copy editor/page designer: Reading, Pa.

Word on the street says the Reading (Pa.) Eagle is looking for a full-time desk person.

 

It's true. They have only two guys left, who will be taking vacation time in the summer. My guess is that they will be moving quickly on it.

 

I'm intrigued. Anyone know who they'd want you to send your stuff to?

 

Sports Editor is Terry Bickhart: tbickhart@readingeagle.com

 

Could they bring back any of the people they whacked last year?

 

Would you really want to come back, knowing if it happened again you're at the top of the list?

 

Well, I hear it's been a solid place to work, and one where they haven't continually sliced people.

Of course, the job market in Pennsylvania sucks, as it does anywhere.

And a lot of good journalists are out of work in the area -- even more so than elsewhere. Lancaster merged two papers into one last summer, the Reading layoffs, etc.

You have a good point, but if I'm still jobless 14 months later and want to put food on the table my principles may differ.

 

The Eagle, prior to the layoffs, was a solid place to earn a living. You could do much worse than here on any gig. The pay isn't bad and the location isn't bad either.

 

I just looked back at the thread on the layoffs last year. Holy crap, they let people go without severance -- any severance!

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/69422/

I'd feel a little less secure about going there, given that.

 

The no-severance layoffs came right after they installed a new, $30 million press that became an albatross. Still a solid staff that covers the hell out of preps and PSU football.

 

Word on the street is that they're training someone internally to handle the copy editor/design duties. Perhaps they're looking for someone young 'n cheap for a writing slot. That's probably why the job hasn't been advertised yet.