Openings in Baton Rouge

I've got no links for ya, but I'm here to tell you the Baton Rouge Advocate has openings for online sports editor and Southern University beat writer.

The online SE, Gary Laney, is leaving for ESPN.com. The SU beat writer, Perryn Keys, will be the new Assistant Sports Editor (not to be confused with online SE) starting in April.

To fill you in, Butch Muir is retiring as SE. ASE Joe Schiefelbein will be his replacement and the Advocate stayed in house with Perryn moving into Joe's spot as ASE. So if you want to know if covering Southern will lead to anything, well these are your last two SU beat writers. LSU writers like Laney (who covered LSU before becoming online SE) and Randy Rosetta have left for website jobs that pay better, so Advocate jobs are not dead ends (unless you want them to be).

As for online SE, you won't have Joe for a boss. New media is its own department and answers to Mike Wilson, digital media director. It's a small staff, about 10 people. The good thing is you work with a small digital media staff (about 10 people) and you aren't subject to sports staff politics; you are a one-man show. The bad news is that you work with a small staff and you aren't part of the sports staff. But I'll vouch for Mike.

PM me for info. And if somebody's seen an ad for these jobs somewhere (I believe both are being advertised) feel free to supply the link.

 

Thank you a lot for all of the updated info, Brian. Much appreciated for going the extra mile or two.

 

Isn't there a LSU student who strings for them that posts on here? Could be a good candidate for the Southern gig.

 

Just to clarify a couple of things:

1. I'm not involved in the hiring process. I'm an Advocate-ex who's close enough to know a bit about what's going on. I'm happy to tell ya what I know, give advice, etc., but I've been under the impression that a couple of folks who PMed me thought I was involved in the hiring process. I'm not.

2. Send your stuff to human resources at the Advocate. They are the gatekeepers. However, I'm always a believer that personal contact doesn't hurt and often helps, FWIW. That's not to say send your resume to the wrong place. I'm just saying don't become just a name in a pile of resumes.

 

Update: The online SE position has been moved from the online department into the regular sports department.

What does this mean for the position? I don't know. That's a question for Joe Schiefelbein (SE) and Perryn Keys (ASE). If you're interested and reach out, I'm sure they'd be forthcoming.

But whatever it is, it's a change from what I orginally posted.

 

Any update on the hiring process?

 

I've told you what I know. Haven't heard anything new on Southern and as of the weekend, Perryn was out covering still.

Doesn't mean something hasn't happened. I just haven't heard.

 

Hires for both positions have been made in the last couple of weeks.

Pierce Huff, formerly of the Times-Picayune in New Orleans, is the new online SE.

Mike McCall is the new Southern beat writer.

Mike's been on the job for a while now. He's in Oklahoma City for the WCWS with LSU right now. Pierce just started in the last few days.

 

Good for Pierce getting to a more stable print situation.

 

Didn't realize that was the job Mike took. Knew he took a job with the Advocate, but didn't realize it was covering Southern. Good for him. He's a good writer who works hard and will move up quickly.