STUNNER: Pluto leaving ABJ for PD

I'd love to post under my own name, but then, like Terry Pluto, I would never say anything.

 

The word going around is the ABJ has been given the go ahead to make two hires in place of Pluto, who already the highest paid sports writer in Ohio before he took even more from the PD. With McManamon being promoted, it is assumed one will be for the Browns beat. Marla was just a fill in a few years ago on the Browns and that is probably just what she is doing now. No, the paper ain't what it used to be circa 1995, but this is still an attractive and relatively high-paying job. There's already people getting in line to try to get in, even some rumors of some people from the Plain Dealer.

 

Wow, I would think you'd have to be really daring to leave Cleveland (owned by Newhouse) for whoever owns the ABJ at this point.

 

I would agree with that.

Newhouse = job for life.

ABJ = Job next week??

 

Agreed with Timesman. Not a smart move to leave for David Black's outfit, given the slash-and-burn philosophy there.

 

Now we'll see to what lengths people will go to to get an NFL beat job.
Hell, Akron can't even beat the Canton Rep. now when it comes to quality from top to bottom.

 

Pluto is the highest paid sportswriter in Ohio? He's pretty good - but doesn't blow me away ... i can't think of anybody but there's got to be somebody better than him who is or should be making more money... also wheels89, you mention that Akron can't beat the Rep ... I entirely agree - The Rep has an outstanding section for its size and I think their sports coverage has blown ABJ out the water the last few years

 

I don't know the Ohio papers that well, but Bud Shaw has always been one of my must-reads. If he's not the best in the state, I'd like to know who is (and from what I've read recently, it ain't Pluto).

 

It's certainly been the Rep in a blowout over the ABJ for the last few years. I don't think there's any question about that.

With so many papers around NE Ohio (and just outside of it, Mansfield, et. al) I'd imagine the Beacon will have a long list of interested and interesting candidates from which to choose.

 

I would toss a vote toward Cincinnati's Paul Daugherty for top columnist in Ohio. Bud Shaw would be runner-up.
Columnists at some of the smaller papers in the state are excellent, too. Lonnie Wheeler, of the going defunct Cincinnati Post, would be an interesting candidate in Akron.

 

Reed is staying in Columbus. It sounds like eventually there'll be 1 hire at the ABJ, though probably not for the Browns or OSU beat.

 

That has been the curse of the newspaper industry for 20 years.

You have put it quite perfectly.