Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Chgo Sun-Times Columnist Quits, Says Newspaper is 'Dying' and 'Can't Compete on Web'
publiusforum.com ^ | 08/29/08 | Warner Todd Huston

Posted on 08/29/2008 8:04:59 AM PDT by Mobile Vulgus

Jay Mariotti, a firebrand sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, announced he is quitting the print biz loudly proclaiming that newspapers are "dying" and that he didn't want to go down with the ship of the struggling industry. Naturally, the management of the Sun-Times is not amused.

Mariotti told Chicago's CBS 2 news that newspapers are in serious trouble and he wanted out before he was forced out. "It's been a tremendous experience, but I'm going to be honest with you, the profession is dying,'' Mariotti told CBS 2, "I don't think either paper [Sun-Times or Chicago Tribune] is going to survive.

"To showcase your work ... you need a stellar Web site and if a newspaper doesn't have that, you can't be stuck in the 20th century with your old newspaper.''

Jay Mariotti is one of those columnists that one either loves or hates, it seems. I hear this all the time from Chicago sports fans (among whom I do not include myself), so it isn't surprising that his quitting should be as obnoxious and loud as his writing career has thus far been. He even blamed former top execs for "looting" the Sun-Times in his CBS 2 interview.

Mariotti effectively burned his bridges, though.

Read the rest at Publiusforum.com...


TOPICS: Local News; Miscellaneous; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: mariotti; suntimes; web
This guy is a class "A" jerk, but he might be right about the paper biz.
1 posted on 08/29/2008 8:05:00 AM PDT by Mobile Vulgus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Mobile Vulgus
See also "Union-Tribune announces voluntary separation offer" (San Diego) at:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20080828-1119-bn28buyout.html?imw=Y&lid=mostpopular

Some highlights: The company offered buyouts in December 2006 to employees who had been with the company for 30 years or more. Earlier this year, it reduced its work force by 10 percent through a buyout and layoffs. It currently has about 1,000 full-time employees.

2 posted on 08/29/2008 8:22:16 AM PDT by 3AngelaD (They screwed up their own countries so bad they had to leave, and now they're here screwing up ours)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mobile Vulgus

Straight shooters usually are “jerks”.

I’ve never read the guy, I’m just speaking holistically.


3 posted on 08/29/2008 8:50:14 AM PDT by RobRoy (This is comical)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson