Posted on 10/15/2007 5:29:42 PM PDT by LdSentinal
FLINT (WJRT) - (10/15/07)--Staffing cuts at the Flint Journal should be clarified by the end of the month. The publisher of Flint's largest newspaper blames the economy for the cuts.
The Flint Journal's publisher says the paper is offering voluntary buyouts to staff members, but there will be no layoffs.
According to Dave Sharp, the publisher of the Flint Journal, staff members have been offered voluntary buyouts in order to reduce expenses.
Sharp declined an on-camera interview and added no one else at the Journal would be authorized to talk about it.
The employees would be offered four weeks' pay for every year of service, plus paid medical benefits.
Sharp says he has no target number of employees he's trying to buy out, but the process should be complete by Oct. 29.
For readers, it may result in some familiar columnists, reporters and photographers disappearing from the publication.
A publisher of magazines in Flint says he feels the moves are caused by the declining ad market and a shift to more people getting their news online.
"I personally think it's sad because I know right now this town is suffering in a lot of ways," said Uncommon Sense publisher Matt Zacks.
"I think what's going to happen is the Flint Journal will go toward free lancers and a lot of times there might not be people who have a personal stake in the community, so some of the stories aren't going to be as powerful."
A similar buyout offer is being made to employees of the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News, a sign the newspaper business -- especially in Michigan -- is hurting.
"There's a real struggle with newspapers right now," Zacks said. "Obviously the Internet -- especially with my generation -- is becoming the primary source for gathering information."
Sharp insists the circulation of the Journal is strong, claiming it was the only newspaper in the state to grow in circulation last year.
But he says the local economy is too weak and its staff is too large, forcing them to, quote: "align staffing with volume."
Newspapers are cannibal outfits, run by white liberals to namecall other whites for every stupidity committed.
Newspapers are cannibal outfits, run by white liberals to namecall other whites for every stupidity committed.
Not only that, it's a whole lot more trustworthy. Really.
Too bad, so sad, said Sinbad.
“...Newspaper business being hit hard by economy...”
By whose “economics?” Paul Krugman’s? LOL! They’re being hit by “economics,” all right. They’re losing readers at an alarming rate because Freepers can shoot holes in their biased, slanted, twisted “reporting” within minutes.
Keep up the good work, Everyone! :)
Michael Moore’s hometown. Why doesn’t he step in to help? Afterall, it’s a part of the liberal media. These people put their careers on the line in order to defend the liberal way of life. Has he no compassion? No gratitude?
He doesn’t want to help, he just likes to exploit them for his movies like Roger and Me.
The economy sucks..... in high-tax, RAT-run Michigan!
Sadly I am one of the employees offered the buyout at The Flint Journal. Just so you know, I am about as conservative as you get and so are many of my friends at the paper. Remember, the editorial departments at newspapers are overwhelmingly liberal but the rest of the employees have varying political beliefs. Flint has definitely taken it on the chin over the years and that blowhard Michael Moore certainly hasn’t helped. He is generally despised in the Flint area so at least we have that going for us. :)
Yes, the “economy” of people learning they don’t need newspapers to get news that is selected, deselected, and sifted to reinforce Leftist opinion and worldview.
The sad truth about the Left and the MSM (but I am being redundant) is this: there are not enough customers for their bilge who would self-select the product. Everyone else buys it because circumstances in the past have restricted their choice of product. With the vast amount of opinion and news available from all different perspectives at no cost on the internet, it turns out that **most people don’t want to read Leftist and MSM bilge, and they have been running away in droves.
The next phase will be Leftists complaining that when people are free to get their news and opinions from anywhere, that is “polarizing”. The more I think about this whine, the more pitiful and vapid it is.
Voluntary buyouts are the fool’s medicine. All the highly competent employees who can immediately get another job will accept, leaving the place staffed by losers.
Actually since I work there and I am taking the buyout I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. That is pretty much how it works with these buyouts, isn’t it? Kinda what I was thinking but it was good to see my view confirmed. :)
Yeah, it is hard to believe business can be that dumb. Cutting costs is all very well, but unless you are going out of business you need employees who can do the work.
ping
I lived in Columbiaville for a number of years and found it really hard to do business with the journal. Classified ad rates (seemed High) always drove me to the internet or specialty print publications. I dont recall them being in line with my political views very often in 13 years either. We canceled our scrip because of this. We were not alone in our sentiments.
I say we show up at his house at the wettest hour of the night, shove a camera in his face, and ask him.
Not unlike what he does in his "documentaries."
If he won't see us, then he must be guilty.
I’m sorry to hear about your situation.
Do you have other options you might consider?
I hope you find a new job. I don’t know if you’re a writer, but technical writing pays well and you can find jobs just about anywhere (I found a tech writer job in basically agricultural Fresno, California, thank God!). I wish you luck. FReepmail me if you want more information.
It is always nice to see trouble in my enemy’s tent.
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