Toledo Blade

Discontinuing Michigan/Ohio State beat coverage.



Even Bowling Green and Toledo are "Tier 2" coverage items, behind preps.

It reads to me like a veiled strategy to get writers who care about coverage at the Blade - and want a voice in crafting the scope - to quit. Fairly standard. Root out all the romantics and lifers, leave behind a shell, and slowly rebuild with new people happy to just be there.

 

I wonder if Nick Piotrowicz was told he could/should tell readers they could weigh in, and with whom to do so?

 

If you actually care, he has a whole thread about this. And he did it on his own because he wanted to. And because management wasn't going to inform readers of the changes. And because the Blade has treated its employees like absolute dirt for the last 16 years or so

 

What will teams will the Blade now staff. The University of Toledo? Do they staff any pro beats? Will they have any sportswriters?

 

The Blade covers UT and Bowling Green, as the original post said. Over the years they've also had robust staff coverage of the Indians and the Browns, and the Tigers and the Lions. There was less coverage of the NBA teams. Michigan and Ohio State was a full-time beat, with some attention to Notre Dame. Then of course there's minor league hockey and baseball in town. And then always solid high school coverage.

 

Looks likes Lourdes U & Owens Community will be seeing a bump in features. Preps will still be solid with Junga & Monroe leading the charge there.

I knew this shoe was going to drop a while ago, so I almost forgot it never was announced. Good on Nick to say it out loud.

 

How much feedback do you think would make a difference? More or less than an infinite amount?

 

Will he be immediately fired for speaking out? Suits salivating over chance to fire?

 

Unknown. It is a union shop.

 

This used to be such a great paper back when Terry Pluto wrote for them but now it’s just a pile of crap rag with no original content

 

"Hey, we're a decent-sized city in Big Ten country. We have Buckeyes fans as readers and Wolverines fans as readers. Let's give them coverage they can get from every other online service. I'm sure they'll pony up for the monthly subscription."

 

goes here:

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