68 Philadelphia Inquirer newsroom layoffs

Really, they don't. Forty percent of the jobs in America didn't go away overnight. This is a sad situation, but it is NOT happening everywhere.

 

Shot you are right. Unfortunately, it's hapening to one of the largest papers in the country. It's happening to an organization that has been bleeding for a while. This will only stem the flow but won't stop it, wherein lies the real problem.
When talented people are getting the boot or can't get a break, it's time to seriously reevaluate the situation.
Ask yourself this question honestly, When was the last time you saw anyone under the age of 21 go into a store and walk out with only a paper? I think you see where I'm going here. The youth aren't buying papers. They are using the net. The youth is the future of this business and they, unfortunately, could care less.
This could be the sign of a very ugly year in journalism.

 

The Philadelphia Inquirer's David Aldridge has learned that he is no longer the Philadelphia Inquirer's David Aldridge.

 

Dave is a good guy. He had a sweet deal. He wouldn't have been the one that I would've kicked to the curb and there are many at the paper who believe and think the same way. Unfortunately, they aren't the ones pulling the strings.

 

How is SAS kept, and Aldridge let go?
Smith has been mailing in columns for what, two years now? When was the last time he brought something insightful to the paper? By my estimation, the man has added ZERO news value to the paper in the last 2 years. Aldridge topped that with the Iverson scoop.

Must be nice to know the face of your paper is able to secure an Iverson interview FOR HIS OTHER MASTER, but added NOTHING throughout the entire 'trade me' situation. And I do mean nothing.

 

SAS has a TV show. DA is the guy ESPN didn't want to keep.

 

In a word, seniority.

DA = Big salary with small seniority (been there only about two years)
Same with a HS guy who was let go: a former Flyers beat writer for a suburban daily, very seasoned, yet had only been at the Inquirer for two years.

These were not meritocratic decisions.

 

Rob Parent, good dude, talented reporter and writer. I wish him well. Dave Aldridge and everybody else also. tough tough thing

 

Can you tell me how a TV show equals readers for the paper? It's probably tough to gauge, but I'd be curious about whether or not anyone new picked up the Inky after SAS got a TV show. The ratings, as I remember them, were less-than impressive.

In fact, I doubt even PTI has done anything for the Washington Post. Except watered down the quality of the columnists.

Blog - So you're saying anyone with less than, say, 3 years, was automatically let go? If it's something along those lines, I'll buy it. But still, I assume that SAS probably made considerably more than Aldridge.

 

I never said his TV show equals readers for the paper. In the minds of most newspaper execs these days (who predominantly aren't from our side of the building), having a TV show like SAS' shoutfest is more "prestigious" than being a reporter who busts his ass on his beat.

 

The situation at the Inquirer sucks.
Hopefully as newspapers move to the web, they will be able to keep their current workforce - to some degree, if not entirely - to continue putting out the product, but in a different medium.

 

http://www.nppa.org/news_and_events/news/2006/12/newspapers.html