A cold day in Ventura County -- and Scripps

[buckweaver]

http://www.laobserved.com/intell/2008/11/a_cold_day_in_ventura_county.php

Perhaps, as a former writer at the Ventura County Star, I'm too close to this. ... Perhaps I'm the wrong person to opine on the E.W. Scripps Co.'s decision to conduct a post-presidential-election layoff today of 45 people at the Star — 17 from the newsroom (more than 20 percent) — according to a VCS source.

<snip>

From LAO:

• It looks like other Scripps properties are getting hit with layoffs today too. Here's one at the Southwest Florida Group, which includes the Naples Daily News, Bonita Daily News, and Marco Eagle.

• Three more Scripps properties are reporting layoffs. The Caller-Times in Corpus Christi, TX, is losing 23 positions, The Abilene Reporter News is eliminating "seven full-time and four part-time positions between now and the end of the year," and the Evansville Courier & Press is losing 32 positions.

• Editor & Publisher is reporting that E.W. Scripps is reportedly cutting 400 positions. Also see Fitz & Jen.

• The Ventura County Star put up a <a href="http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/nov/06/star-reduces-workforce/">brief</a>, sans the usual reader comment option, after 4 p.m.

 

[slappy4428]

****abuncha Scripps... that is all.

 

[MileHigh]

Yeah, rough day. Though not all papers got hit, amazingly.

 

[lone star scribe]

"To show our appreciation for the extra hard work you demonstrated during our election coverage, we're laying you off. Get out."

 

[Angola!]

did abilene lose any in sports?

 

[txsportsscribe]

http://www.laobserved.com/intell/2008/11/a_cold_day_in_ventura_county.php

Perhaps, as a former writer at the Ventura County Star, I'm too close to this. ... Perhaps I'm the wrong person to opine on the E.W. Scripps Co.'s decision to conduct a post-presidential-election layoff today of 45 people at the Star — 17 from the newsroom (more than 20 percent) — according to a VCS source.

<snip>

From LAO:

• It looks like other Scripps properties are getting hit with layoffs today too. Here's one at the Southwest Florida Group, which includes the Naples Daily News, Bonita Daily News, and Marco Eagle.

• Three more Scripps properties are reporting layoffs. The Caller-Times in Corpus Christi, TX, is losing 23 positions, The Abilene Reporter News is eliminating "seven full-time and four part-time positions between now and the end of the year," and the Evansville Courier & Press is losing 32 positions.

• Editor & Publisher is reporting that E.W. Scripps is reportedly cutting 400 positions. Also see Fitz & Jen.

• The Ventura County Star put up a <a href="http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/nov/06/star-reduces-workforce/">brief</a>, sans the usual reader comment option, after 4 p.m.

ok, i'm supposed to interview with a scripps paper tomorrow for what i would call a newsroom mid-management job. seems like a decent opportunity but the layoffs mentioned here have me more than a little concerned. hmmm, what to do, what to do.

 

[MileHigh]

Was the paper included in the latest round of layoffs?

 

[txsportsscribe]

Was the paper included in the latest round of layoffs?

yes

 

[MileHigh]

I'd be asking lots and lots of questions.

 

[thegrifter]

yeah, in this situation, ask all your questions now.

 

[luckyducky]

I think the Scripps madness started last week. Wonder if everyone's been hit yet or there are still papers out there for the end of the week's round...

 

[Tom Petty]

bookmark.

 

[MileHigh]

I think it's done.

 

[Killick]

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/11/03/daily62.html

Outlook: Not good.
Of course, this started long before the economic downturn. Idiot CEO Ken Lowe (a TV guy) started abandoning newspapers years ago. After the split, they've put Rich Boehne in charge of the newspaper division. A little background: Dude flunked out of local college three times. Was a fair-to-middling reporter, crossed picket lines and has kissed ass all the way up the corporate ladder. Remaining Scripps family members (who, presumably, still care about newspapers) are not happy.

 

[jps]

Was the paper included in the latest round of layoffs?

yes

I'd be pretty careful here ...