Huntsville Times buyouts

Wait. This paper is accepting buyouts but the editor hired someone?

 

I've stopped counting.

 

So then the number is 3....

 

Editor hired a special friend, you might say

 

Whatever.
Maturity is a blessed event. Think about it.

 

I do. Everytime I read your litter.

 

For my money, McCarter is the best sports columnist in that state. It'd be a shame if he left.

 

And let's see how do we play this one? I'll troll you. Then you'll see if you can top my troll.... aw, you don't have a clue. Have a good one.

 

Update.

McCarter (finest columnist in the South, IMHO) is not leaving. But newsroom number far exceeds what management expected, former co-worker told me tonight.

Decisions are due by the end of business today. 19 in the newsroom have submitted buyout paperwork, at least 1, maybe 2 more expected today, he thinks. Could possibly lose 21 of 79 from the newsroom ... He says they now stand to lose 7 of 12 on news desk, including all the 1A and Business page designers. Either 2 or 3 from Sports. They're also losing the entire Editorial page staff.

Unreal. And buddy says all buyout requests will likely be accepted. Crazy shit.

Hate to see a good paper get dismantled like this. A Newhouse paper, too.

 

A 50k daily has 79 newsroom employees? That seems like a lot.

(Of course, working at a 40k that only has 29 in the newsroom might be skewing my perception.)

 

H-times and mobile easily are the most ambitious papers in the state. They don't mind spending and doing things that make them better. that's why they are the best two papers in the state, in my opinion anyway.
On the other hand, Birmingham News really only cares about two things -- the professional teams known as Alabama and Auburn. That's why the news wouldn't share auburn, alabama content with the sister papers when they were re-structuring those beats, at least that's what a few people told me.

 

Shame on the gossip vine's misinformation ... New HT editor could not have hired his "special friend" b/c Newhouse' nepotism rules are too strict. (Insert lame Alabama joke about being able to boink your kin but not hire her.)
My pal in the newsroom says the paper's generous buyouts were a blessing to those who took them and even made eligibles who weren't near retirement age consider option of taking the money and hunting new occupation.
And while McCarter gets props for his prose, the new guy Bryant has more to say and might be a better columnist, IMHO.