Palm Beach Post

Yep. It's amazing how the golf beat went from being just about the best thing this side of columnist to virtual extinction.

 

Yeah, if you have a golf beat, a national beat, a NASCAR beat or a beat-sharing job, you're going to be the first to go.

 

>.Yeah, if you have a golf beat, a national beat, a NASCAR beat or a beat-sharing job, you're going to be the first to go. <<

Something to consider. As exec editors continue to rag about AP raising its fees, how long before some begin to re-think the wisdom on relying on AP for golf and NASCAR or other beats and begin to do math that it might be less expensive to cover it in-house?

Mark

 

I can't imagine any circumstances where it would be cheaper.

 

Some places, that may work.

But in a place like Florida, where you've got a ton of pro golfers as residents, more professional tournaments than any other state, and a thriving local scene year-round, it's yet another example of penny-wise, pound-stupid management.

And yes, Dolch is a hell of a writer who will be sorely missed there. I've worked events in his backyard and talked to people in the community who read every word he writes. So you've now given them one less reason to take the PB Post.

 

That's when you send someone out to do a story on the local guys when they play in the local tournaments and then use Dougie for all of the other events.

 

Well, sure, that's what you do once you've whacked the golf writer.

But it's the zillionth example of a newspaper diminishing its product, giving readers yet another reason to turn away from it.

And once you lose them, be it because you dropped a comic strip or pared down the national coverage or whacked the golf writer, it's a bitch getting them back.

 

Exactly.

And there's four professional tournaments (two PGA, one Champions Tour and the ADT Championship on the LPGA) in your backyard. Not to mention all the pros who live in the Palm Beach-Boca-Miami corridor.

But don't worry folks. There's no reason to have a connected, experienced golf writer. Doug Ferguson will take care of that. : : :

 

Unless you start running a really, really, really funny new comic strip.

 

A few things from a current PBPoster:

Yes, more than 300 have indicated they will take the buyout, but not enough from the newsroom. And I'm hearing of the 107 newsroom folks who have originally signed for the buyout (with 11 positions not being filled, and one vacancy created in the last week), about 30-40 won't sign the final papers on Aug. 11/12.

And some from outside the newsroom won't have their buyouts accepted.

But a majority will sign. There won't be a massive non-walkout.

As far as the workload ... come on. I don't care. Work me 10 hours a day. Work me six days a week ... as long as I'm working. The Post will change as you/we know it starting Aug. 4. No zoning, sports or news. At all. Come Friday night prep football, one game highlighted, not four games for four zones. TCoast and other editions become one.

And the paper will shrink a little more.

As the publisher put it recently, after the workforce reduction, the Post will still have one of the largest newsrooms for its size. I guess there's an old adage of one employee for every 1,000 in circulation. There will be roughly 188 newsroom jobs after the purge, and circulation averages about 190,000 (more in high season; less in summer).

Yes, it sucks. These next two weeks are going to be awful. Hate to see friends lose their jobs (though for a handful, it's a boost to retirement).

First, signing day(s) on Aug. 11/12 ... but worse, layoff day at the end of the week.

Not going to be pretty.

 

No zoning might give readers a little less about their school, but it's got to be a blessing to the sports desk. Zoning four ways? No thanks.

 

Like the man said, I'll zone seven different ways, as long as I'm working.