Ogden Newspaper Group ... any info on them?

My first job was an Ogden paper in Minnesota ... helped make me what I am today (lob... set...)

 

I just spent a year as a news copy editor at Ogden's paper in Altoona.

The pay was poor even by industry standards, but the environment was really good and conducive to doing good work. You will be given what you need to succeed, except when it comes to computers (we were stuck on ancient Macs and versions of Quark). Yes, you will find notebooks and pens in the supply closet, unlike at some other places I've worked. Believe it or not, our Pittsburgh guy ripped the Pirates left and right, and he was never censored to the best of my knowledge.

In general, I've heard good things about Billport, which is about the same circulation as Altoona.

 

I don't know squat about Ogden, but I'd like the board experts to inform us which chains do pay well to start?

All I ever read in these threads is how cheap a various chain is, which isn't particularly helpful to young writers trying to break in. Most chains are cheap by standards of other businesses, but even youngins' know that and know they need to pay their dues, so why harp on it? Let them know the other aspects of the chain.

 

I've worked at an Ogden paper and know the Williamsport area pretty well. I do not recommend taking this job if you've got another offer, however, if it's a first or second job for a young, aspiring writer, why not go for it?

The pay will suck in Williamsport, but you'll be able to live off what little they'll give you. And you'll be the lowest rung on the ladder there, and they tend to dump all over that step. I've never had real good experience working with the Sun-Gazette's staff. While they put together a decent product, they're very egocentric, for the most part. There is a good writer or two, which will help you develop a voice.

If you go for an interview, form your own opinion and, if you like it, take a gamble. There could be plenty of worse jobs, I'm sure.

 

Newhouse is one.

 

While we're on the topic, anything worth discussing about GateHouse? Especially after their growth in the last year.

 

Gatehouse has invested a lot of money in new technology (cameras, specifically) in its New England cluster.

And, Bubbler, Ogden's pay is very poor. For an upward move -- news reporter at 15,000 non-Ogden paper to news desk at 30,000 Ogden paper, with similiar costs of living -- I took a very slight pay cut. (I switched jobs for a couple other reasons.)

 

Ogden HAS to be better than the POS I work for... CNHI *ugh*

 

Just remember the BS to Pay ratio. Low pay is fine (if you can afford it) as long as the environment allows you to do stuff that will get you to the next rung. Find out where people have gone from Ogden. If people leave the paper to work outside the field stay away.

 

Sean,
Ogden pay is better than you think.
I got an $8,000 pay raise when I left CNHI to join the Ogden chain at a paper thesame size as the one I left.
As I said before, there are a HELL of a lot worse places to work besides Ogden.

 

Slade rocks. They were at the height of their success in the 1970s. The song you referred to was from the fantastic 1984 album "Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply." Without Slade, there would have been no Quiet Riot.

Which, now that I think about it, might not have been so bad.

End threadjack. (Slade-jack?) Ogden is not the worst you'll encounter. Tread cautiously, and negotiate.

 

Orville, I just want to say that I'm not complaining about the pay. I had been in a not-so-ideal situation, and I made the leap because I thought the working conditions would be better. They were, by far, and it set me up nicely for my current job.

Basically this is what I was trying to say. Were there things about my time there that annoyed or frustrated me? I think everyone finds that, at every stop. They weren't insurmountable issues, though. If Altoona weren't eight hours away from family, I'd still be there.