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Virginian-Pilot cuts more jobs

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by big green wahoo, Feb 19, 2009.

  1. Jeremy Goodwin

    Jeremy Goodwin Active Member

    As sad as those situations are, do you really think the paper considered the situations when laying them off?
     
  2. jlee

    jlee Well-Known Member

    "The Virginian-Pilot, battling the recession, will lay off 30 more workers and suspend the print version of Port Folio Weekly, its 26-year-old free arts and entertainment weekly."

    Couldn't help but put the industry's current stock excuse in the lede? I'm sure the poor economic times have an affect on advertisers' wallets, but not a "30 jobs and two smaller publications" effect. Not to mention the loss of Link and more than 100 employees earlier.

    By the way, I'm not putting the writer at fault for that. The phrase could have been added. Jlee, also battling the recession like the rest of the United States, disagrees with its use.
     
  3. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    Sure, they considered it. That's a helluva a lot of medical insurance the paper no longer has to cover. Saves more money than laying off a single guy.
     
  4. I honestly have no idea, and I don't know if their family situations should be included in the decisions. Obviously, a lackluster reporter who happens to have eight kids shouldn't be kept because of those kids. At least I don't think so. But if you have two folks who are similar producers and one has kids and the other is a single person in their 20s, does it come into play then?

    I was laid off back in 1999 from a paper. My editor swore up and down that merit, not seniority or anything else, would determine who got the ax. And myself and another guy, both single, both in our mid-20s, went out the door a few weeks later. We worked harder than half the remaining reporters but they had families and mortgages. At the time I was irate, but now having kids and a mortgage myself, I've softened my stance.
     
  5. jlee

    jlee Well-Known Member

    Good perspective there, big green. Whether or not the top brass considered their personal situations, it sucks all the same for those three. And it's not too peachy for the 27 single, married and/or partnered folks who also find themselves without income. Best wishes to them all.
     
  6. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Anybody in sports?
     
  7. Not from what I hear. I also haven't heard whether any management or design types got the ax. The place is layered with them but they always seem to escape.
     
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