Detroit News buyouts

[TwoGloves]

Didn't see this posted elsewhere.

Talent Drain: Detroit News Loses Columnists, Reporters, Editors

 

[reformedhack]

Interesting link at the bottom of that story. Among those taking the buyouts is Terry Foster:

"The News wanted me to cover Pistons full time. It conflicted with my radio career."

Another Sports Media Change: Terry Foster Will Leave News

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Also interesting in that they say they're going to be hiring others of "the next generation."

Kinda sound age discriminatory to me.

 

[wicked]

Terry Foster, who I always thought was a decent columnist, is pushed aside and told to cover the ****ing Pistons?

What people are making these decisions?

(Yes, I assume they made him an offer he had to refuse because of his radio show.)

 

[JohnHammond]

Also interesting in that they say they're going to be hiring others of "the next generation."

Kinda sound age discriminatory to me.

It's income discriminatory.

 

[LanceyHoward]

How many columnists will the paper have after Foster leaves? I think that the days of papers carrying two or even three full-time columnists is coming to an end.

 

[Alma]

Terry Foster, who I always thought was a decent columnist, is pushed aside and told to cover the ****ing Pistons?

What people are making these decisions?

(Yes, I assume they made him an offer he had to refuse because of his radio show.)

I would assume the same.

I've always been pretty leery of columnists working radio side. They give away their opinions for free. And Foster's opinions pale in comparison to his partner.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Both Boston papers still have two, although Gerry Callahan of my alma mater is more emeritus than real, writing only so often. But all the lead beat guys and gals have at least one weekly column on their beat.
PS: Alma, Gerry is an anomaly. He can still write really good columns from time to time, but after 20 years, he remains terrible radio, which is odd because in person he's very engaging.

 

[TwoGloves]

How many columnists will the paper have after Foster leaves? I think that the days of papers carrying two or even three full-time columnists is coming to an end.

Bob Wojnowski and John Niyo are the remaining columnists. Foster wasn't really a columnist. He wrote more online stuff and did a lot of general assignment stuff. Free Press has three columnists if you count Albom.

 

[TwoGloves]

Terry Foster, who I always thought was a decent columnist, is pushed aside and told to cover the ****ing Pistons?

What people are making these decisions?

(Yes, I assume they made him an offer he had to refuse because of his radio show.)

He hasn't been a true columnist in years.

 

[wicked]

I thought Callahan had stopped writing in the Herald and was doing stuff for WEEI.com.

 

[LanceyHoward]

Interesting link at the bottom of that story. Among those taking the buyouts is Terry Foster:

"The News wanted me to cover Pistons full time. It conflicted with my radio career."

Another Sports Media Change: Terry Foster Will Leave News

I do think it is sad that a job at a sports radio station is now considered more stable than a job at as a sportswriter.

 

[HanSenSE]

BUMP! Just like orange slices, buyouts for everybody!

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/articl...ews-offers-buyouts-to-all-editorial-employees

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Dumb comment from Gannett corporate about how this is a good thing coming in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

 

[wheels89]

Dumb comment from Gannett corporate about how this is a good thing coming in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

Free Press owns Gannett and Digital First owns The News. They traded papers in 2005.

 

[Riptide]

Free Press owns Gannett and Digital First owns The News. They traded papers in 2005.

Gannett owns Free Press.

 

[steveu]

Know a couple people in sports at the DN. Hope everything's well with them.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Gannett owns Free Press.

Eh. Dumb comment from Digital First corporate about how this is a good thing coming in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

 

[Tarheel316]

Eh. Dumb comment from Digital First corporate about how this is a good thing coming in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

Yep. We're cutting jobs and content and that is somehow going to make us better. We are excited about the new direction we are taking. And blah, blah, blah ...

 

[LanceyHoward]

I used to vacation in Michigan until about eight years ago and thought the Free Press and News were similar in quality. Is that still the case. Is the News currently bleeding faster? When does the JOA expire?