So, what does your sports editor do for a living?

Apparently some of those things may be what the itchy new Journal Register/Gannett/Freedom employee and thread author/authoress was expecting. The bitter lessons of life continue and we move on.

 

Has. My. Back.

He's got his faults, which he'd readily admit and those of us under him are certainly aware of. But he will stick up for you, and take care of his own, like nobody else.

Greatest man that I've ever known in the business, on the field and especially off. And those of you who have (or do) work for him also can vouch for that.

 

Re: Some questions

really? thanks for the deep thought. i'm also sure that's the best tact when every "whatever" editor is in the room and the real editor and the publisher are in the house and one of them begins the meeting by saying: "anything is on the table," just before some news bitch chimes in with ... "well jeez, sports doesn't seem to need ... and because news really is the heart and soul of ... we shouldn't feel the cuts of ... " hasn't happened where i work now, and doubt if it will, but, ask me about my last stop ... and yeah, i'm sure i should have just kept my "trap shut" -- as you said -- and everything would have worked out fine.

so, yeah, i'm sure you're right, because you seem to have so many of those types of meetings under your belt ... shit, maybe you should become a fucking author and write a book on meeting etiquette and teach sports editors the ins and outs of catching their publishers at weak moments while all alone at starbucks.

thanks for the insight. fuck man, it really doesn't get any deeper than that ... i'm so grateful you took advantage of that teachable moment ... shit, really, i'm such a better man for it.

i'm GUESSING, your response MIGHT be a bit off.

 

Re: Some questions

sf - i'm GUESSING you probably know the way.

 

Re: Some questions

Thomas:

Do you do parties? Can I order up one of these rants the next time some blowhard is going on about something?

 

One of the best attributes an editor can have is to not be afraid to take responsibility for what goes wrong, or at least is perceived as wrong by his/her superiors. Even if he/she has nothing to do with it, being able to, as Buckdub said, have an employee's back and keep any unwarranted heat off them is a big deal.

I have worked for editors whom I know defended me, and that makes me trust them and want to bust my ass for them.

Of course, the drawback is that many people, even the ones most often defended, don't realize what positive things an editor gets done behind closed doors. That's what creates a lot of the disconnect between even good editors and those they supervise. That, however, is one of the sacrficies a good editor should be willing to make.

 

thank you pallister. SEs that earn their pay accomplish shit they can never talk about with their staff. "hey, management wanted to fuck us ... but i said ... " doesn't really cut it in the everyday world. like i said, that stuff doesn't happen at my shop, but, in the past ...

 

Re: Some questions

shit dye, pm me and not only can you own that rant, but i'll become a reference as well.

 

Tom's right.

When the cuts come, every section has to fight to just keep what resources they have. Those wacky meetings and how an editor approaches them could mean the difference between keeping a paycheck or getting a foreclosure notice after a few months of unemployment.

Besides, if the SE goes around telling that shit to the staff, morale goes down the toilet and you're too busy trying to preemptively find another job rather than do the one you have.

 

Re: Some questions

Yes,

Tom Petty, at those twice or thrice daily news meeting, often the talk turns to what staff should be added or who should get a promotion or what wonderful new equipment should be added to the sports department.

Meetings are often discussions of stories being worked and what's going in the paper that day and the next. If yuo want your sports editor offering A-1 fan stories or volunteer a sports writer on a weekend to cover a roller derby competition -- great.

If you want your sports editor pointing out flaws and omissions in the news coverage so the news editors start dissing sports -- fine. enjoy.

This thread is about the daily meetings, not the who's-going-to-throw-a-body-on-a-grenade meeting. But if you want to volunteer for that, I'll have your back.

Nice, pointless rant, though. Excuse me, I have to go to a meeting now.

 

Re: Some questions

fuck man, thanks again. not only am i grateful, but the entire petty posse at Paper X will benefit from your insight. fucking eh.

don't ever change man ... mean it.

 

Re: Some questions

No problem, TP.

Hey, and if you ever get a clue, keep me posted.