News/sports reporter in Williston, N.D.

That is for the news position open. The main reporter left a month after me for the Bismarck Tribune.

 

Does the paper still have a byline quote, and are the reporters getting around that by slapping their bylines on everything?

 

Not sure what you mean? So much crap is happening that there are more stories than can be covered. That was what burned me out. Contrary to what Rick says, they do burn you out. Two months before I quit myself and another reporter went in and talked with the publisher and ME about a raise (paper is making bank big time) and getting another reporter in to pick up all the extra stuff. They wouldn't hire a new employee and introduced "contests" that amount for a total of $200 a month. That's not $200 per employee. It's $200 up for grabs between five reporters.

I got burnt out because as news/sports I was constantly being pulled between the two. I had six schools to cover in sports (schools not teams) and they threw the city beat at me which is huge in this town right now. To cover a game I had to not cover something in news and visa versa. No matter what I did I had to miss stories that readers would then complain weren't covered. It was a damned if you do, damned if you don't.

With all due respect to Rick, the position has changed a lot since he left. He was there before the current ME was. When he left the ME restructured some things. I rarely had time nor room for features which is what I liked most. Every week you had 60 hours of reporting to get done in 40-45 hours. Yes it is hourly. They claim to be saving us from being overworked by having policy against salary. Problem is, there is so much work that you constantly stress about the time because you know you can't get it all done. If you work 50 hours the publisher would then come down on you questioning everything you covered and why it took so long.

 

I did, in fact, work under the current ME. I'm not denying that it may have changed, however.

When I was there, CB, corporate introduced a policy of 20 "bylines" (including photos, video and photo galleries on the web) per reporter per week. The ME at the time heavily encouraged us to just start slapping bylines on briefs and roundups, because he thought this count was insulting to his ability to manage the staff.

 

For the record the newsroom consists of ME, sports editor, lifestyle editor, two news reporters and the sports/news swing position. In the past three months both news reporters have left (one for a better job) and the sports/news (my position) left. One of the others there also wants out and is looking for other work which I believe the paper is aware of. So in the past three months the three main reporters (75% of all stories) have quit and another wants out. One position is still open and the other two were replaced by people with very little journalism experience.

I don't mean to be critical. I enjoyed parts of the job and was grateful for the opportunity but I feel I should be honest so everyone who is considering this job knows the truth.

 

FYI, just heard the guy they hired to replace me one month ago has quit so the position is open again.

 

In the unlikely event I were to pack up and move to Williston, N.D., it wouldn't be to collect $25k working nights and weekends to crank out sports. Pizza delivery guys probably make double that there.

 

Talked to a former co-worker today and heard the new ad person quit because they tried to make her design a bunch of stuff rather than sell, the only (really) graphics person is quitting and another person who does a lot of the paperwork up front wants to quit. The ad person who quit would be the fourth person in less than a year to take the position and quit.

Also, the guy who filled this position after me was told he doesn't get vacation for two years. Company policy is/was three months.

The publisher is 90% of the problem here. She yells and screams all the time and treats people as if they are beneath her. When she is gone I would say it is a good paper to start at. Until then I would warn people to stay away.

 

Two years? That doesn't sound right.

 

I was surprised too but I heard it from someone who works right next to him. The parent company is losing money from what I was told when I worked there so maybe it is a new company policy. This specific paper is making ridiculous money however. Williston is the center for the oil boom and they have more people buying ads than they can handle.

 

It looks like the paper isn't holding any apartments this time around, so good luck to those who get the job in trying to find a place. Might as well buy one of those small RVs.

 

If they don't have an apartment for you, don't bother. You won't even have a place to park an RV.