What would you guys do?

[Yawn]

We, an under 30,000 paper, just got bought by one of the cheap newspaper groups in the country that is now trying to squeeze the financial well-being out of the workforce. The head of news left and with it, the advocate of the department. I sense that both were stress-related, and I'd leave it at that. We're told that no new hires will be made, we live in a journalism-weak educational culture (ie, no decent journalism programs to pick part-timers and stringers from), so as the workforce decreases, the less relevant we've become in areas that readers wanted and expected. Our press area is also down to two guys setting pages and they're looking at not replacing the guy that just left, meaning these guys are working seven days, sometimes 14 hours, and they're not just doing our paper but several others within the company.

Imagine being in a position where you see morale crumbling at every turn. How would you approach the ultimate PTB to discuss this, knowing that your case is pretty much hopeless anyway. I mean, not a person in this joint is not looking for another job. What would you do, or what have you done in a similar situation and been successful in getting across?

 

[Smokey33]

I'd find a new place to work. I'd also laugh off the incompetence of your new owners as much as possible between now and then.

 

[DyePack]

Apparently you're not too happy down here at Shangri-La.

 

[lone star scribe]

Only one option. Leave as soon as possible.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

Shiney up that resume and get to know your postmaster well.

 

[Bob_Jelloneck]

 

[Buckeye12]

You don't need a reason to leave, you need a reason to stay.
If she's not giving you one, you don't have even that. Got to go.
30,000 circulation? I heard they're hiring 2 guys in Lima, Ohio. Similar size paper.

 

[Tom Petty]

i'd stay man. ride this one out to the bitter end. should be a lot of fun.


please come back and give us weekly updates on how it's going so we can feel better about ourselves, though.

 

[wickedwritah]

God bless Bob Jelenic.

 

[fishwrapper]

Problem? What problem? Damn journalists. A whiney, overpaid lot.

 

[schrdp2002]

time to find a new place to work

 

[Riddick]

Yawn, I feel what you're saying. But the thing is, follow your gut. When you start thinking that maybe it's time to leave, then it's time to leave.

 

[HeinekenMan]

It took me a few months to get up the nerve to leave my last stop, but I did it.

Lord knows the advice on here was all in the same direction as what you're getting now. And my posts were ridiculous. I might as well have said, "My boss chopped off my penis and sold it to a fisherman for bait and then used the money to give himself a raise. Should I stick it out?"

The answer, of course, would be, "What's there to stick out at this point?"

 

[Running Bear]

Yawn, what's the family situation? Married? Kids?

If you're single, it's an easy call. Get the heck out of there. If you're married, hopefully your wife's parents don't live nearby, because then it would be much tougher to leave.

 

[Tom Petty]

Yawn, what's the family situation? Married? Kids?

If you're single, it's an easy call. Get the heck out of there. If you're married, hopefully your wife's parents don't live nearby, because then it would be much tougher to leave.

actually, i'm guessing yawn lives in his wife's parents' basement.

 

[Running Bear]

Then he's really screwed.

 

[Tom Petty]

naw, actually he's not screwed. from what i understand, his wife doesn't put out ... for him, anyway.

for what it's worth.

 

[Running Bear]

Now, now, you never know ... his mother-in-law might be putting out.

 

[Tom Petty]

well, at least that's what the press and mailroom guys are sayin' down at work.