Tampa Tribune

Wasn't it the Tampa Tribune that recently offered buyouts to almost the whole staff?

Anyone hear what's going on there?

 

Here's the thread.

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/55163/

 

Thanks.

 

But, wait ... there's more. From the Tampa Bay Business Journal last week:

"The Richmond, Va., publisher said it would lay off 810 full-time positions across the Southeast, almost entirely in its publishing division as well as 45 in broadcasting, and 20 in other corporate staff departments. The layoffs will be offset by the addition of 60 new positions in Media General's interactive media division that will focus on direct online sales initiatives as well as news. Those cuts, to take place in the beginning of the third quarter, are said to include about 60 job losses in the company's Tampa newsroom."

> Complete story at http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2008/05/19/daily39.html.

All I can say is that I'm glad to be a Trib alumnus ... emphasis on "alumnus."

 

Where the hell are the other 750 coming from!?!?

 

The other two tips of the Media General Trident, I'd imagine. I thought most of the 810 were being killed off via attrition and doing away with unfilled jobs, but that's not what layoff means so ... hmmm .. many of their community papers are stripped pretty bare as it is.

Guess we can scratch MG off the Landmark suitor list.

 

Bad things for this paper's employees, I see....

Oh well, there's always Bar Tampa....

 

First the Tanga Lounge closes, and now this.

 

I know some people there who are freaked the fuck out...

 

That's disturbing. Hadn't heard that. On spring break one year a buddy of mine nearly get his ass kicked by a stripper there because he wasn't going to tip her.

 

Good for Pugo. He's been there nearly 30 years -- at least 27, if memory serves -- so he should have an exceptional buyout package waiting for him. He got rooked by management about a year ago, and I hope they pay a pretty penny now for the loss of his institutional knowledge. That disappointing turn of events epitomizes everything that's been going wrong with Mother Trib for the last five years or so.

If you're reading this, Nick, there's life outside the Tribune. I'm glad you'll finally get a chance to enjoy it.

Meanwhile, I can only imagine how many other veterans are queuing up for the lifeboats. And the readers are going to notice it.