Blood in the streets of Hartford and Baltimore

I think the names you heard were right. Guild seniority rules for columnists would mean that last hired are first fired.

 

DCRTV has it and its out there on AP apparently:

Bloodbath Continues At Sun - 4/29 - AP is reporting that when yesterday and today's cuts are completed, the Baltimore Sun will have laid off nearly 60 people in its newsroom, including veteran editors and managers, columnists, photographers, and designers. A spokeswoman for the newspaper says managerial-level employees were laid off at the end of the day Tuesday, and union-represented employees were informed Wednesday afternoon. The Sun did not disclose how many people lost their jobs, but the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild says 37 people were let go Wednesday. Staffers who were laid off Tuesday say about 21 managers were let go. Maryland's largest newspaper is owned by bankrupt Tribune Company. Sources tell DCRTV late Wednesday afternoon about the latest round of cuts at the Sun: "Management just finished making newsroom cuts. Some people are out on assignment and haven't been told yet (that was what happened last night with knowing just 15 names). It looks like 21 people were axed, including sports columnists Rick Maese and David Steele. Metro columnist Jean Marbella (wife of Stephen Hunter) has been cut to once a week and will act as a assistant city editor the other four days. Crime columnist and blogger Peter Hermann has been reassigned as a reporter. Metro columnist Laura Vozzella also has been bumped back to a reporter. But it expected that both Vozzella and Hermann will continue in their roles as columnist without the title (it's a way around the Guild contract and senority layoff list). The photo department lost six, including several award-winning shooters." More: "WBAL Radio is reporting at 4 (PM) that an additional 37 'Guild' members have been let go today." Still more: "Baseball writer Dan Connolly got cut. Most of the sports guys got the word while sitting in the press box at Camden Yards, covering the Orioles." The Sun recently reported that its daily circulation fell 9.6 percent during the six months ended 3/31. Paid weekday circulation declined from 232,360 to 210,098.....

 

Update from DCRTV.com: Connolly not cut, Childs Walker to news

However, another source tells us: "Just talked to Dan Connolly -- we're both at Camden Yards covering the O's today. For now, he's still got a job. Hasn't been told anything. The sports guys in the press box at the O's game who were called were David Steele, Rick Maese, and Childs Walker (perhaps someone mistook Dan for Childs?). Walker is being given the opportunity to move back to news (he was originally on news desk and transferred to sports). Dan says it's possible he could still get a call, but he wasn't part of the group axed remotely by cell phone today."

 

So if they're axed while they're at the game are they still expected to file?

 

Could we stay away from quoting DCRTV.com as fact here? It's a Blog! that reports random, anonymous emails, with no fact-checking or confirmation, as evidenced by the erroneous Dan Connolly report.

 

From the OC Register blog (Angels at Baltimore today):

(Tough times in the newspaper biz. Two writers for the Baltimore Sun in the press box here got the news — by phone during the game — that they had been laid off in the latest round of cost-cutting. Stay classy, Baltimore Sun management.)

(UPDATE: Make that three reporters and a photographer axed by the Sun during the game.)

http://fromthedugout.freedomblogging.com/2009/04/29/angels-vs-orioles-game-updates/22907/

 

Either that or have a security guard from the newsroom come out to escort them out of the stadium.

 

Jesus F. Christ.

That's all I got for you, BaltoSun management.