The Paper trail

What do the Beacon Journal, Plain Dealer, and the Dow Jones all have in common?

They're all going down.

And that's the only joke I can make here .. because it's bad, bad, bad for all of us.

The ABJ's 20-20 cuts are about complete. Several weeks ago, the word came down that 20 more staffers needed to go from the newsroom. If 20 folks didn't voluntarily take the buyouts, then 20 would be let go.

Now comes word today that the PD is following suit .. cutting 48 jobs (about 15 percent of its newsroom) by Thanksgiving through buyouts or attrition .. or probably dirty looks if it comes to it (sarcasm).

Whatever it takes to clear out some desks, eh?

These are newsrooms that have already been making cuts .. lots of them .. over the last year+.

I'd like to wax poetic about the Beacon's slow, painful slide, but what good would it do any of us?

To lament the upcoming loss of Columnist David Giffels just a year after Sports-writing poet Terry Pluto. Or how tough it will be to replace the photo talents of Ken Love or Lew Stamp. To lose the talents of street writers Carl Chancellor, Elaine Gurgerian, Connie Bloom, and Tracy Wheeler. Talented Cavs beat writer Brian Windhorst is saying goodbye to the ABJ too .. along with columnist Patrick McManaman. And Chip Bok. Chip Bok!

A great many real voices of not only the paper, but the community -- gone. I think that's what readers are feeling.

Now the PD is slicing and dicing too. When will it end?

I had coffee today with a former BJ manager who can't make heads or tails of it either. Between us, we chuckle at the cuts from a "our darn business is at it again" angle .. but the truth is, we both know how much a newspaper drives the news in a town.

I fear that those left behind -- either by choice or necessity -- will soon be banging their heads against their newsroom walls to keep from losing their sanity .. and probably to ask themselves "why am I staying when others are jumping ship?"

The broadcast side isn't faring much better in this economy. I know it very well.

I'm sitting here in an Akron newsroom that just a few years had 11 broadcast staffers .. now reduced by the tough economy to just two: one highly-talented videographer and me. I doubt this town will ever get a traditional evening newscast back.

I don't know that I can speak to the answer, but I know I can speak to the impact: Northeast Ohio isn't benefiting from putting our media in the spin cycle to see how small we can shrink it.

BREAKING NEWS: David Giffels leaving ABJ

Sources confirm that veteran Beacon Journalist columnist David Giffels tells his newsroom that he's taking a buyout and will begin a teaching career at the University of Akron and continue as a freelance writer.

Still waiting to talk to David .. but I'm told he's happy about the decision.

More to come.

Media stuff

Stuff that comes to mind as I read along this morning ..

The ABJ should have put Phil Trexler's piece on Akron's foreclosure crisis on the front page instead of the top of the local section. Likewise, Stephanie Warsmith's piece on the Ward 4 recount belonged on the local page instead of above the fold on page 1. Both stories are well written, accurate, and timely, but I think they should flip-flop positions. Call me old fashioned (or just call me a broadcaster who should stick to flapping his gums and stay out of the print business) but I think stories that affect the masses have greater appeal than those that affect the few.

Speaking of media stuff that should have been flip-flopped, I don't think viewers will long forget missing the end of Saturday's Kent State-Akron thriller in favor of some local commercials and a national pre-game show for the Ohio State-Northwestern game.

Channel 5's decision to cut away with 1:13 left and Kent driving down 27-20 still cuts viewers like Robert who writes, "... It wasn't until 9 minutes later that the OSU game actually started. Everyone I know is very upset about this. I would greatly appreciate it if you could report this story sometime this week. It would give your newscast a lot of respect for sticking up for the Zips."

I've gotten quite a few emails from folks still upset ... but since I work across town, I can't really speak for WEWS's decision .. other than I think they underestimated the local viewership.

Roy Peter Clark has great insight at Poynter.com that captures the debate over Washington's uproar over the creative license taken in the NY Times ad debate:

Clark writes, "The MoveOn.org writer should indeed have written the phrase 'General Betray Us,' showed it off to friends and colleagues, and then murdered that little darling, burying it and leaving possible exhumation for another day. I make this case as someone who leans left of center, but who thinks the characterization of the general as a traitor is as reckless and dishonest as the accusation that those who oppose the war are hurting the troops and lending aid and comfort to the enemy."

Well said.