," Web-Chat
“Today,” writes GM CEO Fritz Henderson at his firm’s Fastlane Blog, “marks a defining moment in the history of General Motors.” And it’s true. GM has literally been skidding towards this day for decades. And though June 1, 2009 should have come years ago, it seems that there’s one possible benefit to its long, expensive delay. In this blog-driven year, GM knows that it can’t expect public largess without giving up some corporate privacy. That, or as a publicly-owned institution, GM is now subject to the Freedom Of Information Act. Either way, our tens of billions of tax dollars have bought American taxpayers an opportunity. An opportunity to webchat. Again.
“We’re committed to open communications and I am personally putting a high priority on transparency. One way we’ll do this is by launching a series of live web chats on this website. I’ll kick things off later this week for one hour on Thursday, June 4 at 3 p.m. EST. Following me, a steady stream of GM leaders from throughout the company will host additional chats, about two a week, on whatever topics are of most concern to you.”
Given that the rest of Henderson’s post is a roiling sea of “new,” “competitive,” “better” and similarly aspirational adjectives, one probably shouldn’t hold out hope for too much clear-eyed candor. Still, if the blogosphere has one immutable law, it’s this: ask questions when you have the chance. Even if you get a bunch of puckey, it’s what the journalists refer to as “primary-source puckey.” Straight from the horse’s orifice. Twice a week. Live from bankruptcy court. How great is that?
More by Edward Niedermeyer
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A fresh Rasmussen poll says 67% of Americans oppose the GM bailout. If that translates into purchasing decisions, not a good consumer base to build on. OTOH if the fedgov truly lays on the "mother of all incentives" (as Bill Griffeth of CNBC calls it) there may be some screaming deals. Stay tuned.
Wow 67% is better then the 75-80% of the market that has no interest in buying from them. Didn't they give us this line about transparancy months ago and using their blogs to answer questions, I don't expect this to be any different from that last farce. Same clowns running the show giving us the same old circus act.
Like Leikanger's vision of GM as the old Soviet Union here we have another example of "all show no go". Henderson has started a new bureau for Potemkin Village construction. People who could be doing something productive will be assigned to bullshit the public. Will they never learn?
Deeper faster harder. Transparently.