It’s about 5:45 a.m. and I’m wondering who I can complain to if the last edition of the Honolulu Advertiser isn’t delivered this morning?
There should be two Sunday newspapers in the driveway, probably for the last time.
Of course, they aren’t really competing newspapers any more, since they now share a common owner. But there were still vestiges of competition until this final edition.
I wasn’t inclined to rush out and bring them inside. I din’t want to hasten the moment. It’s bad enough that Hawaii’s daily newspaper world is and we’re left with a single daily newspaper, heavily in debt (see Rick Daysog’s last scoop, published in the Advertiser’s final edition), a poor recent track record, and with a somewhat uncertain future.
But then I had to go out to check on Silverman, and I glanced over at the driveway. Only one newspaper has been delivered. The Star-Bulletin.
And I’m left to wonder…is the Advertiser late? Or, when its employees were terminated at the stroke of midnight, did they leave anyone to deliver to those of us living outside the metro area?
If I don’t get today’s final edition, how will I feel? I guess I’ll feel a bit empty. But that’s how I’ll feel even if it does arrive.
6:15. The Advertiser was delivered. I was standing in the kitchen, and waved at the driver as he tossed the newspaper onto the driveway. I don’t think he saw me. He quickly reversed out of the driveway and was gone. It’s that kind of day.
By the way, if you want to read that story by Rick Daysog, better do it today. Who knows whether any Advertiser and Star-Bulletin stories will still be available online tomorrow!
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Star-Bulletin editor Frank Bridgewater was also busy firing newsroom employees on Saturday, making a liar out of Black.
I thought OPI’s news layoffs occurred in the MidWeek operation, not the Star-Bulletin. If that’s not true, the layoffs must have affected non-union employees, as the Guild contracts are still in effect.
Actually Badvertiser, I heard it was just a couple of mgmt on line folks who got let go. Apparently, the Tizer had better people and they were given the jobs. And so it goes….
Also in the mix: the staff at the community newspapers (e.g., Kaua`i People), visitor mags (e.g. 101ThingsToDo) and websites (e.g. hawaii.com) also got tossed in this “asset purchase”.
And for those veteran editors & writers who are now (effectively) involuntarily retiring, it ended with a whimper, not a bang. Not even a goodbye! Instead, they got an email saying “if you did not receive an offer yesterday, please immediately return all company-owned files and equipment to the following address…”
‘Aue!
you can always complain to us, your readers, Ian…
Ian, I hope you decide to follow the story of the atrocious treatment the laid off workers have experienced and are experiencing. It’s not enough to destroy careers and lives, but they are making it even harder and more hurtful along the way.
I second the hope that you will keep us informed about this, please. This needs to be publicized.