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Ottaway Newspapers Inc. lays off 5 percent of workforce

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Angola!, May 29, 2008.

  1. Angola!

    Angola! Guest

    Well, this got awkward.
     
  2. schiezainc

    schiezainc Well-Known Member

    No, awkward is pooping your pants in an elevator with 12 people and having the power go out, leaving you stranded for three hours.

    In August.

    In Texas.

    With no air conditioning.
     
  3. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Sorry Lance. Not you personally. I meant the Ogden Newspaper chain (a chain of which I'm a survivor). May you hope the tentacles never reach your neck of the country.
    Am sure you are personally a man with all three traits -- or hope you are.
     
  4. KP

    KP Active Member

  5. Read and weep

    Read and weep Member

    Word is that the Herald-Record in Middletown, NY axed both of its New York City writers. Also got rid of the managing editor and a news writer.
     
  6. STLIrish

    STLIrish Active Member

    I heard that, too. All three of the laid-off writers were columnists, and so probably not covered by the union contract there.
    It's the Times Herald-Record, btw (though given that it's becoming a shell of its former self, maybe the shorter name is appropriate).
     
  7. Monday Morning Sportswriter

    Monday Morning Sportswriter Well-Known Member

    Yep, one was the one they call the "liberal columnist."

    So much for the liberal media.
     
  8. schiezainc

    schiezainc Well-Known Member

    I like the idea of these layoffs. I mean, when your paper is struggling, it makes sense to dilute the quality of the product by piling on the responcibilities of those too young/too stupid to know better.

    I can't wait until it's one-man departments for all the major papers around the country. That will be terrific!
     
  9. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    Loved the quote by the publisher: "It's not like we're losing money."

    So if you're not losing money, then why do you need to cut staff? Even if you're breaking even, wouldn't you want a product that people would want to buy?

    Oh wait, we're talking about the newspaper business here.
     
  10. STLIrish

    STLIrish Active Member

    This was company-wide, I don't think it was the publisher's decision. And he's got a pretty good reputation, as publishers go.
    I kind of read that as an F-You to his bosses up the chain.
     
  11. wickedwritah

    wickedwritah Guest

    I wonder if Rupert is stuck with these papers now. Except for Middletown, and to a lesser extend New Bedford and Hyannis, they're smaller papers. The market isn't exactly hot for that right now.
     
  12. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    I understand that. I just wish there was a company with execs with the balls to tell their shareholders that the industry is in flux, and that a 15 percent profit margin isn't so bad while trying to figure out a whole new way of doing business on the fly.
     
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