Ogden starts making its mark ... in Ogden

Didn't want this to get lost in the Salt Lake City discussion, but another Utah paper is going the layoff/buyout/whatever route. Ogden Newspapers recently bought the (no relation) Ogden Standard-Examiner, and I saw a tweet yesterday from executive editor Greg Halling about cleaning out his office. Leads me to believe he was let go, as Ogden is known to do once it takes over a property.

So a Utah newspaper recap ... The Salt Lake Tribune is in a death spiral. So is the Daily Herald in Provo, which has had multiple rounds of layoffs the past few years, both before and after Ogden purchased it. The Ogden paper itself now appears to have had layoffs. The St. George Spectrum is a shell of what it used to be and recently had Gannett-mandated layoffs.

It seems if you want to work at a daily newspaper in Utah, the Deseret News is about the only safe option. And if you are adverse to being a PR arm for the LDS Church, then you don't want to be there, either.

Tough times for a state I love.

 

I have pretty extensive experience with Ogden and I don’t believe their MO is to get rid of the editor when they acquire a property.

 

But isn't Ogden noted for running papers on very lean staffing?

 

Perhaps I should have been a bit clearer in my wording. Ogden bought the paper in Lawrence, Kansas, and immediately cleared out 60 percent of the newsroom. Bought the paper in Provo, Utah, and had two rounds of layoffs within 13 months, including an ME. Bought the paper in Ogden, and laid off a half-dozen people, including the EE. It may not always be the editors, but it's not like it's out of the ordinary.