Philly looking to lay off managers?!?

http://www.phillymag.com/news/2008/08/25/inquirer-daily-news-to-shed-more-staff/

Would be a nice change. I wonder how many papers have about as many managers as they used to but half the staff they used to manage?

 

seems like my shop has as many editors as it does writers. just doesn't make any sense.

 

my first gig out of school at a 15k had almost as many editors (8 ) as reporters (9.5) on the news side.

executive editor.
managing editor.
deputy managing editor.
associate editor.
senior editor.
entertainment editor (also handled ops).
wire editor.
city editor.

no copy desk. every editor had their own little fiefdoms. one did a1 and jumps; another did b1; another did a4; another did the lone entertainment page; the b section was split up among several people.

seriously, a clusterfuck.

 

Had a conversation the other day with a dumb-ass assistant editor, who was bemoaning the loss of staffers. That is, the hands-on reporters and copy editors. He was grousing that he might actually have to break out his pen and notebook and leave the comfy confines of the office/cafeteria/meeting room triangle and cover something soon. He's one of four managers in a department of maybe 20 people now.

I looked at him the way I would look at something the dog coughed up.

 

I'll save my unbridled joy for when they start to lay off the idiots in advertising as well as the brainless suits.

 

My man!