Missing It

When did it become normal to give raises and treat employees with respect? I sure don't remember reading anything like that in The Jungle.

 

At my old shop, we regularly turned annual profits in the 20-percent range back when I started. Then thanks to the economy, rise of the web and stupid management decisions, we dropped into the 5-8 percent range by the time I'd left.

The owner ordered cuts to try to boost us back into double-digit profitability. That included ending 401(k) matching, freezing salaries and layoffs. Needless to say, as the quality of the product declined thanks to the cuts, so did what remained of our profits.

 

This has been the most helpful thread on this site that I've read in a while. I'm currently at a crossroads myself. I love the job, but at the same time I'd like to have a family some day, and the late hours and low pay are not conducive to that. I'm also worried another 10 years in this business could have some serious repercussions on my health. And things are not looking good at my shop either. Our SE retired after 40 years last November. They just filled his position internally on Monday. When I got here, we were a four-man staff, so we were down to three people for six months, and it was grueling. Now the question is, are they going to hire another writer or keep us at three? The company doesn't have to pay the highest salary in the department, yet they limit our stringer budget, which means we can't cover stuff we would normally cover. Not a good sign to me. Looking back on how hard the spring was, I just don't see how we can make it through football season with just three people. I cover a mid-major college football team, which means I go to most road games, which usually requires traveling on a Friday, which means I can't be at the office to help on the desk, which means the preps writer has to be at the office to take calls. I talked briefly with the preps writer about the situation. He's a veteran guy who came from the Mercury News because his wife got a job here. He said his job was becoming that of an agate clerk, and that's not what he signed up to do. And if they want me in the office every Friday, that means I don't get to go to road games. I'm sorry, I thought I took this job to cover the football team. Also, our managing editor just retired last week, and it looks like they're going to fill his position by promoting several people and giving them new titles and job descriptions.

 

Did your company carry any debt?

That's what's killing (or did kill) most of these chains. If not for having to service debt, most could limp along with a tidy profit with only the occasional trimming.

My company still has almost a billion in debt. And our shop just lost valuable ad accounts from Miracle Ear and Food Lion. How do you make up for that lost revenue? By cutting, of course.

 

Then don't cover the stuff you normally would cover as a four-person staff. You are now a three-person staff. Cover stuff as a three-person staff.

 

BTE, this post makes it seem like you work in my shop. Tons of empty desk space between the copy desk and the news reporters. Depressing as hell budget meetings with everyone ultra defensive. Only dark, bitter, sinking-on-the-Titanic humor.

Good luck (I guess) with the layoff/buyout situation.

 

Thing is, we just sold our too-big-for-our-current-staff building last month and are leasing three floors in a new building. Much nicer. Much more modern. But it still seems like only 30 percent of the desks are occupied at any one time. And the cubicle walls are so high --- and no one is facing one another --- that there is no more common back-and-forth conversation on the desk. Makes it much easier to concentrate, I guess. But damn if it doesn't just feel isolated.

 

Doubtful.

It was privately owned, so the books weren't open. But the owner was a multi-billionaire who bought the chain in the 90s and then sold off some properties.

 

My advice -- and this goes for everyone in the newspaper business -- is to get out of the newspaper business as soon as you possibly can. 'Cause that business doesn't have long to live.

I am fortunate that I landed my current job within days of being "downsized" a newspaper (and not for the first time). But it wasn't only luck -- I had been looking outside the business for awhile and had a connection here as a regular freelancer for several years previously. Don't wait, hoping things will get better, because they aren't likely to. You should be actively looking for jobs in different industries.

That's my humble two cents. Take it for what it's worth.

 

Get out now. Please. If you want a family, this business is the worst possible business for you. Also your health? Please remember the beancounters and middle managers could give one rat's ass about your health. They simply don't care. You explained the situation perfectly. Get out of the business ASAP.

 

Your advice this the only possible advice that makes sense in this environment. THANK YOU.

 

We know things won't get better and have known that for several years.

Us 55+-year-olds are simply trying to run out the clock. Nothing more complicated than that. We know our resumes are getting tossed in the wastebasket of "different industries" because --- despite how we may feel our skill set may translate --- the job applications often (if not always) call for specific experience in said industries that we simply do not have. Only a stroke of good fortune will emable us a chance to even try to convince a hiring manager that, yes, we can do this job you're advertising (even if we're not completely convinced ourselves).