More Tampa Tribune cutbacks?

Strange bedfellows, indeed. In June I was laid off by the Tribune. Now I've been hired by tbo.com, their online platform. Talk about a plot twist for me, haha.

 

Congratulations, my friend. Bad things don't keep good people down for long. What does the new gig entail?

 

Any update. Does the Tribune have to be out of the thier building by spring? I read the condo developers wanted to get started in May.

 

Yep. No word on new location or printer. Tick tock.

 

I can not figure this situation out. Ownership has not handed out WARN notices of a closure so I guess there is at least some motivation to keep the paper open. But on the other hand you would think if they wanted to keep the paper open they would have nailed down a printer before they sold the printing plant.

 

How come there aren't more lawsuits filed by veteran reporters and copy editors vs. their companies. It's blatantly obvious what is going on. Even great newspapers are getting rid of the veterans because of their salaries (which aren't huge anyway) and hiring newcomers for 25,000 max. All you have to do, folks, is tape record some of your exit interviews. Hide the tape recorder and record. Newspaper higher-ups think they are the greatest gifts to journalism, but managing editors and other editors are not the brightest bulbs. They got their positions basically by sucking up. It's time the little guys win some lawsuits and get placed on Easy Street. Age discrimination is illegal. I personally think the veteran reporters are so burned out by the business they just say "fuck it, I'm going to take this miniscule buyout and good riddance to newspapers." In reality they should be suing. Any opinion on this? Why aren't we filing lawsuits for age discrimination left and right??

 

If age discrimination suits were easy to win every newspaper publishing company in the country would be broke.

 

In every layoff there always are a handful of younger people let go, too, if only for appearances' sake. If 32 people get laid off and 31 are 50+ years old, you might have a case. But that's not how it typically goes down.

 

For those curious: The Tampa Tribune, which is planning to vacate its long-time headquarters (and printing press site) sometime soon, will be printed by its chief competitor, the Tampa Bay Times, beginning this month.

The Times' spin: Tampa Bay Times gets contract to print Tampa Tribune

"The contract, terms of which were not disclosed, includes all publications under the umbrella of the Tampa Media Group, the Tribune's parent. The Times will transition this month toward printing all editions and weekly sections of the Tribune and its affiliates — including Centro, Highlands Today and the Suncoast News — and taking over commercial printing contracts the Tribune has with the New York Post and the MacDill Thunderbolt, a weekly newspaper about MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

"The contract has no effect on the competing news organizations' news and advertising operations. The Tribune will maintain its own newspaper delivery service.

"It is not unusual in today's newspaper industry for one paper to print its competitor. The Dallas Morning News began printing the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 2014. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune prints the Bradenton Herald and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel prints the Palm Beach Post."

The Tribune's spin: Longtime competitors Tribune, Times ink five-year printing partnership

“We are looking forward to a long-term partnership between the Tribune and the Times on the production side of our business,” said Tribune Publisher Brian Burns. “Given the financial pressures on the print industry, throughout the country newspapers have been combining various products and services, such as production and printing, to create mutual efficiencies and savings.”

 

Fascinating, but also becoming increasingly common. Everyone's just doing what they need to do to survive. Never thought I'd see that.

 

Makes two of us.

Admittedly, I'm pulling this out of my ear, but it's an educated pull: I think this deal gives the Times the cash it needs to fix much of what's ailing it financially, and puts the Tribune in a weaker position that it cannot overcome. While it saves money in the short term — by not having to pay printers and maintain the presses — little birdies tell me those savings evaporate about halfway into the arrangement.

I love my alma mater, and I love the people there, but I suspect there will no longer be a printed Tampa Tribune in 2021. And I believe this deal — while necessary for now — will be the catalyst that causes it.