More cuts in Atlanta

Seconded. And thirded, for good measure.

I know it doesn't help you much, but I'm truly sorry you guys are having to go through this, Mike. Thanks for the info.

 

If the part-timers were let go (and they'd already had their hours cut back over the past month, from what I'd heard), you can add Chris Whitfield to that list. And anyone know of Robert Haddock's fate?

And I REALLY hope Holcomb makes out OK (same with Aschermann). He's gone above and beyond for those guys for several years now.

Damn!!!! Just, damn!!!!!!!!

 

Good call, Van Nostrand. I shouldn't have forgotten him. Hopefully, he's finishing up with school and can get a teaching job somewhere. Chris is a great guy and excellent reporter.

And you're so right about Holcomb. No readers would ever guess he's a part-timer, with the amount of copy he generates for ajc.com. And Aschermann has done Yeoman's work on high school wrestling and baseball for awhile.

 

Trying not to out myself...

Was one of the 48 part-timers who got cut yesterday.
Eight and a half years down the drain. I should have listened to my father before I got into the biz.

At least I am getting 8 weeks of severance.

The worst part:

They couldn't tell me the news to my face. I was called last night at home and told not to report to the office anymore.

 

Doug Franklin is the Grim Reaper of Cox. He went scorched earth in Dayton, then cut half of the total body staff in Palm Beach, including that contract to print the paper in Fort Lauderdale and now is going scorched earth in Atlanta. Hell of a trifecta of pain there.

 

The guy does his job well. When he was hired, it was feared that heads were going to roll.

 

I've known some of their folks over the years and have nothing but great respect and admiration for Stan Awtrey (one of the best guys you'll ever meet) and Jack Wilkinson (pound for pound, one of if not the best writer I've met).
I'll back up the sentiments on Chris Whitfield. He. Is. My. Boy. Can't believe I once covered him in a high school football playoff game. And then we wound up colleagues.
And if he's reading this — don't know if he hits this site — I got one thing to say to him ...
You don't want no blue and white
You don't want none

Either that or ...
You can lift. Or you can not lift. But you gonna lift.

(CW, that's your cue to call or email me. And you still owe me a driver for snapping mine over your back at the Rose one day.)

And a shoutout to my boy Jay Stone. Props to a good man and good writer too.

 

Indeed, Franklin's rep seems well-deserved, but heads rolled under the previous AJC publisher too.

 

Sorry to hear that, Bullrog. All the best to you.

But, over the fucking phone? What a gutless, spineless, jackass way to handle this.
Look, I understand that the current business climate makes layoffs and terminations necessary; but, at the very least, those pulling the plug need to handle it with some grace and dignity, if for no other reason than consideration for the person on the other side of the desk hearing the news.

And the AJC model: cut the product, cut the circulation area, cut the staff. If you look that up in most business books, you'll find that's the standard recipe for driving oneself completely out of business.

 

I'd completely forgotten about Jay Stone.

Jeez, it's getting more and more depressing reading about all the former collegues and old friends who have suddenly found themselves out of work over the last year and a half or so.

Some of these folks I don't worry so much about, like Stan and Wilky and Guy Curtright, who have all a) gotten really good severance packages and/or b) have already landed on their feet with other gigs. In the case of CW, he should be OK once he finishes his masters. BTW, BBE, you COVERED Whitfield in high school. Jeez, you really ARE getting old, ain't ya (of course, I'm in no position to talk, since I think we're about the same age, give or take a year or so).

Still, to the others (especiallty the part-timers), I can only send along my best wishes and best hopes.

I reiterate, DAMN!!!! Just, damn!!!!

 

Yes, but not like this.