Just read that the Baltimore Sun is laying off one-third of its newsroom staff. The Tribune company’s been floundering for awhile, trying to claw its way upward and out of bankruptcy, and I guess this is the latest effort. Reports indicate that 61 people are now on the way out the door. Ouch. It always makes me sad when one of the best ones gets hit.
Also, I have a soft spot for the Sun because I remember working near some of its staffers when I was working for the U of Maryland’s Capital News Service in the Maryland statehouse back in 2001. The paper’s reporters were not only knowledgeable and professional, but they were really nice to those of us who were wide-eyed and wet behind the ears. I don’t know if any of those people are still there–or will still be there when the pink slips are handed out.
Also, how much would it suck to find out you’re losing your job while you’re covering a baseball game?
As always, you can find out more detailed info about the swooning newspaper industry’s effect on employment at the blog Paper Cuts.
Meanwhile, I will be sitting here in my cluttered home office, feeling depressed. I’m not even currently working for a newspaper, but as I’ve said before, you can take the girl out of the newsroom, but you can’t take the newsroom out of the girl.
Jennifer,
Loved reading your thoughts about the impending demise of the journalism business, baseball, and your penchant for planning (as I read your tappy-foot post, it made me think of a very dear friend who is cut from exactly the same cloth.)
Keep up the great work!
Steve Beland