Reporter Says Column Cost Him His Job

SECOND UPDATE: The fight moves over to Poynter.

UPDATE: The Hartford Courant Alumni Association and Refugee Camp and Watchdog Nation weigh in.

Former Hartford Courant colleague George Gombossy has started a new consumer web site in Connecticut, saying he was fired over a column he wrote about the paper's biggest advertiser.

My four-decade-long career at The Courant ended Friday as I was fired for doing my job – being the advocate for consumers.


My career began in June 1969 as a reporter in the Willimantic bureau and ended as the first – and likely last – investigative consumer columnist at the nation’s oldest newspaper of continuous publication.


The last three years have been the most satisfying, working as a team with literally thousands of consumers, shining the light on companies and public servants who failed to perform as promised.