Quad-Cities (Illinois-Iowa variety) newspaper update

I know there are a few other Rock Island Argus/Moline Dispatch alumni on here, and the news from the Quad-Cities isn't good for the good ol' ArgPatch.

Lee Enterprises to buy Dispatch•Argus•QCOnline.com

The above link has Debbie Anselm, publisher of the rival Quad-City Times, stating, "The Dispatch-Argus will maintain its editorial independence and distinct voice as an indispensable community asset."

Surrrre. At the very least, newsrooms will consolidate, and job cuts certainly will be made in all departments. The Dispatch-Argus already shut down its printing press in early 2016, sending the pages to a facility 90 minutes away (Cedar Rapids).

This graph (and the circulation figure in it) says it all ... the Dispatch/Argus circulation has basically been cut in half from 10-12 years ago:

Good luck to my former colleagues at the Dispatch/Argus. A rough day for journalism on the Illinois side of the Quad-Cities.

 

Looks like the owners wanted to get their 7 million bucks before the paper was worth nothing. Seven million bucks is pretty cheap for a newspaper, at least when the industry was healthy.

 

Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn damn.

Hits close to home because it's where I got my start almost 36 years ago to this day. Still remember my first assignment -- covering the San Diego Chicken's appearance at a minor league baseball game in Davenport. The Daily Dispatch gave me the opportunity to cover Big Ten football and basketball, the occasional MLB series in Chicago or St. Louis, the Rose Bowl when Illinois made it and some top-notch high schools and small colleges. Was the starting point for a lot of talented people -- Jon Heyman probably is the best-known, but quite a few others went on to major metros as reporters or editors.

The Dispatch and Argus have survived a lot over the years -- 20 percent unemployment on the Illinois side in the early/mid '80s, conversion to AM publication, the merging of the papers and, until now, the downturn in the industry. Not to mention that the competition was larger and published by a company with deeper pockets, although those advantages didn't mean better news or sports coverage than what the Dispatch/Argus provided in the Illinois communities. Always thought the Small Group would hold out indefinitely and not be swallowed up by Gannett, GateHouse or Lee, but the economics obviously worked against it.

A few people from my era still are there, according to the staff list -- Mike Romkey, Donna Herbig, Laura Fraembs, Gary Krambeck -- and I wish them best of luck. Same with Gerry Taylor, who was ME when I started (still remember him telling me, "We usually don't pay new people this much, but we're making an exception for you," before finding out that was what he said to everybody) and soon became publisher. Russ Scott, the next ME who was one of the most decent newsroom managers I ever worked for, must be rolling over in his grave because he really loved the competition in that market.

 

You're absolutely right about this sale hurting coverage of the Illinois side of the Quad-Cities — in news and sports. I've been gone for about 8 years, but in the 2000s there was still a healthy competition between the QC Times (Lee's flagship paper) and the Dispatch-Argus. Both sides of the Mississippi River benefitted from that.

I worked with all those names you mentioned, Bronco, and I wonder what will happen to them. All are near the end of their careers, and hopefully they will be able to find something.

A couple former colleagues have said all Dispatch-Argus newsroom employees will have to re-apply for their jobs, and quickly. After all, the QCT already has some reporters covering the Illinois side, and a staff of photogs and paginators.

Lots of bad news recently in this business, but as Bronco noted, this one hits close to home.

 

I started at the D/A almost 17 years ago to the day as a part-timer (my parents still have my first by-line framed on the wall of their living room), so this hits close to home as well. Learned a lot there, met a lot of great people who are still there to this day so my thoughts go out to them and their families. As was mentioned, a lot of talent went through that newsroom and a lot of great talent is still there. Competition was fierce but friendly between the Times and D/A, especially in sports. Hopefully the friendly part can remain as I'm sure a lot of people will be competing for jobs in the near future.

 

The re-applying for jobs thing is possibly the scummiest thing about what has become a despicable business. You just said all those people are veteran reporters, editors, whatever. Making them re-apply for jobs is a way to cut their salaries a ton, but it's also a form of humiliation. This is why I feel newspapers should not even have HR departments. HR departments are to protect the company's ass from lawsuits nothing else. I hate to say it, but if you have been at a place for a while and are doing a good job (I mean really doing a good job; you know if you are or if you have been coasting) you do not re-apply for your job. You have to say no and and let them fire you if they wish to. You have to have some self respect and not reapply. Tell the assholes you would like to remain with the company in the same capacity but not reapply for your job. Contact a lawyer and see if you have any recourse if you are fired (you probably won't). If any of you have anything to do with the decision to make capable people reapply for jobs, shame on you.
Please ... somebody on this board tell me that it is not DISGRACEFUL that a company would make people reapply for their current jobs. You know damn well why the company is doing this: to intimidate, to force retirements, to cut salaries. Tell me it's not bullshit; I plead with you, tell me.
You might get a good age discrimination suit out of this.

 

Agree Fredrick. They have the metrics or should....that's what it seems all the newspaper suits care about is the metrics.....should know them and not make people with a long track record for solid work.....you know what they bring to the flippin' table

 

If their sole purpose is to get rid of veteran reporters or cut their salaries 30,000. Fine. Veteran reporters know the drill. If they've been in newspapers a while, they are big boys/girls. They can take the harsh talk. Tell them if they want to stay, we're looking at a 30,000 dollar pay cut if that's what it is. Don't make them reapply for their jobs. That is utter humiliation and anybody taking part in it (wink wink HR departments), shame on you.

 

Just had a meeting with my bosses. Having a big meeting and will be changes to structure in Wisconsin and who we answer to. Making "teams" with an editorial structure in Wisconsin. They made a you won't have to reapply for your jobs joke to which I responded "uh, that's not funny."

 

Here's just how friendly it was back in the day: When I started at the Dispatch, one of our sportswriters had just moved in with the Argus' only female sportswriter (the papers were separate entities and competitors then). Unfortunately, they split up less than a year later, but it doesn't get much "friendlier" than that.

And there was another Dispatch sportswriter back then who covered a high school game alongside a female Times sportswriter he'd always been attracted to and talked her into "hooking up" (although that term was many years away from being in vogue) afterward. Unfortunately, in a rush to get home after they filed their stories so he could clean up his apartment and make it presentable for the tryst, he was pulled over for speeding and didn't make it back for more than an hour (this was in the pre-cell phone era). She showed up, waited for a while and finally concluded she'd been stood up, ending that romantic initiative.