Problems at Patch.com

And so it begins...
http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2013/10/northeast_ohio_patchcom_editors_bid_farewell_to_readers_as_patch_cuts_ohio_journalists.html

 

Begins? This was part of the last round of cuts, which was discussed on this thread when it happened. Some of the editors were let go immediately and some were given until Oct. 15.

The only thing that changed is Patch hasn't gotten rid of very many sites, if any at all, choosing to lead them running without editors running the sites directly.

 

A very comprehensive piece on Armstrong, Patch, AOL, and the firing of the photog:

http://www.businessinsider.com/tim-armstrong-patch-aol-2013-10?op=1

 

Why "Patch"? Why that name? Never sounded right to me.

I know that's low on the list of what went wrong or has happened with this venture from the start, but it always seemed to me a very bad branding misstep right out of the gate.

Am I missing something?

 

This is a little old, but it wasn't posted here:
Patch didn't allow an editor to go on a local TV newsmakers show to talk about a local political race for unseen circumstances. Those circumstances being he was laid off and wasn't allowed to talk about it.
http://www.rifuture.org/patch-editor-gets-tv-invite-declines-because-he-was-laid-off.html

 

This is a fantastic read, very detailed and informative. And I loved the quote sourcing explanation at the end. Thanks for posting.

 

It really was well done puts things in perspective, including the highly publicized firing.

 

That story just goes to show that AOL is either systematically terribly run, or the PR people there have it in for Tim...because now that the facts are exposed, it's really no wonder the photog was fired.

 

Per multiple media places, AOL will retain a minority interest, as the new majority owner of Patch is Hale Global: http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/236068/tim-armstrong-aol-will-keep-meaningful-minority-interest-in-patch/

 

A friend of mine who is editor of one of the better Patch sites just told me that she received a phone message saying she will be unemployed as of 5 p.m. today.

 

Apparently, the doomsayers got their wish.

 

This is a long thread and it's been mostly dormant for awhile, so I don't remember everything that was said by whom about Patch.

But as far as "doomsayers," just because you think something will fail doesn't mean you want it to.