Interesting career change by friend/colleague Jeff White

So he'll have a chance to write more than just the 10-graf game recap and news stories?

I know when I covered JMU, the SID and his staff wrote everything that appeared on the school's athletic site. JMU's no U.Va., of course, but I wonder how many schools are spending the money to hire these staff writers? And I wonder what they expect from them? If they're looking for more in-depth features and gamers that don't read like AP copy, then good for them. I like it. If not, seems like a big waste of money, unless they have plenty of it to throw around.

 

It's U.Va. Money is no object.

 

Not all schools have that kind of cabbage, though. Hence, I wonder how many other schools have or will go this route and hire a staff writer.

 

That's what I'm most curious about; the kind of coverage and writing they'll expect from a new staff writer.

 

They will expect you to write copy that is pro-university. They will expect you to develop ways of getting stories about the school published in other places. They will expect you do good work that will make the university shine on a dreary day. In some places that can be tough.
Imagine if you had that job at say, USC. And in light of the recent scandal involving the basketball team, it's kind of hard to find something positive to spin from that other than a new coach is coming and changes are being made.

 

Baylor has done it. Not sure about any other Texas schools. The Big 12 also hired Wendell Barnhouse away from the FW Star-Telegram.

 

Wow.

Jeff's a solid guy and excellent reporter ... I've been hearing grumblings that the UVa beat was going to disappear entirely at the RTD. No idea if there was any truth to that rumor, but it would astound me if it's true. I understand MG has a paper in Charlottesville, but for the state's paper not to have a staff presence at one of the state's two biggest universities would shock me.

 

Definitely. I understand that 100 percent.

U.Va. is getting a helluva hell of a writer. I hope they let him write.

Edited for Moddy.

 

It's the perfect job for someone who feels that he or she is getting burned out doing the daily newspaper grind.