Work in parts of the Star-Bulletin newsroom was halted yesterday because of rain.
A part of the ceiling collapsed in the graphics department, and water drained through the opening all day, threatening several computers and related equipment. A power strip and various cables and wires under one desk sat on a waterlogged carpet surrounded by debris from the ceiling.
Just down the hall, another work station sat covered with plastic sheets while a large bucket next to the window caught the constant stream of water cascading down the wall.
The same areas have leaked for years while Gannett's Hawaii Newspaper Agency has dragged its feet on potentially costly repairs.
Where are those OSHA inspectors when we need them?
The first groups of staffers went through the initial round of training on the new Baseview software yesterday, with additional sessions scheduled today and tomorrow. The second round proceeds next week.One alert reporter noted that names of several staffers did not appear on the list of authorized users that scrolls down when you log onto the system. My name was among the missing. Whether an oversight or an early warning isn't known.
Yesterday's big announcement was an answering salvo to Gannett's recently touted link with KHON-TV, arriving via a press release at noon faxed from the p.r. firm of Hastings & Pleadwell: David Black's Oahu Publications, which assumes ownership of Star-Bulletin on March 15, is entering into a partnership agreement with KITV 4, the ABC affiliate in Honolulu, owned by Hearst-Argyle Television Inc.The agreement will mean that KITV and the Star-Bulletin "will share selected resources," according to the press release, but no other details are provided about the nature of the relationship and how it will impact our newsroom.
The press release was issued just after the Star-Bulletin's final deadline, so there was no chance to for us to get the story in yesterday's paper. Whether this was intentional or not isn't known, and I'm not sure which would be better news. In the meantime, there's no mention of of the deal this morning on KITV's web site, or in the Advertiser's online edition.
There wasn't much reaction to the news in our newsroom, although it came as a complete surprise. There were shouts when AP reported civilians at the helm during last week's sub-ship collision. Only a ripple of talk about the KITV deal.
The last issue of the "old" Star-Bulletin will be published a month from today, followed by moving crews and a wholesale migration down the street. Still no word on who's in and who's out, or on lots of other matters of concern to staffers.
Stormy weather continues inside and out.
"Almost overnight, Gannett's Honolulu Advertiser went from the verge of monopoly to the brink of war," says the Columbia Journalism Review in a summary of the Honolulu newspaper battle lines appearing in their Jan-Feb 2001 issue. CJR takes a brief look at several cities where private companies like Black Press, rather than publicly traded media conglomerates, are reentering the newspaper business.We're approaching the 4-week mark before the transfer of ownership, and there are more signs of movement. We're being encouraged to begin clearing our desks and throwing away or removing personal or unwanted items. Some key advertising sales staffers are on the job and making calls. Training on the new computer software, Baseview, begins this week for all newsroom staff, and computer installations for those who will be working at home should begin shortly, which must mean that decisions on such matters have to be announced soon. And I probably have to amend a recent assessment--most staffers are reasonably confident that they'll be invited into the new Star-Bulletin, even if interviews were a bit more pointed than expected. Those left feeling vulnerable are certainly a smaller group.
Apologies to those who had trouble getting through to these pages yesterday. I received a notice last night that the server was having problems, and our files might be transferred to a new server. I would guess that means there might be some lingering problems for the next day or so.
Why am I doing this? The question has been hanging in the background since last week, when it became clear that some Star-Bulletin management and staff see this online diary as a sign of disloyalty, or worse. It began, in that very dark period after the announcement that the paper would be closed, as a way to live through the experience as something other than another victim of corporate consolidation and media monopoly. Actively observing and writing offered a way to claim some power in a situation where we were otherwise powerless.That assertion of personal efficacy is still a factor, when I stop and look at the situation today. The power dynamics have changed, and the newspaper itself will survive, with a new owner claiming us among his purchased assets. Now, in its waning days, this diary is reflects not only the struggle against Gannett's grab for monopoly, but also the struggle that Star-Bulletin survivors face to create the most livable workplace possible.
Obviously, not all are pleased by this independent voice, but I recall a colorful characterization by former Honolulu AP Bureau Chief Howard Graves, who once referred to me, in my pre-journalist days as an activist, as "a nagging toothache in the centers of power." That's probably still true, and its not a role that I shy away from.
After March 14, it won't be possible for any Star-Bulletin employee to undertake or continue such a project. A new set of "Performance Standards" for reporters, which kicks on with the transfer of ownership, contains the following provision under the heading, "professional conduct":
Loyalty involves representing the company in a positive manner, maintaining confidentiality in an matter that could impact the ability of the newspaper to compete, its credibility, its leadership and is morale. We expect employees not to traffic in rumors or pass information to competitors through any means."That broad language will effectively bring this project to an end. But, at this late date, most newsroom staff, including myself, don't yet know whether we'll be offered jobs with the new Star-Bulletin, so I don't yet know whether those new "standards" will apply.
The photo gallery was updated again over the weekend, so feel free to browse.
gallery update
Here's another report on Gannett's ongoing pitch to advertisers:I've always advertised in PBN, never in the dailies. However, some guy has been hounding me about a new Matching funds program. It states, "In order to assist potential companies with Honolulu's complex and uncertain economic issues, The Hawaii Newspaper Agency will contribute marketing capital to qualifying companies during 2001." It goes on to offer me 25 cents on each dollar I contract to "invest" in HNA marketing solutions - if I promise to spend $4,500. Or, if I spend $10,000, they will match with 50 cents on each dollar. "The advantages of the Matching funds program are limitless. You may contract any amount..."What does that add up to? Apparently not as much as it sounds. At least in this case, new accounts spend $1 and get an extra 25 cents or 50 cents, depending on volume--that's 20% off full-freight HNA rates if they spend 4,500, and a 33% discount with a $10,000 commitment. When pushed, though, the sales rep was reluctant to say how many column inches of space those dollar amounts would actually buy.
I noticed that the Washington Post's coverage of the submarine-fishing boat collision featured a photo by George Lee (with an Agence France-Presse credit) and a Paul Arnett byline, apparently referring to Star-Bulletin staffers who contributed. And yesterday's AP wire stories by Jean Christensen and former S-B staffer Jaymes Song were read around the world. Other Hawaii folks also getting international exposure include photographer Ronen Zilberman (AP) and Cory Lum (Advertiser), and freelancer Susan Essoyan, co-author of a special to the Los Angeles Times. Good work!
A matter of style surfaced in a New York Times story today. When lifting a quote from drawn from the Star-Bulletin by AP, the Times gave proper attribution to the source:
"I was in a panic," a survivor, Atsushi Kamado, 16, told The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, according to The Associated Press. "We had believed the boat was completely safe and never thought it would sink."Gannett's Advertiser should adopt this style and properly credit the Star-Bulletin when it lifts not only quotes, but virtually entire stories, from the Star-Bulletin via their "by request" AP rewrites. If they had to regularly credit us, the practice of lifting our stories would probably end.
Gannett's almost giving away its Sunday paper these days, apparently in an attempt to tie up the market before the April 1 appearance of the Star-Bulletin's new Sunday edition. One current offer promises the Sunday Advertiser "delivered to your door" for 75 cents a week for one year. I'm not sure what the standard rate is, but this one sounds below cost. Another indication of how competition is going to benefit the public.I received another comment recently regarding the Gannett approach to news from someone who just returned from a visit to Arizona. Gannett purchased Central Newspapers, including the Arizona Republic and Indianapolis Star, last year.
Since then, Gannett has turned a paper that was known for producing about $50 million a year in income...into a real cash cow. The changes that made that happen aren't pretty. Oddly enough, those changes are visible and relevant to even the most unsophisticated reader.To quote my 91-year old mother, "You'd think after subscribing to the Arizona Republic for 30 years, they could at least publish my obituary without my having to pay!" Well, that is a change, isn't it?
On Saturday morning I tried to read the Republic over breakfast. It was impossible. Page after page carried a mere 6-10 inches of editorial...and those were the 'newsy' pages. I'm sure Gannett points to the fact that the Republic carries lots of national and international news. Half-column multi-item features with sub-heads like "Bronx, NY" and "Rapid City, SD"--followed by trivial wire service fluff--give them those bragging rights, I guess. Unfortunately, the editor who's doing the wire service rip even misses the mark on entertainment value (my presumption, since the news value was nil).
A check with the Republic's web site shows two things. First, they do charge for obituaries that contain anything other than the most basic information. If a family wants to list survivors, or anything about the deceased, such as their occupation or place of birth, it's treated as a classified ad. But the charges preceded Gannett's purchase by several months, so it's unfair to place it on their shoulders.
Staff interviews wrapped up yesterday afternoon. There's still lots of unhappiness generated by this process, and no one knows when employment offers from the new management will be forthcoming, or exit maps for those not destined for the new Star-Bulletin. Some staffers noted the apparent evaporation of previous assurances that all jobs were safe and everyone would be retained after the sale.Online commentary today at Hawaii Cows takes a big swing at Diane Chang's absence from Black's new senior management team.
"Now, instead of being able to brag that it had the first and only woman editorial page editor in the state and the first and only Asian-American editorial page editor, it's got 3 old haole guys as its senior editors. "Following criticism of the manner in which the decision was announced, readers are urged to contact the paper.
"Three days later, there has still been no explanation given about this decision. Not to the rest of the Star-Bulletin staff, and not to readers who have emailed the paper asking for an explanation and expressing their dismay at the loss to our community of this editorial voice. Maybe they're too busy. Maybe they're hoping it will just fade away and nobody will notice. And maybe if a couple of hundred emails came in, they'd have to figure out just how they are going to justify this. You can add you 2 cents by sending an email to feedback@starbulletin.com . "These comments may be archived tomorrow, or Monday. After that, they will be found in the Hawaii Cows' archive.
Gannett announced its latest earnings this week. Profits were flat, while revenues rose 30%, according to the company's report, and a tough year ahead is predicted.
Also announced were recent insider trades. Gannett labor chief John Jaske raked in an estimated $708,784 by exercising a batch of options on January 5. Tom Chapple, the company's general counsel, reported options that brought him $558,980 on January 4. And Frank Vega, president of the Detroit Newspaper Agency, celebrated new year's day by exercising options for a gain of some $495,425. What can you say?
Burl Burlingame provided this little slice of newsroom life yesterday:
a day in the life: a little while ago, some strange guy with a clipboard peered into my cubicle, muttered "shit!' and made a tic mark on the clipboard and wandered away.It was probably something to do with the troublesome inventory process, which has dragged on over the last month or so, or the architectural team planning interim renovations that will take place after the Star-Bulletin moves. These have produced several episodes of gross rudeness. For example: several people are in an office talking. Someone opens the door, turns the lights off and on several times, then leaves, all without a word of explanation or warning. That one prompted complaints to the company involved.
It was an unsettled day in the Star-Bulletin newsroom yesterday. Some reporters had simple, relatively straightforward interviews, while others say they were hit with serious criticism. It has been a drag on overall morale at a critical time. There's obviously a management plan behind these moves, otherwise you obviously wouldn't allow what has been portrayed as a "technicality" to take on these negative tones.Other staffers stopped by throughout the morning to ask about my interview and speculate about the meaning and eventual outcome of the whole process. Guild rep Wayne Cahill also came through and spoke with several staffers concerned about their rights during this transition.
I finally had to leave the newsroom and head downtown for stops at the state's campaign spending commission and other offices, in order to get any work done without constant interruptions.
There's talk of a more incoming staffers from the broadcast side of the world. Reporter Nelson Daranciang is rumored to be moving over from KHON, and KHNL news director Chuck Parker is said to be coming in as a new assistant city editor.
And when the "new" Star-Bulletin debuts on March 15, it will have a new and distinctive look on paper, as well as in the newsroom. The consultants and in-house staffers appear to be wrapping up their work on the new design, which is being quietly displayed. It will definitely be a nice looking product.
Her records show that we first visited our old vet with her on April 9, 1990, after adopting her when she was abandoned by a former neighbor. So she's been with us for a long time. We had hoped for a longer time, but have to cherish what we've had.
Yesterday was not a good day, at least not for me. The storm signals were already up in our very early morning walk, with the vestiges of overnight storm surf that had washed rocks, sand, and debris across the road in quite a few places through Kaaawa, and redistributed at least a foot of sand along this stretch of coastline.
That was followed by an early stop at the VCA animal hospital in Kaneohe, where we got the news that our cat, Hiwa, doesn't have long to live. Her chronic liver infection has taken a terrible turn, and is now either the cause or the symptom of other life-threatening problems. I've nursed her along for two years since her original diagnosis, and have built up quite a relationship with her though that time.
Then it was on to the newsroom where the makeup of the new senior editorial team was announced. A story also ran in the paper yesterday. The lineup:
John Flanagan, editor in chief.
Frank Bridgewater, managing editor.
Richard Halloran, editorial director.
Michael Rovner, assistant managing editor.
Lucy Young-Oda, assistant managing editor.
Ed Lynch, city editor.
Cindy Luis, sports editor.
Nadine Kam, features editor.
Stephanie Kendrick, business editor.Conspicuously absent from the list--Diane Chang, currently senior editor and editorial page editor. The story circulating in the newsroom yesterday was that she only learned that she would be losing her job when she was handed a copy of the draft story the afternoon before. If true, that was quite a blunder, and it caused quite a lot of grumbling among other staffers as the story was repeated throughout the day.
Then, at the end of the day, came my turn in the interview room in the new Star-Bulletin offices just down the street at Restaurant Row. I would not rank this among my favorite moments.
The first question was routine. "You've submitted an application, so I presume you would like to work for the Star-Bulletin?" Easy answer. Yes.
Second question. "Do you think it's fair that you have a web site?" Referring, I had to presume, to this diary rather than to the vast array of cat and sunrise photos that also grace this site. Difficult answer. Fair? Not sure what means.
And we went on from there. I'll just say that this obviously wasn't a recruiting interview, nor was it a team building exercise, nor would I dismiss it as "just a formality". I don't know what the outcome will be. More wait and see.
I left the room puzzled, as some others have, at why this approach has been adopted. If we've stuck it out during the grim days of the last year and a half, it's clear whose side we're all on. We could have used a "we're in this together" spirit, based on a shared commitment to make it work, to find areas of weakness throughout the newsroom and address them in order to produce the best newspaper that we can. We've gotten that message in other ways. But here, in the nitty gritty process of building the new organization, we get corporate cold.
But there was some good news yesterday. Starbulletin.com statistics for the week ending February 4 show the busiest week ever, with over 4.4 million total hits and 55598 unique visitors. without any earth shattering news day. Just a regular, steady readership.
And the S-B team climbed into the SETI@Home Top 200 rankings for medium size companies. The 32 people who have joined the S-B team so far have put in the equivalent of 31.229 years of computer time so far, and that total is climbing.
"SETI@home is a scientific experiment that uses Internet-connected computers in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). You can participate by running a free program that downloads and analyzes radio telescope data," according to the description on the SETI home page.If you're interested in joining our team, just visit the S-B SETI group online and sign up.
It was quite a wild start of the week. Hints of upcoming personnel moves spread through the newsroom from section to section throughout the day. Nothing official yet, but the formal announcements can't be far behind. A new city editor and new business editor are to be named, several experienced staffers from other media are being brought in, including at least one from the mainland, and other lateral moves are possible. At least one columnist is said to be losing their slot, and perhaps there will be other shakeups in the mix. I'll leave the names out pending the official announcement.The interviews are in high gear, and not all campers are happy about their individual experiences or the implicit messages perceived, but so far there's been no word of any decisions being communicated back. The pending staff changes and incomplete hiring process are keeping anxiety levels high, and uncertainty as thick as ever, with the pressures increasing daily as March 15 looms ever closer.
I'm told that two more circulation district managers have quit HNA and joined the new Star-Bulletin, with other staffers to follow soon. Gannett has changed its tactic and is no longer throwing out staffers as soon as they give their two week notice. Now they're holding on to departing staff as long as possible, although removing them from any substantive work.
HNA sales people are out pressuring advertisers to sign 2-year contracts, while Gannett apparently continues to withhold the Star-Bulletin's list of current advertising clients, further hampering startup efforts. No wonder Gannett rejected Black's proposal for an immediate sale and transfer of ownership last fall, with the transition out of the building to follow. This way, they can retain an unfair advantage as long as possible before having to compete directly.
Black is responding with a three-page letter mailed last week to major advertisers, which provides a progress report and plea for support. It adds significant details to the picture. Here are a few:
• "We will launch an exciting new morning paper with a strong emphasis on local business issues, sports and entertainment. In the afternoon the Final edition will offer the in-depth coverage of local and national news hat our long-time subscribers have come to rely on in the Star-Bulletin."• The new Sunday edition will be published beginning April 1, "when our new presses have been completely installed." It will include a return of Parade Magazine, real estate and classified sections, TV guide, a travel section "and an authoritative business review."
• RFD Publications, publisher of MidWeek and another Black purchase, is doubling the size of its press "to offer you process color on every second page," with "high quality printing and much improved color reproduction". And, the letter adds, the colors "won't rub off on your customers' hands."
• The advertising rate card should be available this week, with a "mix and match" approach combining the Star-Bulletin, MidWeek, and RFD's military publications with a combined circulation expected to exceed 430,000. "Our Star-Bulletin rates will be less than 50% of the combined HNA rates."
• "If Gannett is successful and pressures you into signing contracts excluding the Star-Bulletin you will have only one daily newspaper on Oahu. That would drive your costs up. Gannett's expected profit margin in non-competitive markets is 40%. Profit margins in a competitive daily market are closer to 10%. There is a reason they want the market to themselves."
• "It's up to you," the letter concludes. "You will decide if Hawaii is to have two papers and the benefits of healthy competition. All you have to do is split your buy. A happy result will be that you will save money in the short term and over the long term."
It's a strong pitch. Now lets hope the same word can get out to smaller advertisers, and that the sales team is out doing their thing ASAP.
Good news over the weekend: Erika Engle will be joining Star-Bulletin staff on March 1, moving over from her current position at Pacific Business News, where she's a reporter and columnist with broadcast experience as well. The tide has turned, it appears, especially in light of the Advertiser's apparent difficulty filling its many advertised positions. They're having a hard time finding viable candidates who are willing to stay at the Advertiser after seeing the situation.There's a huge difference between the feel of the Star-Bulletin newsroom and the climate at the Advertiser. One difference you can count--the S-B will continue to have a human scale, without many layers between the top and the bottom of the organization.
Imagine how many layers an Advertiser reporter would have to go through to talk to the chairman or CEO of Gannett. It's probably never happened. But most of us next door in the S-B newsroom have at least spoken to David Black, talked to one of his layer of top managers, and Black has given his phone number out to staff, inviting communication. If something's felt to be important, or if problems emerge, we can get directly to the top. And there aren't many management layers in between. In practice, that creates a huge difference in newsroom structure. As a result of this shallow structure, things on our side are simply less authoritarian.
The sales strategy adopted by HNA, described in yesterday's entry, is vintage Gannett, exactly as detailed from other places in the book, The Chain Gang. Among those described in the book, and now being seen here:
* intentionally spreading false rumors about competing publications, such as telling advertisers that the Star-Bulletin is sure to close within the year, and that our most popular writers will then be joining the Advertiser.* threats against advertisers who continue to use the competition, such as the simple hint that if you don't sign a contract now, it might be difficult to reserve your advertising space later.
* keeping advertising prices artificially low during periods of competition, such as the low rates they're offering now, which are way below what Gannett said it would be charging back when they thought they would have a monopoly.
* selling ads on the condition that the buyer stop advertising in competing papers, or refusing ads from clients also using competing publications. No direct reports of this one yet, but it's happened elsewhere.
Businesses here need to keep in mind what they would face with a Gannett monopoly--higher rates and less service, and lighter news, than ever.
Talking this weekend to a small business owner who has advertised in both papers in the past, but wants to support the Star-Bulletin, the message was clear: We need to know the Star-Bulletin's plans, and we need as much info as possible now. Gannett/HNA sales reps are out trying desperately to lock businesses into multiyear advertising contracts. Their message is simple: The Star-Bulletin will fold by the end of the year, the surviving Advertiser will be hiring all the best and most popular writers, and if you don't sign up now, your business could be in trouble later. So business owners need to know what the alternative to HNA is, and sales info from the new Star-Bulletin is not easy to find.His suggestion: immediately run some newspaper ads aimed at businesses with basic information on the upcoming advertising rate structure or instructions on how to obtain this info. They need enough info to feel comfortable turning down the various HNA "incentives", including price cuts, travel, etc. It seems like a reasonable idea, and a key strategic move. The ads could run in PBN to avoid giving cash to HNA.
I guess Gannett's just dumped all pretense of representing both partner newspapers in the waning days of the JOA. "Legalities be damned, full speed ahead" appears to be the working motto.
Reporter Rob Perez just ran into one of the problems of a lame duck owner, whose interests apparently are no longer those of the Star-Bulletin.After winning a prestigious National Headliner award for reporting last year, he was invited to join a pool of potential judges for this year's contest, and was recently named to a panel of 14 journalists from around the country who will evaluate print entries. It's an exclusive group, and quite an honor for Rob and for the Star-Bulletin. The panel meets later this month in Atlantic City for four days of judging, with the sponsor picking up all expenses once he gets there. Normally, though, the judge's employer picks up the travel tab. But not Liberty Newspapers, although Rob's work was done under their ownership and gives Rupert ongoing bragging rights that he's sure to make use of in the future. Rob's travel request for the $750 air fare was disallowed by Al Portner, Rupert's man on the scene. Even though Rob will be representing the Star-Bulletin, he'll have to pay his own way.
Even normal interisland travel has been cut, forcing some changes in the selection or handling of stories until the March 15 change in ownership.
On Thursday, after the day's diary entry included some mildly critical comments and observations, another S-B staffer stopped by my desk. "Do you ever THINK about what you write?" he asked, with an inflection revealing the underlying but unstated question, something like, "Do you ever WORRY about diving from that plane without a parachute?"
I have to admit that in this adopted role of diarist, I don't think much about how others are going to react. I'm trying to create a record of sorts, while devoting only a minimum of time to the project, so I can try to plead time constraints. Really, though, the question just doesn't come up very often. My day job involves writing that is almost always critical of some relatively powerful individual or interest group. I couldn't do that job if I worried about consequences. You just have to have faith that the process of unveiling layers of truth will ultimately have a positive outcome. I guess that I'm proceeding with that same faith here.
Yesterday's sunrise was subtle, with most of the color appearing on the opposite side of the sky from the sun, some kind of cosmic trick to divert attention from the real center of action, and, I suppose, another lesson in politics.
The Star-Bulletin newsroom is divided over Rod Ohira's departure. The split was reflected in a series of electronic messages sent yesterday. I've doctored these a bit to leave out staffers' names.5:23
to whomever tacked up the article on rod ohira under funeral notices: jeez. A guy gets a better deal (more money, better hours) and he takes it. that's a bad thing? competition will improve the marketplace for all of us.9:16
if interested in signing a card for rod, it's on my desk in the hallmark package.9:59
J is right about Rod Ohira's move. after all, when benedict arnold went over to the other side, he was just allying himself with a more powerful nation and better prospects for advancement.10:15
i would hope if mr T seeks greener pastures sometime he is treated with a bit more respect. 31 years of service by mr ohira is admirable in itself. and when you top it off that he is a good and decent man, well, that's enough for me.10:21
the point is he has allied himself with a company that tried to put us all out of business, out of jobs--remember how that felt? It was not so long ago that we feared it. he is adding strength to their cause when we could have used his talents as well.There's a party being organized by several reporters for Saturday night to bid farewell to Rod. I suppose we really should wish him well on a simple personal basis, but, in the broader political context, his decision to move is hard to swallow.
It's interesting to note that Newspaper Guild president Linda Foley, who was in Honolulu over the weekend, defends the right of Guild members like Rod to jump to competing publications. A column in the Denver weekly, Westword, by Michael Roberts quotes Foley's reaction to proposals to limit such moves by staffers in the new Denver JOA:
She won't gab about News negotiations, but she will say this: "We tend to resist those kinds of proposals by management. Employers with joint operating agreements set them up for business reasons, so we want employees to be able to seek the best deal they can for business reasons, too."To lighten things up a bit, here's George Steele's little vignette from his end of the newsroom.
so i'm having breakfast at my desk.i notice a hubbub over at city desk. june and michelle are standing there with concerned expressions on their faces and dean and craig have their keychain flashlights on, looking under the desks.
dean stands, looks around, sees me watching and calls out, "do you smell a dead animal?"
"no," says i, munching away happily.
dean walks over, looks at what i'm eating, turns to the others, points at me and says, "hey, it's his food!"
korean bi bim bap.
Staffers who visited the new Star-Bulletin offices this week report lots of activity. The construction is done, furniture being moved in, computer installation beginning momentarily, and a growing staff getting organized in that parallel universe.
Happy Birthday, Star-Bulletin! The newspaper is 119 years old today, something I never believed we would ever reach. Six weeks to go until independence day. If I understand the latest version of the transition, we will put out the last edition under Liberty Newspapers ownership (and Gannett control) on March 14. Immediately after the final deadline, moving crews will move in and haul desks and office furniture down the street to the news offices, and the March 15 paper will be the first produced from the new newsroom, printed at MidWeek, and delivered by our own crews. Whew.Interview sign-up sheets were posted on the newsroom bulletin board yesterday. City reporters and editors set for Tuesday and Wednesday, business on Thursday, and if I recall correctly, photo dept. on Friday.
I've only heard of one reporter so far who felt that he had walked into a hostile interview in which he was hit with questions critical of reporting and columns that were too hard hitting. He came away from the interview discouraged and dispirited.
I believe the consultant brought in to run the interviews, Bob Poole, is the former editor in chief of the Victoria Times Colonist. At least it seems like a fair guess, given that Victoria is David Black's home island. I suppose we could do a lot worse, from what I've seen of the Times Colonist, published there in the capitol of B.C.
One item about Poole caught my eye, a "dart" from the Columbia Journalism Review in 1998:
DART to the Times Colonist, in Victoria, British Columbia, for buttering-up a major advertiser. The October 31 edition carried a cheesy photo of the paper's editor-in chief, Bob Poole, raising a cup in a smiling toast to a new line of products at the Island Farms Dairies. Next to the contented editor stood Island Farms' "Farmer Vicki," a promotions assistant sporting overalls and straw hat, and "Daisy," the promotions department's version of a huge, healthy cow.Oops. I guess I'll hear about that at next week's interview.
Here's your textbook case of sibling rivalry. Our black cat, Hiwahiwa (or plain old Hiwa for short) has a chronic liver infection and needs special care. Some of the other cats pick on her, so I've taken to letting her take refuge in my bathroom. But when I left the door open the other night, this was the scene. Leo immediately saw his opportunity and sprawled out across Hiwa's tiny domain. Cats.
Search this site,
courtesy of the folks at Atomz.com
Since 11/2/969
\*/.
