Plans for the "Hiatus"?

Here's the thing I'd be curious about - What's the appetite for sports stuff right now, even if related to the coronavirus? Like, I've been interested in some of the NFL transactions, but otherwise, I've mostly been reading more news-side stuff about the virus, or, checking out stuff that has nothing to do with it (Polygon, Reddit subs on classic video games, comedy podcasts, etc.). I imagine website hits might still be high this month for places, as people checked out whether their local sports and college sports were going to go on, but I think April is going to be really rough.

 

I haven’t been missing games, but reading the Sports section during my morning dump is so ingrained, not having it would be one more change in routine I’d have to adapt to.

 

I’m kind of in the same situation. Got plenty of stories to do now (stuff I didn’t have time to do before) but the longer sports remain idled, the tougher it’s going to be. I have convinced my editor that the entire paper doesn’t need to be about the coronavirus.

 

I had plans for the hiatus, but corporate had different ideas. All part-timers are essentially out of a job until the situation is over.

 

My main local story fell through yesterday, so I had to use a college basketball wrap up for State U. that I've been sitting on for a week. It felt a little weird and frivolous, and not because it was a week old.
News editor said today that after our all-county basketball section runs next weekend they might cut pages and take out sports. We have a staff meeting Tuesday where I'll probably have to do a hard sell job. From a coverage perspective, is this just an extended slow summer that I can vamp and tap dance through, or a more permanent situation?
I have a bad feeling they might also be making some staff changes because of the sudden collapse in ad revenue. I think my position is safe, just not my job as I've known it.

 

I'm going to ask a blunt question.

Why not volunteer to shift responsibilities during the shutdown? Instead of finding busywork for yourself, why not pick up some editing/reporting to help out in news? If a sports story comes up, you can still do it. But by being amenable to a different role, you might save your job.

 

Do you have access to things like website hits or statistics that would help bolster your case to keep the sports section as-is? Can you pitch in on the news side if need be? I'm kind of with Solo Flyer here - Remember that while you can do the hard sell, it can backfire on you if people aren't reading the section that much.

 

1) It's not busywork, at least not yet. I've got, right now, a list of a dozen legitimate stories to work on over the next two weeks. Our state also has not ruled out the possibility of playing high school sports again this season. It's admittedly not looking good, but the new target date is April 17. If they start up again, then it's back to business. I think I can bridge the gap at least until then.

2) I'm pretty sure my job is safe. We're a five-person newsroom, I'm versatile, and there are things only me and the news editor know how to do. The news editor is also frustrated with someone else in the newsroom, so if a job is cut it won't be me.
It's my role as SE that's tenuous. I'm afraid they're going to take the view that "since no games are going on" we don't need a sports section and slide me over into a news reporter role. I don't mind doing the occasional news story or page, but I have never had a desire to work that side of the room full time.
That said, I'll do what I have to do at the end of the day. This is not a good time to walk out in a huff.

 

I'm sure the news stories are getting more right now, but I think mine do OK normally.
I'm mostly afraid that if they take the sports section away, they won't bring it back. Also afraid it'll be seen as a sign that the paper is failing. We've caught a lot of shit from the readers as the size of the paper has shrunk, we took away comics, and discontinued some other long-running features.

 

With a lot of gyms closed - I'm trying to find ways to get outside and exercise in creative ways to sustain an elevated heartbeat for 40 minutes plus. Simple running and biking bore me. And doing an "in-home" routine doesn't do it for me. I'm toying with the idea of a "supercourse" - a lap or two around a track, a bleacher climb, 25 pushups, find a parking garage to climb up and down a couple of times, find another loop back to the original track and repeat. Maybe create my own half-mile obstacle course. The popular hiking trails are packed.

 

So the sports writers' duties on news coverage will be sitting at home (not an office) calling people to get no comments. All those things you suggest will take investigative work and/or freedom of information requests. Sports writers are amazing and can cover anything, but this type of "no comment seeking busywork" is inane. Let them be sports writers. It's not their fault news writers work 40 and get paid for 40 not work 60 and paid 40 like the sports writers. If the sports writers are a little less busy, fine, it makes up for all the unpaid overtime they've worked.
Give me legitimate assignments for sports guys, not the general stuff you suggested. What do you want these sports writers to come up with for newsside?

 

Sad that we "still" have to convince the news idiots (I use that term lovingly in terms of them knowing nothing about sports; they think it's the playground) that sports are important and hard to cover and sports stories are important to a news organization, These mid level suits and high level suits think it's important to have all news stories on corona and the sports guys can write them too. Very dumb. How bout letting the sports guys be sports guys.