Sports Editor, Martinsville, Va.

Based on what colbert and melock have posted, I don't see how anyone could possibly want to go there. The idea of having to roll over every time some whiny caller wants a story done about their kid is ridiculous. So is the fact that management won't back up its staff.

 

Martinsville prides itself on being local. The theory works in many places but Henry County is a very poor county. All the people there want to see is the names of people they know.
No, Ginny will not stand up for here staff when a complaint is made and that's sad. She knows that without the public, the paper would fold, but there are times when she could and should show support. It would cut down on the turnover.
The pay could be much, much. much better but remember, profit is the name of the game with any business.

 

Those are your opinions. If you want the facts ask someone who knows like Colbert or myself.

People don't just care about seeing the names of people they know. And people might be poor, but they still have cable and follow NASCAR and ACC sports. When I covered Tech one fall I'd get stopped a 100 times a week by people saying how nice it was to finally read a locals perspective on the Hokies and not just some cut-and-dry story.

The pay is ridiculously low even by the standards of the newspapper business today. The guy who owns the paper is a billionaire so I don't want to hear your shit about making profit is the name of the business. The Bulletin is the guy's puppet and his main act is Ginny and the GM.

 

Re: Decker ... yeah, the guy has been an amateur legend in Virginia, but apparently he wanted to have a normal life and a family, which is why he never tried the pro game. I think he could have easily grinded out a living as a mid-level PGA player, which these days, is actually a pretty damn good living.

 

melock, is the publisher really that wealthy?

 

I never worked in Martinsville but know a lot about the situation. And I don't think I put anything that contradicts what you were saying.

 

There's no doubt. The guy is an outstanding player and an even nicer guy to deal with. You're right about the family life and normal life. I believe he makes a pretty good earning working in the furniture business if I remember correctly.

 

I've heard stories. Either he really is very wealthy or he puts on great airs. Money doesn't make good people, at least not in this case.

 

Boots, we're pretty local too. But at least we don't have do stories that only a handful of people care about. That's a waste of time and resources. And we don't have Ginny either. Ha!

 

That was my understanding when I was there. There is one area in Martinsville where all the rich people (car dealership owners, real estate moguls, bank owners) live and he had the biggest house by a wide margin.

 

Never actually met the guy, but I did meet his wife (where a lot of his money comes from since her father owned several banks in the area). What did Paulie from the Sopranos always say about old hags? If you know than that's what she was.

 

Like I said if anyone wants to know the facts come to someone who has actually been there and not someone who "knows a lot about the situation."