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Star Ledger laying off 40 from newsroom - 170 overall

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by EStreetJoe, Apr 3, 2014.

  1. EStreetJoe

    EStreetJoe Well-Known Member

    http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/04/star-ledger_cuts_170_jobs_including_40_newsroom_positions.html#incart_river_default

    The hammer has fallen in Newark again.
    I work desk at another Advance paper in NJ and three days ago they put out the desk schedule through August. This afternoon I find out how safe my job really is (despite being scheduled for a ton of desk shifts)
     
  2. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    Not a good day at One Star-Ledger Plaza.
     
  3. EStreetJoe

    EStreetJoe Well-Known Member

    If the Ledger cuts are going to work like The Times of Trenton cuts they'll be effective Sept. 7.
     
  4. shockey

    shockey Active Member

    sympathies to my former colleagues at the ledger. what a powerhouse this paper was when I came aboard in '96 and what a shell of its former self it was by the I left in '11. I'm sure the current staff does its best to keep up appearances but the sport section alone has gone from one of the best, by any measure, to one held together by a few remaining reporters and editors trying to keep up appearances for a staff now dominated by wide-eyed newbie in over their heads. believe me I take no pleasure in this assessment...

    best of luck, joe. may your sked remain full for you and your family...
     
  5. goalmouth

    goalmouth Well-Known Member

    Three replies. Amazing how news like this has fallen into the ho-hum bucket.
     
  6. EStreetJoe

    EStreetJoe Well-Known Member

    All Advance papers in NJ are being hit hard in the newsroom by cuts. The majority of The Times (of Trenton) copy desk - including yours truly - is being let go. If we stay until Sept. 7 we get severance pay. If we bail early, we don't.
     
  7. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    Uggh. Sorry to hear that, man.
     
  8. steveu

    steveu Well-Known Member

    Aw, crap. Very sorry to hear this, man. I hope everything goes well as it can.
     
  9. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    This is the part where the ugly realities of the business yield to the fact that these executives are heartless bastards who deserve everything bad that ever happens to them.
     
  10. jr/shotglass

    jr/shotglass Well-Known Member

    Joe, I'm really, really sorry to hear this. I hope everything goes OK for you.
     
  11. Frank_Ridgeway

    Frank_Ridgeway Well-Known Member

    Yeah, I am out in Newark. News was delivered by our editor, who was the SE who hired me at the NY Daily News 20 years ago and then in Newark when he'd moved out of sports and into the top job. I'm glad the conversation was with him because there is mutual respect there and I had no desire to tell him to drop dead. As with any job, I learned a lot and was as versatile as they let me be. I don't think I am done in the biz, and working hard news should give me some options with morons who think sports is the little bus. I'd rather have stayed, but the small staff that remains is in for some rocky days unless managers radically change their behaviors and at long last leave egos at the door. On the other hand, I had nights of tremendous fulfillment when we got out of each other's way and did big journalism that improved the lives of our readers.
     
  12. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Ah, shit. Sorry to hear about this. Having been there -- twice -- it's not fun. Good luck to you both. It really is a heartless business.
     
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