Pink is no longer one of my favorite colors, as the pink slips are in.
My Inquirer sources tell me 68 people, including some of my favorite reporters, were let go today. I hope it is worth it. I think it isn't, and I think the new owners have now broken every promise they made when they purchased the papers. Well, my mama always said "money doesn't know who owns it" and "consider the source."
The future of Philadelphia journalism got flushed down the toilet today. RIP Philadelphia Inquirer.
I'm not naming names of those who got pink slips today, their stories are theirs to tell. I hope they land on their feet and soon.
So, will Brian Tierney add "reporter" to his resume? Can spin doctors write better news?
Most of the names have gotten out by now, but little scenes, watched from across the newsroom, fill in the blanks. The home and design writer arrives with an empty cardbox box, here to pick up her things. She got word late yesterday. Same with the fine arts editor. "I'm not sure what's next," he says, working his way past five writers. Each one one hugs him. "I'm getting the hell out of here," says a columnist. And she's actually staying. She was venting a little. Everyone's venting a little. Or a lot.
There are 68 members of the Inquirer newsroom being laid off. Jobs were found for another five - four at Philly.com, and one caught on with the Daily News. Some editors called in their people for closed-door sessions yesterday afternoon. Other learned by phone after work.They're to have appointments today in human resources, both those laid off and those who had to lay them off.
At the same time, little bursts of noise draw crowds around those whose positions were somehow saved. There's a lot of talk around the place today of survivor's guilt.
Who's going? A lot of good people. It's all a little fuzzy because the contract talks about bumping rights for some, and the process may play out for weeks - potentially longer if there are legal challenges.
PW: Assume the Position by Steve Volk
The rumor mill has been pumping throughout the long holiday weekend, circulating the message that long-talked-of layoffs at the Inquirer are about to come to pass.
As of this morning Newspaper Guild representative Bill Ross says the union has yet to be notified of layoffs, but Inquirer reporter and union president Henry Holcomb confirmed for PW this afternoon that some reporters have been telling colleagues they’ve been told by management they should expect to be laid off.
Official announcements are expected tomorrow. The Inquirer currently has about 410 editorial staffers, and the newsroom is said to be bracing for around 80 layoffs.
by Steve Volk
Bill Ross says company managers notified the Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia on a Wednesday last month that it was time to move forward.
They didn’t want to see any more literature—fliers, posters, email memos—criticizing management in the wake of difficult contract talks.
“Then on Friday,” says Ross, a professional representative of the Guild, “they called me out of the blue. They told me they were suspending an employee for putting up fliers criticizing management and that they were pursuing [the employee’s] termination.”
Philadelphia Inquirer Lays Off 71
Just Like Us
As I do feel bad for anyone being laid off, journalists are like the rest of us. In my line of work, there are layoffs almost every quarter. Granted, I work for a large global company. If any of us non-journalists put up fliers criticizing management, we would be suspended at the very least.
What makes journalists any different than the rest of us when it comes layoffs/suspensions/etc.?
It's not personal, it's business whether you are an assembly line worker for Ford or write in the Arts & Entertainment section for the Inquirer.
I suspect
...that people think that there's (a) already too little coverage of real news, and (b) that it takes a wider range of knowledge and skill sets to produce a good paper than the reduced staff can manage. sure, building widgets takes a variety of skills, but neither a robot nor an AP feed can replace real people showing up at real events and developing the background and connections necessary to keep a local paper alive...
just my two cents,
acm
Ah, but...
How do you know the 17% reduction means less coverage or a diminished ability to produce a good paper? Readership and ad revenue is down, they have to cut costs in order to survive. It's either that or whither, die, and cut 415 jobs.
Print media has not yet adjusted to the ongoing evolution of the internet. And simply putting your content on a website doesn't count. I was really excited when new ownership bought the papers, hoping that significant change was on the way. So far, I've been disappointed but understand change takes time.
The AP was mentioned. For example, you can insource most of your national news coverage and devote more time to local news. You can devote more staff to magazine type features. Readers want more than just the news these days because they probably got it on their blackberry the day before.
you are the future of philly journalism
Not the inquirer!
rumor has it...
...that Napoleon at the helm of the Inquirer and Daily News isn't finished with the offing of heads....talk about bad P.R.
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