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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

 

A peek into my not-so-distant future:

When a newspaper cuts its staff, those who remain in the depleted newsroom become valuable. But as The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J. slowly says farewell to 151 newsroom folks who took buyouts last month, at least two longtime journalists have been reassigned to the mailroom.

Reporter Jason Jett and Assistant Deputy Photo Editor Mitchell Seidel have been filing, sorting, and delivering mail for more than a week, according to sources.

Jett and Seidel, who could not be reached for comment, apparently declined to take one of the buyouts offered this fall as part of a companywide move to cut costs.

An isolated incident? Maybe...or maybe not.

Talk about a sign of the times in the journalism industry. Staffers at the Longmont Times-Call recently received an internal e-mail inviting them to work as valets at a private Christmas party for the Lehman family, who own the paper. And at least two employees have already accepted the offer.

Ironically, on the day that those two stories were highlighted on the Romenesko journalism blog, so was this essay:

Journalism is becoming a more egalitarian profession—and that’s a good thing.

True, but who knew it was like this! At least people will be able to stop complaining about media "elitists" soon.

Posted by Will Bunch @ 9:15 PM  Permalink | 8 comments
Comments   
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:30 PM, 11/19/2008
    Amazing. This has been posted for about 15 minutes and the Will haters and Will bashers and their ilk have not been here to hammer on Bunch? Where are you guys, all holding hands and singing Kumbaya?
    Some Boca Dude
  • Comment removed.
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:20 PM, 11/19/2008
    Man, that hank is always ready to pounce. I think he could single handedly keep Attytood going what with all his page reloads. Maybe they'll put you in the cafeteria. That'll keep the staff from loitering about.
    SteveMG
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:32 PM, 11/19/2008
    Let's hope there is a future in book writing. But I spent an hour earlier this evening with a fellow book author who says sales are likely to be down 25% this Christmas. Happily, your next book will be published AFTER Christmas. Or would that really help?
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:57 AM, 11/20/2008
    Wow, that story about newspaper staffers being invited to valet cars at a private Christmas party for the editor just about sums it up....
    Captain Awesome
  • Comment removed.


8 comments
About Will Bunch
Will's new book: Learn about it here and purchase it here.


Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.

E-mail Will by clicking here.

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