Thursday, March 12, 2009

Kool-Aid Korner: Just ignore our shrinking papers!

"We feel strongly that our
news products will continue to excel."

-- General Manager Tracie Fowler, assuring readers today, even as she disclosed that the Hattiesburg American has eliminated the position of executive editor, in a cost-saving move.

16 comments:

  1. I think she's correct. The products will get better under Dan's leadership.

    (former HA reporter)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unlikely. Dan is old school. Does not get the Internets.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I see a return to old school stuff like correct grammar, complete sentences and real journalism under Dan's leadership. Those are the kind of things readers and advertisers notice.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Both Dan and Kathleen are good journalists and good editors. They have different styles, that's all. I wish both of them and everyone else still at the American the best.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Talking points. Talking points. Talking points.

    It's disgusting how stupid the company leaders think we are.

    ReplyDelete
  6. "Pay no attention to our declining news hole!"

    Honest to god, it's getting embarrasing to go out in public anymore. I'll run into people I haven't seen for a while and they'll say, "What's going on at Xxxxxxx? The paper is so small now." What can I say? They're not paying any less for less of a product.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jim,
    Correction:
    You left off the end of her quote,
    "under his leadership."

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dan is a fine journalist and will do well. But do you think Kathleen had anything to do with bad grammar and incomplete sentences? Dan was the Managing Editor for crissakes. Do you think maybe HE could have done something about bad grammar and incomplete sentences and poor journalism? Was she purposely keeping him from doing that? He tried. Kathleen tried. The problem was and remains too few people with too little talent and way too much to do. Why is it you have to tear people down? Kathleen's a wonderful person who cares about people. She was and is an excellent leader and the paper and Dan are going to miss her.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a mess.

    There really aren't enough people left to put out a daily newspaper in Hattiesburg.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yep...and the poster above is a expert in how many people it takes to publish a good newspaper in Hattiesburg. Lots of experts on this blog.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  12. "Lots of experts on this blog."

    Experts who can't write, read, or think. They can't develop complex thoughts.

    Their sudden thrust into unemployment will be frightening for them.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Well, when layoff decisions are based on who made the most money, therefore the most seniourity, therefore (in most cases) the most experience and talent....

    and all that remain are J-school kiddie social networkers posing as writers ...

    and diversity hires...

    and gender hires...

    and pals of the EE hires...

    Then what in God's name do you expect a newspaper and website to read and look like?

    On top of that, Gannett shrinks the web width again so the papers now appear about 6 inches wide!

    No wonder people in the communities hate the local Gannett papers!

    ReplyDelete
  14. How many other EE's is Gannett eliminating?

    ReplyDelete
  15. CN's EE left and we heard the ME would move up, but he is stil ME and there is still no EE, so maybe that's it.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Kathleen was nice but she was in way over her head. Several people left because of her. (and they were not shy in telling you that) Dan will do a better job. He is a good man and he knows what he is doing.

    ReplyDelete

Jim says: "Proceed with caution; this is a free-for-all comment zone. I try to correct or clarify incorrect information. But I can't catch everything. Please keep your posts focused on Gannett and media-related subjects. Note that I occasionally review comments in advance, to reject inappropriate ones. And I ignore hostile posters, and recommend you do, too."

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.