Tampa cutting AGAIN??

Shit, in Richmond we only had five actual full-time deskers when I left. I worked half-half with writing, and other writers would be put on occasional desk shifts. Course, they had gone to a U-desk, so we had newssiders reading some sports copy (which always worked out well  :)

On a Monday, we probably had 2-3 people capable of design/editing and one person who was just a copy editor.

 

"Big papers" such as SF Chronicle, Detroit News, Indy Star, Hartford, etc.

 

Wasn't calling Richmond. Only used it because it's part of the MG trinity with Tampa.

 

And I have just heard reports of a sports desker who's been at the paper for 10+ years.

That's four from the newsroom so far today.

 

It depends on how much live copy you have coming in late.

 

There was a time when every writer in Richmond, with the exception of a few columnists, did a day on the desk. Wasn't that big of a deal and the paper came out fine.
I think papers are looking to go more towards that trend again, at the same time slashing old timers and salaries.

 

I worked at a place where a typical weeknight was:

Two slots
One 1A designer
Three copy editors
One wire editor
One chief
One local wire/agate
One agate

It was a pretty big paper. But that was typical on every night but Friday and Saturday when there would be 1-2 more people.

 

Paging Jessica DaSilva. Jessica DaSilva, please pick up the white courtesy phone.

 

According to story posted on the Trib's website, 18 total from the newsroom today, including the business editor (whose title was eliminated in the goofy reorganization thing) and the editorial page editor. Eighty total from the company today, from every department.

Quoting from the story: "We have tried to make these cuts so the results are not so obvious to the reader," said Janet Coats, executive editor of the Tribune. (And yet there were 80,000 reader comments on the site within one hour of the story being posted.)

Quoting again: About a third of the [overall] cuts came from open positions – the remainder from layoffs. Current employment stands at about 1,150. FCG President John Schueler said the organization continues to generate a profit, though he also told employees in a memo that further job cuts were likely.

Paging Dr. Daniels, Dr. Jack Daniels.


Update: Moddy beat me to the punch while I was crafting this clever post.

 

Cuts: obvious.

Coats: oblivious.

 

Janet Coats is not doing herself, the Trib or MG any favors by speaking.