Job covering Division I hoops at The Times of Northwest Indiana

Bubbler, are you serious? Papers firing people for posting on this board? That's unreal ...

 

I'm guessing the benefits include 25 percent off your subscription and the ability to work even more than 39 hours per week if you feel it will benefit your journalism career.

Of course, once you hit 39 1/2, your time card blows up.

 

I was wondering if this job was still open or not - I got an email from the HR dept that it was filled.

 

Yes, it's true. This paper and the Lafayette, Ind. paper are both guilty as charged.

And yet, they still come on this site to advertise the listing.

 

The NWI Times guy posted here from a work computer blasting his paper for its hyper-local focus, right? The Lafayette guy was fired for merely screwing around here while at work, right?

 

There were threads on here about the Lafayette situation. It's not as cut and dried as some guy goofing around, according to the now-former employee.

 

Justin is a good guy and would probably be a solid person to work for. However, the paper is one to avoid. And who knows how much power Justin has to manage up in these "tight" economic times.

For anyone who seriously considers this job, make sure your eyes are wide open. And try to get in writing what the expectations are. A session with the editor and managing editor would be worthwhile too. T

This is a paper which has produced several excellent sports journalists. However, they have all departed. The ones that remain are there for a reason. Read the sports section and you'll discover why.

 

Brett:

I'll accept your statement that Justin is a good guy. And probably the decision about the 39 hours isn't his. But I think if somebody comes on here, there is a certain responsibility to be honest about things. And having a part-time job covering Division I college basketball in the area shows a lack of committment - maybe the lack is above Justin's pay grade but at some point, there is some responsibility because he accepted the title and the increased paycheck.

 

I am assuming that they have a Valpo beat writer and perhaps the sider/backup duty as a way to attract candidates to a part-time position? This has been a really, really solid and respected sports section for a long time. The alumni list is impressive, and they have performed well in APSE both section and writing competitions over the years.

I'd give the guy the benefit of the doubt here. They aren't hiring a part-timer to be the main beat writer on the local D-I school. Come on.

 

So how many screen names is this for people at this paper to come on and defend it?

 

But if it's worth having a beat writer for a D-I school, then shouldn't it be worth it to have a full-timer on the beat? The "they aren't hiring a part-timer to be the main beat writer on the local D-I school" line makes me think it's a throwaway beat that doesn't really matter. If that's the case, then why cover it?

I think it's a legitimate question, and the SE's refusal to address it (several times) is a red flag. I remember this SE, at his former stop, writing a column from the Brickyard 400, basically calling all auto racing fans toothless, drunk, sister-screwing buttholes. As an SE, I would hope that his judgment and decision-making have improved a ton since then. Otherwise, I'm thinking that would not be a real good place to work.

 

Posting on this board from work, as I recall. I don't THINK anyone's been fired for posting here from home or off the clock, but I'm not up on my board history.