New York Times plans to cut 7 percent of newsroom positions

If you really think that would happen ...

 

And what planet would this newspaper be on?

 

No offense, PBR, but what are you, 14?

 

So reporters and editors face the loss of their livelihoods, while bosses face the loss of their bonuses in order to "share in the sacrifice." Yeah, more inspiring newsroom leadership.

 

This is how family-owned large businesses self-destruct. First, large numbers of the family lose interest in the business and turn their attentions to just being rich. Second, sooner or later the family member in charge turns out to be an incompetent-which Pinch Sulzberger has been.
The DuPont company, which was sort of important in Wilmington, Delaware when I was growing up, was an exception. The DuPonts had SO MUCH money already, they didn't bitch when competent outsiders were placed in charge of the company.

 

Which is all these corporate owners really care about. They don't understand, let alone appreciate, the importance of the news media, and how all these "cutbacks" are doing nothing more than perpetuating the vicious cycle. And they certainly don't appreciate the people whose lives they are affecting. They just want to make themselves and their equally narrow-minded shareholders rich.

 

Oh, Christ. You think anyone gives a shit? Ask the aerospace industry. Auto industry. Biotech. And damn near anything manufactured.
No one, no one has gotten rich buying the N.Y. Times stock in the last eight years.

 

Like what happened in Chicago, when goofball Ted Field wanted his share of the family dough out of the newspaper biz so he could go Hollywood, and Marshall Field wound up running for the hills.

 

And like what happened at the OC Register, when the Hoiles family had its own internecine battle. This battle will result in the dismantling and evisceration of what used to be a great paper, because to pay off the rebel Hoiles horde, Freedom had to borrow nearly $1 billion from two venture capital firms.

Someone could correct me if I'm wrong, but if they don't pay it off by 2010, I believe those firms take over the company. Then, you'll see carnage on a grand scale.

 

They don't take it over, but can leverage for a sale.

 

The land of family owned papers that has employees who are worthless but make a ton of money. One of the "higher-ups" has been there for 57 years.

Close. Why?