19 Jun 2008
The media crumble
It’s been a while since I’ve posted something, partly due to stress at work. If you haven’t heard already, McClatchy, the third largest media company in the country, announced a 10 percent workforce reduction. The direct impact to my paper, the Charlotte Observer, amounts to 123 positions – 22 in the newsroom. This comes right after a round of buyouts. I saw it coming but it’s still incredibly depressing.
I keep trying to imagine what the paper will look like in another year or two when the workforce drops another 20, 30 maybe 40 percent and I simply can’t picture it. Unless there’s some kind of dramatic comeback, I really think this is what’s coming next. Of course, I’ll be happy to be proven wrong. So go buy some newspapers and help me out!
