Being surrounded by lifers - advice?

I don't think he works at my paper, but he could for all I know. Because layoffs do not happen at my paper, either. We might have a hiring freeze or not replace someone that leaves (though that is almost never on the sports desk) but I can't recall ever hearing about layoffs or even the fear of layoffs at my paper.

I consider myself lucky.

But I, too, would like the chance to influence coverage decisions. That's not my place, but it doesn't stop me from pitching story ideas and even getting to run with them.

 

Luggie, there are some papers where things are so tight from the get-go that the only way a person is going to be "laid off" is if the paper folds.

That might not be the case here, but it's a situation that exists all over the country.

 

Stuck, my spot is opening up. Do you want to run the show? I'll still manage the new person in my new role, but the keys to the department are yours if you like local sports.

PM me if this intrigues you.

 

When I was in my 20s I liked being on newspapers with a lot of turnover because there were more opportunities that way. On the other hand, we had high turnover for good reasons, and not all of them as pleasant as the fact that better papers were recruiting our people.

There are exceptions, but a paper with that many lifers must be doing something right, and so must the lifers, especially if circulation hasn't gone down the shitter. Maybe their way of doing things is the best way in that market. It is easy to look at other papers' sexy innovations and believe we ought to import them, but ask yourself this: Is there any proof, like rising circulation figures, that whatever the current fad is has done even a little good elsewhere? I'm not advocating change or lack of change -- I'm suggesting honest soul-searching when contemplating either. I've seen too many people in this business who change things because they can, as monuments to their egos rather than what's best for the product and customers. I've seen some papers that had a unique character lose that and become one more homogenized newspaper doing what all the other APSE winners do, cookie-cutter style.

 

Certain markets tend to have more stability, for better or worse. My last stop had a bunch of folks who had been there for 20 or so years, but they did, as Frank noted, understand the area and were (are) solid contributors. But situations can and do change, even in lifers land, so being prepared for a move up (or out) is important. Leaving and coming back to a higher-profile spot is also an option at some places.

 

I'm never disrespectful, spnited. It's gotten to the point where both sides love the give and take of them telling me I take too many chances and me telling them their AP leads on every fucking story make me want to shoot myself. I honestly think we both learn a lot from each other. The bottom line is they've seen and been through a lot more than me, though, so I'm ALWAYS respectful.

 

And I totally agree with spnited on how to talk to your boss. Be a solutions guy. Let everyone else bitch about what everyone else is doing. And talk about the bottom-line, down-the-road future, not the future as in tomorrow.

 

Then you've got it right, Hammer.
Not always an easy situation to deal with, but one that with proper handling usually turns out for the best.