More from Lean Dean

From what I hear, BANG-East Bay (the CC Times, Oakland Trib and various weeklies) accepted 107 buyouts. They'll be able to avoid layoffs, which is good news, all things considered. Of the 107, I think half of that number are actually newsroom employees. Five guys in sports - three prep writers, a copy editor and I'm unsure of the fifth.

 

The cuts in the IE is obviously not about journalism but about money. We all use to say we had ink running in our veins and if you knew Paul Oberjuerge -- whether you liked him or not -- the one thing was obvious the guy cared about journalism and putting out as great a section he could despite the lack of resources. It's apparent Lean Dean doesn't have any blood because he certainly doesn't have a heart for journallism.

 

Is this just the stock paragraph that all newspapers put in their stories to try to justify the cuts?

 

The Press Telegram: We're Here to Stay!

http://www.presstelegram.com/opinions/ci_8481730?source=email

 

Wow, the person that wrote that deserves to have very bad things done to them.
What a fuckwad.

 

This actually is worse than the stock paragraphs that have appeared elsewhere. Now all of a sudden, the "recession" is getting blamed, even though most businesses are not shedding employees due to it. Be honest, you fuckers! At least acknowledge that it is a reaction to declining readership, along with the loss of advertising revenues.

Yeah, it's the recession's fault that Singleton and Tribune Co. and others have been slashing for years.

Of course, when this crap appears in actual stories aimed at readers, the bullshit-slinging bosses don't want the eyes of current readers to fall on a phrase like "declining readership." Might light a bulb above the current readers' heads.

 

An absolute abomination. PaulO was one of the few reasons to read that paper. Institutional knowledge, a command of the area beyond anyone at that paper, the ability to get to the nuts of any issue affecting teams and players and a way to convey it to readers.

Yep, it was all there. Not anymore.

I would venture to guess -- and some of the Berdoo alums-alumni can chime in here -- that this may be the suits' way of getting back at Paul for covering things in Los Angeles. You see, even though there are plenty of commuters from the Inland Empire who actually care about Los Angeles sports and athletes, they can't have someone from the provinces venturing out of his cage.

There are other columnists at LANG who should be looking for a job today. PaulO isn't one of them.

 

Very few columnists had the talent to do what PaulO did -- he localized national coverage; he tutored the young, aspiring journalists, he worked harder than anyone on his staff when he was SE and didn't expect someone on his staff do something that he himself wouldn't do. He worked his days off if a story broke -- be it national or local to make sure the Sun didn't get beat and got it right. He put off going on vacation. He guided the staff, he is one of the best managers of people. As a columnist he wasn't afraid to take the unpopular opinion and defend it well. He wasn't afraid of writing his opinion and often wrote what others would only whisper about while he had the balls to put it in black and white. Some love him; Some hate him; But everyone read him. He was the face of Sun Sports. Hopefully he lands in So Cal where we can still read him.

 

yes, a true ass puppet.

 

Birdscribe:

I don't think there was a specific problem about covering LA events, because Paul still did stuff about local San Bernardino county things. It's just a case of getting rid of an experienced person who has an income which is higher than that of a teacher.

It is hard to overstate the loss to local sports this will have. Good Luck, Paul O... may you land on your feet.