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HALF! Bloomsburg, Pa., takes a machete to sports

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Moderator1, Apr 29, 2009.

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  1. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    A smaller paper so the numbers aren't big but percentage wise? Try half. Sports only thus far, it seems. Odd stuff.
    From The Pipeline:

    Gone are two FTers and two PTers from a staff of 4+4 (and one guy who works one day a week).
    One FTer is Scott Dudinskie, who had an APSE to his credit as well as 15 years of service. The guy has a just bought a house because his wife is pregnant. The other is Mitch Rupert, who won best gamer in the under-40s this year. Both have been part of four section APSEs with the newspaper.
    No one else in the newsroom of about 25 FTers was laid off, just sports personnel. There have been no announcements of other departments laying off, either, although the assumption is there must have been cuts.
    The layoffs are becoming known in the community (they happened last week). This is a 20,000-circ paper with nine FT news reporters and four FT photogs. There is no Web work, no blogging, etc., as it has a pay-only site.
     
    Moderator1, Apr 29, 2009
    #1
  2. Barsuk

    Barsuk Active Member

    Jesus.
     
    Barsuk, Apr 29, 2009
    #2
  3. lohengrin

    lohengrin Member

    Does this mean they'll stop going on road trips ... to Berwick, for instance?
     
    lohengrin, Apr 29, 2009
    #3
  4. trifectarich

    trifectarich Well-Known Member

    FOUR fulltime photogs for a 20,000 circ.? Are you serious? That's insane.
     
    trifectarich, Apr 29, 2009
    #4
  5. SCEditor

    SCEditor Active Member

    I'm at a 17K paper, and if it wasn't for me bitching for four months and trading my sports clerk position, we wouldn't have hired our FIRST EVER FULL-TIME PHOTOGRAPHER.

    Back on topic, sorry to hear about Bloomsburg.
     
    SCEditor, Apr 29, 2009
    #5
  6. RickStain

    RickStain Well-Known Member

    Not that it makes it the slightest, tiniest bit better, but that was a *huge* sports staff for a circulation that size.
     
    RickStain, Apr 29, 2009
    #6
  7. Trey Beamon

    Trey Beamon Active Member

    That's sad to hear.

    I made the trip to Cattawissa three years ago when my Podunk Tigers played state powerhouse Southern Columbia. Though it was just one issue -- which, apparently, included a weekly (!) prep football tab -- the section was damn impressive, particularly given the PE's circulation.
     
    Trey Beamon, Apr 29, 2009
    #7
  8. Keystone

    Keystone Member

    I know both Scott and Mitch and they've helped me with various things over the years. This really stinks. :mad:
     
    Keystone, Apr 29, 2009
    #8
  9. doggieseatdoggies

    doggieseatdoggies New Member

    Damn, this isn't going to sit well with the APSE boys. Award-winning journalists don't matter to penny counters.

    My heart goes out to the guy with the baby on the way, as well as his wife.

    My stomach aches for them. This sucks.
     
    doggieseatdoggies, Apr 29, 2009
    #9
  10. Rhody31

    Rhody31 Well-Known Member

    I worked at the PE for 18 months and was shocked to hear this when I found out last week.
    Scott and I didn't really get along at first - I was a cocky 22-year old then - but after a few months, he really helped me with my writing.
    Mitch is passionate about his work and I wasn't extremely shocked to see him win his APSE this year.
    The paper may get by for now, but when football season rolls around, there are going to be some pissed off readers in that area. That tab jumped the circ numbers by like 4K - or at least that's what I was told when I was there - in the fall and I don't see how they'll be able to slap it together and cover Friday nights.
    Best of luck boys.
     
    Rhody31, Apr 29, 2009
    #10
  11. Andy Dufresne

    Andy Dufresne Member

    This makes me sick. Scott and Mitch are real pros who truly cared about the PE's product. It wasn't just about the glory of awards with those guys. They had a passion for their section that will be sorely missed in Bloomsburg.
     
    Andy Dufresne, Apr 29, 2009
    #11
  12. thegrifter

    thegrifter Member

    just curious, but how many high schools do they cover?
     
    thegrifter, Apr 29, 2009
    #12
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