Gannett, Gatehouse talking merger

I don't read USA Today very much. Was Allen the only hockey writer? Is the chain going to go to AP for national stories?

 

One of the most amazing (and depressing) things, to me, is how the career ladder -- if there even is one anymore -- has been completely inverted in this business.
Used to be you'd start small and work your way up to the big boy jobs. Now, it seems like if you haven't gotten one of those big jobs by the time you're 30 you'd better start looking at another line of work or resigning yourself to the fact it's not going to happen. And if it does happen, your neck is going to be on the chopping block in short order. Experience is no longer an asset, it's a liability.
I've worked at the same small paper my entire 20-year career. I might someday leave for another industry or be laid off, but I'm never willingly leaving for another paper. There's nowhere to go that would be a secure step up.

 

If I can think of a college football writer who’ll land a gig in short order, George is the one.

 

Well said. I’ve turned down what some may call (or at least used to) big boy jobs at large publications for this same reason. It’s unnerving not knowing whether you’re stepping into a secure situation — or knowing that in order to advance in this business you likely have to take that risk.

 

The Russians don't take a crap without a plan. If you remain in journalism, you don't either.

 

I’m in the same situation. I know what you mean.

 

That's pretty much what I did last year (yesterday was the one-year anniversary of when I left). I knew I wasn't going to work for another newspaper anymore.

This year, I freelanced for a website that covers an area that includes where I used to work. I did short write-ups for the football team I used to cover. Season ended the first weekend of November and I still haven't got the check. ("I'm sorry, I got caught up in things and forgot." "I'm sorry, I still haven't got my checks from some of the advertisers. I'll pay you as soon as I can." "I'm sorry. I'm expecting a payment from (Podunk) County juco this week and then I can send you at least a partial." [emphasis mine])

How's my replacement doing, you ask? I wasn't replaced. They're making their one remaining news guy also do sports.

I went back to my hometown. The sports editor position happened to be open there and I was told he paper ran an ad looking for a new guy for two or three months. I think that paper finally has finally decided that their photographer was doing the job as a fill-in adequately enough that he can just keep doing it.

 

You're right. It seems like the best beat reporting jobs -- at The Athletic or ESPN.com or some of the few remaining big newspapers -- go to 24-year-olds.

 

I think journalism is now a lot like the military - or grad school - use the time to figure out where you want to go next. Hell, I'm watching political coverage now blown away by how many people under 30 have top beats. And another thing - those "big jobs" aren't so big anymore. The big-time columnist has to moonlight as a sports radio guy to make ends meet and probably do some TV.

Hate to say it, but you need to offer a unique voice to get ahead in the biz. Stephen A, Portnoy, Simmons....Create a persona that stands out in a crowd, start a website, Tweet. Develop relationships (even if they're fake). Honestly, I think anyone willing to repeatedly take on the NFL would gain some traction - nobody on ESPN or Fox or their radio brands will do it, NBC and CBS won't do it.

 

The late Fred Thompson said.

 

When I graduated, my goal was to be at a major metro by the time I was 35
Four newspapers later, I started working at a major metro 11 days short of my 35th birthday
I looked at my apprenticeship as similar to a baseball player, going through Single, Double and Triple A papers before reaching the big leagues
You can’t do that today

 

The Free Press is looking for a Tigers beat writer. Anybody know what Anthony Fenech's situation might be?