DFM latest to drop the axe

The SoCal group has its Lakers writer in the Orlando bubble. If the $55,000 fee by the NBA is correct, that is a decent chunk of change the group had to come up with.

 

So newspapers now have to pay to get access. I don't care if we are in a pandemic. That policy will undermine independent journalism now and in the future. Just look at ESPN's pseudo coverage of the NBA.

 

I refuse to contribute one byte to a paper that decides I'm not worth working for it. Luckily that's only happened one time so far.

 

Presidential campaigns bill newspapers for seats on press busses, planes and meals - the newspapers insist on it.

 

Who gets the blame for that? Not the layoff freelancers.

Whose job is it to make everyone feel valued?

 

Not everyone has a choice.

However, after many years freelancing I've chosen to retire rather than continue with the particular company in my area. I feel like it's the right thing, but who among us can criticize those who must continue because of finances?

 

But what when the fired person continues to produce content for their former employer because of his/her ego? You know, the need to have his/her opinions heard.

 

How often does that happen? I've been in this industry for 35 years and I've never witnessed a person who I know do that. And I've witnessed plenty of lose their jobs.

 

Some media companies' severance agreements prohibited freelancing for prior employers until after those payments ran out.

Some of my former colleagues took our institutional knowledge to the competition, which hurt. But non-compete agreements are difficult to enforce -- and it's not anyone else's business how they pay their bills.

 

The one Gatehouse made me sign said I couldn't freelance or apply for jobs for their publications for two years, which struck me as excessive. Of course, I pretty much had zero interest in working for them again anyway.