This Week in the Mercury
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Media / News BREAKING: Oregonian Layoffs Started This AM, Updated With List: Brooks, Rivera, Boule
Posted by Matt Davis on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 11:30 AM
Updated, 5:54pm The O is probably not done with layoffs just yet. I'm hearing that the publisher is shooting for about 60+ layoffs in total over the coming weeks.
Updated and bumped up at 11:30:
There appears, at least to the sources I am in contact with, to be a strong degree of nepotism in the list of people who have so far been preserved from the Oregonian axe today. So far apparently saved from the chop: Executive Editor Peter Bhatia's wife Liz Dahl—an editor; Former editor Sandy Rowe's daughter Mims Copeland—a designer; and Bridget Otto—a former Homes & Garden editor, and daughter of former publisher Fred Stickel.
The cuts come as staff have had to endure several weeks of new editor Peter Bhatia redecorating Rowe's office. The office is right in the middle of the news room: Bhatia not only repainted and made improvements, but he put up black shades so that reporters could no longer see inside.
Big name chops that stick out so far include Karen Brooks, the paper's food writer. Food editor Martha Holmberg, editor of Food Day and MIX, recently left, so it's odd to see that the Oregonian appears to be giving up on the local food scene.
Margie Boule is obviously one of the paper's longest-standing columnists, and probably among the highest-paid employees at the paper.
I've listed 19 of the reported 27 victims of the chop after the jump, so far, with apologies ahead of time for spelling errors—hey, we're an alt weekly. Lest anyone misinterpret my tone to think I'm crowing about this, I'm not—at least half a dozen of these employees have young children. But the Oregonian is a major institution in this town and as such deserves the same scrutiny as, say, the District Attorney's office or city hall.
Severance is reportedly one week of pay for every week year of service, with health coverage ending at the end of that period of severance.
Original post, 9:39
I'm hearing from several sources that the Oregonian started making calls this morning to the unlucky newsroom staff who will be losing their jobs in the paper's first round of post-buyout layoffs.
This is the first time the paper has ever done layoffs. Historically there was a "no-layoff" pledge, which the paper rescinded last year, as of February 1. The paper has also offered three rounds of buyouts since 2008.
At its peak in 2007, the O's newsroom had around 450 staff. With the latest layoffs, which are expected to number around 30, the newsroom is expected to be around 200—still 100 times the size of the full time Mercury newsroom.
The paper hired a conservative new publisher at the end of last year, and is also considering a tabloid format.
Update, 10:59: The O seems to have also made this announcement at 9:39 this morning:
“These layoffs are a painful but necessary part of our 2010 budget, which was developed to ensure financial stability for The Oregonian now and in the future,” said N. Christian Anderson III, president and publisher of The Oregonian.
•Dylan Rivera
•Karen Brooks
•Margie Boule
•Sean Shawn Vitt
•Steve McKinstrey
•Fred Joe
•Andy Parker
•Ruth Mullin
•Susan Goldsmith
•Sherry Rainey
•Joe Bruggar
•Patti Rekston
•Alan Borrud
•Becky Links
•Eric Baker
•Bo Herzog
•Cynthia Davis
•Joan Harvey
•Rob Furniss Furnas
2
That's right. It's actually the "fuse room," since Pat Coleman stepped in. But news team is Sarah Mirk & Matt Davis, plus news intern Stefan Kamph, plus freelancers like Amanda Waldroupe and Ron Knox. You can try deciphering the masthead to get a sense of where everyone else fits:
http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Ma…
http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Ma…
3
Geez. I figured that the O was bringing up layoffs before to encourage participants in the buyouts, but I never figured that the paper would still need to follow through. Does this layoff include any bigger names at the paper, or is this the usual pruning of people at the absolute bottom?
7
Sadly, this just maintains the sad downward spiral. Nobody buys our paper because it sucks, so we cut staff and resources, which makes it suck more, thus causing more people to stop reading it, so we cut more...
When does it end? More to the point: say you're me: I haven't subscribed to the O in six or seven years. Why would I resume getting the paper? What's in it for me? All I can see from the outside is that you are improving your bottom line by cutting things that I'd read if I started getting it. What a sad, broken, pathetic business model.
When does it end? More to the point: say you're me: I haven't subscribed to the O in six or seven years. Why would I resume getting the paper? What's in it for me? All I can see from the outside is that you are improving your bottom line by cutting things that I'd read if I started getting it. What a sad, broken, pathetic business model.
8
Wonder if Ms Paige Parker of "To find a job, older workers might want to look in the mirror, too, and spruce up the vintage look" http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2… is sprucing up her look. Ah the wheel turns
11
I've worked with Shawn Vitt in the past at the Oregonian and am really sad to see him go. Dylan was a really nice guy as well.
12
Unless it's a different Joe, that last name is spelled Brugger.
Wonder what this all means for the future of MIX?
Wonder what this all means for the future of MIX?
13
I'll miss Ruth Mullen's excellent profiles of families and project teams who create green homes. She helped re-orient the Homes and Gardens section from a focus on style toward sustainable design and construction. She's also publicized the Build It Green! tour of homes to encourage people to learn for themselves what's happening with progressive homes. Just look at any consumer home magazine and you'll appreciate her enlightened approach.
15
It's bad news for Portland to see Dylan Rivera go. He did excellent coverage of the CRC and I'm skeptical whether the leadership at the O will even try and fill the gap his departure will leave.
Good luck to all these writers. Matt, I hereby declare that we will buy any and all laid-off O reporters a (cheap) drink at Club 21. Plus even some sliders, if it's Friday. Email us at news@portlandmercury.com to take us up on the offer.
Good luck to all these writers. Matt, I hereby declare that we will buy any and all laid-off O reporters a (cheap) drink at Club 21. Plus even some sliders, if it's Friday. Email us at news@portlandmercury.com to take us up on the offer.
16
"Good to see Margie Boule go, though. Christ, that woman is a half-bright hack."
Calling Margie a 'half-bright hack' is insulting to hacks everywhere.
Calling Margie a 'half-bright hack' is insulting to hacks everywhere.
17
I'm an ex-newspaper ed who will always read print, but I'm even more sad to see the paper's determined move to the right. Headlines and stories the past few weeks and months have demonstrated that a moderately conservative paper can become very conservative, quietly and quickly. In Portland that will hurt them even more.
20
yawn! yawn! (sigh! sigh!) too bad, but I quit reading them long ago as they were just too damned slow in pushing clowns like David Reinhard out of their little plane. Since I've gotten by very well in the meanwhile in not subscribing to or reading them, I'll survive OK even if they go under!
21
I mentioned a particular writer getting let go to a friend of mine and he replied "They still publish the Oregonian?"
24
The conflation of the credo by which I live ("What would Margie Boule do?") with the now-pressing question of "What will Margie Boule do?" is a bit of a mind-fuck for me right now.
Just wait 'til I get stoned later tonight.
Just wait 'til I get stoned later tonight.
26
Sorry to hear about Dylan. The extra effort he gave to the reporting in his stories was always noted and appreciated -- at least by me.
27
Shawn Vitt is a prince, and I wish him the best in wherever he ends up....same goes for Karen Brooks, who did me a major solid years ago. I've not forgotten.....
And regardless of what you might think about the O's editorial policies, they work really hard to spell names correctly.
And regardless of what you might think about the O's editorial policies, they work really hard to spell names correctly.
29
I enjoyed Margie's columns. No one satisfies every reader. It's a shame that anyone is losing their job in this economy with so few options.
30
I enjoyed Margie's columns. A writer doesn't satisfy every reader. It's difficult for anyone to lose their job in this economy with so few options for other employment. I enjoy the work every one of the Oregonian's workers produce on a daily basis.
31
Totally bad. Soon we will be stuck with the writing of the likes of Matt Davis, who recently said some shit like: "blogtown has consensus that the mayor is sincerely trying hard".
33
Maybe Humpy can fire Matt Davis and hire Dylan Rivera in his place. Would really imporve the Merc and make it credible for once.
35
Karen has done amazing things for the Oregonian, and I will forever speak in reverent whispers about her, personally and professionally. Shame on the paper.
37
I've subscribed to the 'O' for more than 30 yrs. The last year the only thing that keeps me a paid subscriber is the Food Day and Thursday's Home and Garden section.
I read 95% of my news from the internet and so nearly everything I read in the paper is 'old news' to me.
I'm concerned about the conservative slant the paper is headed, this too will quickly reduce readership.
I read 95% of my news from the internet and so nearly everything I read in the paper is 'old news' to me.
I'm concerned about the conservative slant the paper is headed, this too will quickly reduce readership.
38
Here are some more names, giving you 25 of 27...
Don Renfroe, Dane Lovell, Jeff Smith, Joe Dee Liberty, Kevin Murphy, Rebecca Lacey.
Don Renfroe, Dane Lovell, Jeff Smith, Joe Dee Liberty, Kevin Murphy, Rebecca Lacey.
40
In November of last year, the Oregonian decided not to report further on the Lincoln cheerleading controversy (the whole team quit over dispute with principal). Willamette Week took it on, resulting in a factually accurate and readable story that explained the whole complicated mess.
It was clear to me that the "O" was too lazy to do the story or just too concerned about their own image to report on what they thought was potential tabloid material. Hey big "O" editors, it was news. You missed the Packwood story, too, and Goldschmidt, until he came running to the "O" after Willamette Week got that story first. Maybe if you were on the ball, people like me would subscribe and help pay salaries around there.
It was clear to me that the "O" was too lazy to do the story or just too concerned about their own image to report on what they thought was potential tabloid material. Hey big "O" editors, it was news. You missed the Packwood story, too, and Goldschmidt, until he came running to the "O" after Willamette Week got that story first. Maybe if you were on the ball, people like me would subscribe and help pay salaries around there.
41
The Merc's post and several comments keep mentioning 27 layoffs. The Oregonian's own announcement says 37 employees, with the majority "in the news department, with smaller numbers in advertising, circulation and accounting." Also, the easiest way to verify the spelling of names and job titles is on The Oregonian's own website: http://biz.oregonian.com/newsRoster/. Not to be too big of an ass about it, but you just failed Journalism 101 -- although you do get an A for persistence.
I worked for The Oregonian for 20 years until I took the extremely generous buyout offered in late 2008. Although I didn't always see eye-to-eye with management about the future direction of the paper, I can't fault The O and Advance Publications for genuinely caring about employees in a way that publicly held media corporations simply can't and don't. It was obvious two years ago that the company would eventually have to void the lifetime job guarantee and institute layoffs. The fact that they staved it off for two years showed a soft heart and spared a lot of folks an early forced exit. But in the end, The O isn't a social service agency. It's a business that has to turn a profit to survive, and that means 37 good and loyal people -- through no fault of their own -- had to be sacrificed. I am sick with grief over what happened to them -- and relieved that there weren't more.
I worked for The Oregonian for 20 years until I took the extremely generous buyout offered in late 2008. Although I didn't always see eye-to-eye with management about the future direction of the paper, I can't fault The O and Advance Publications for genuinely caring about employees in a way that publicly held media corporations simply can't and don't. It was obvious two years ago that the company would eventually have to void the lifetime job guarantee and institute layoffs. The fact that they staved it off for two years showed a soft heart and spared a lot of folks an early forced exit. But in the end, The O isn't a social service agency. It's a business that has to turn a profit to survive, and that means 37 good and loyal people -- through no fault of their own -- had to be sacrificed. I am sick with grief over what happened to them -- and relieved that there weren't more.
42
The Packwood story truly was the beginning of the decline for the O. workin4 has that right.
Sad to see Dylan go. Could have subbed him for Brent Walth. While Brent's biography of McCall is great, I heard he was showing up at the doors of parents of former Sam Adams interns to "see if we missed anything" in the Adams scandal. Pretty sleazy journalism.
Sad to see Dylan go. Could have subbed him for Brent Walth. While Brent's biography of McCall is great, I heard he was showing up at the doors of parents of former Sam Adams interns to "see if we missed anything" in the Adams scandal. Pretty sleazy journalism.
43
Steve,
It's 37 companywide, 27 newsroom jobs.
http://www.mije.org/richardprince/61-black…
Thanks for the praise, folks. It's humbling and gratifying to be singled out that way.
I'll still be around, and of course, looking for work.
Dylan
dylan(underscore)rivera(at)yahoo(dot)com
It's 37 companywide, 27 newsroom jobs.
http://www.mije.org/richardprince/61-black…
Thanks for the praise, folks. It's humbling and gratifying to be singled out that way.
I'll still be around, and of course, looking for work.
Dylan
dylan(underscore)rivera(at)yahoo(dot)com
44
So they let the good reporters go and keep the conservative editorial staff. Remember folks it was the Oregonian who sat on the Packwood story.
45
Thanks for the breakdown on the number of layoffs, Dylan. Good luck with the job search. Judging from the amount of good will Portlanders feel toward you, I have no doubt that you'll prosper.
46
Can't believe they are letting Margie Boule go; she's an institution! Thank you for all the amazing stories and good works you've done for others through your column.
47
Oh no! I can't believe they've let go Margie Boule! She's an institution! The Oregonian MUST be going under. Thank you, Margie, for all the stories over the years, for the laughter and the tears, and for all the good works on behalf of so many.
48
A few thoughts:
Nozzlsteve said it well. Advance/The Oregonian treated us wonderfully well for decades. In return, staffers with few exceptions have been loyal and worked hard to do good work. Those Pulitzers were not gifts; talented reporters and editors did great work. And lots of other good and important work is done. For instance, the O. has led the way on the state's botched energy credits. Re: "sitting on" the Packwood story: The Oregonian blew it, no question. It wasn't "sitting on," really, but failing to pursue aggressively, for what reason, I don't know. But not to protect Bob P. The same is true of the Goldschmidt situation; a little longer, a little more effort might have uncovered that story. WW took it further. (That godawful "affair" headline when chasing the story after Willamette Week had put out a story was one of those stupid human things that happen; they went through the early story and took out that word and no one, somehow, thought about the bad headline from the early edition; stupid, but true. Smart people can do dumb things.)
The editorials can be conservative and also moderate to liberal. Remember that it was now retired publisher Fred Stickel (a solid Roman Catholic) who wrote a Page One editorial opposing the original anti-gay Measure Nine. The O gave the legislative leaders hell a week ago for not pursuing getting rid of the kicker; that's not a conservative stand. The stance on Measures 66/67 made no sense to me; however, the reporting was factual (Steve Novick said as much to me). The news side people work hard to be fair and thoughtful; they pride themselves on it. Sometimes a headline is bad; sometimes a story misses something. But don't pair those folks in news who work hard to hit and exceed important standards of good reporting with those who make the chief calls in editorial. And don't forget David Sarasohn, who writes views sometimes directly opposite the official stand (including on 66/67). In short: It's all more complicated than some people like to think. As are most human endeavors. And keep in mind that so much of what appears online often has been initiated by newspapers and other mainstream news organizations.
More...
Nozzlsteve said it well. Advance/The Oregonian treated us wonderfully well for decades. In return, staffers with few exceptions have been loyal and worked hard to do good work. Those Pulitzers were not gifts; talented reporters and editors did great work. And lots of other good and important work is done. For instance, the O. has led the way on the state's botched energy credits. Re: "sitting on" the Packwood story: The Oregonian blew it, no question. It wasn't "sitting on," really, but failing to pursue aggressively, for what reason, I don't know. But not to protect Bob P. The same is true of the Goldschmidt situation; a little longer, a little more effort might have uncovered that story. WW took it further. (That godawful "affair" headline when chasing the story after Willamette Week had put out a story was one of those stupid human things that happen; they went through the early story and took out that word and no one, somehow, thought about the bad headline from the early edition; stupid, but true. Smart people can do dumb things.)
The editorials can be conservative and also moderate to liberal. Remember that it was now retired publisher Fred Stickel (a solid Roman Catholic) who wrote a Page One editorial opposing the original anti-gay Measure Nine. The O gave the legislative leaders hell a week ago for not pursuing getting rid of the kicker; that's not a conservative stand. The stance on Measures 66/67 made no sense to me; however, the reporting was factual (Steve Novick said as much to me). The news side people work hard to be fair and thoughtful; they pride themselves on it. Sometimes a headline is bad; sometimes a story misses something. But don't pair those folks in news who work hard to hit and exceed important standards of good reporting with those who make the chief calls in editorial. And don't forget David Sarasohn, who writes views sometimes directly opposite the official stand (including on 66/67). In short: It's all more complicated than some people like to think. As are most human endeavors. And keep in mind that so much of what appears online often has been initiated by newspapers and other mainstream news organizations.
49
Jeff Smith, who covered U of O sports out of Eugene, also got laid off.
Paige Parker took the buyout offered at the end of last year. She's a happy mom and looks same as she ever has -- Great!
alainb1? Mmmm, not so much.....
Paige Parker took the buyout offered at the end of last year. She's a happy mom and looks same as she ever has -- Great!
alainb1? Mmmm, not so much.....
51
Folks, this has been a long time coming. In November 2002 Bhatia called me into his office when I was 7 months pregnant and told me that my life at The O was over. He said it was nothing personal just business. There was a little trickle of us that left, not many in the newsroom, but the layoffs stared back then. It’s cruel and crushing to be told to pack your things, sign the legal document that says you won’t ever be employed by The O or its affiliates again. It says to keep quiet, no talking, otherwise you won’t get your severance. The package deal is notable but runs out too soon.
Since then the flood gates have opened and for those who got to choose whether to take the buyout it seems as if things are okay. There is a certain amount of dignity in self selecting out of a job. When you believe that you’ll be safe and choose to stick it out the pink slip can be humiliating, even if you think it might be coming.
The good news is that perhaps this latest round of those laid off can negotiate a group discount for the therapy they’ll certainly need. I know it took me time to reinvent myself. Although I’ll probably never pull down the change I did at The O, I am gainfully employed. The O was a great gig while it lasted. Being less than full-time, I didn’t enjoy that lifetime employment covenant that is now rescinded in the face of the ultimate demise of newspapers everywhere. I wonder if you all wish you would have unionized?
10 years ago The O was doing some cutting edge work pulling huge chunks of census data, mapping, probing campaign finance issues, telling readers about school report cards, winning journalisms highest awards. Rowe carefully cultivated the best and brightest whose egos could fill a building twice the size as that on Broadway. Guess what? They were good. Many are now gone, those that are left are probably overworked, extremely stressed out, and wondering when the other shoe will drop. It’s got to be a dismal atmosphere in the ghostly hallways nowadays.
Who is left to dig deeply into the changing Oregon landscape that the 2010 census will reveal? As Steve Duin so eloquently reminded readers last week, there probably won’t be a paper left by 2020 when my child graduates high school. This is a sad day for my former students who I helped bring through the Harris conversion and into the world of PC’s. It’s a sad day for those directly affected, their families, their bill collectors, their kids at home or in college. It’s mostly sad for those of us who still love the feel of the ink that stains our coffee cups on Sunday morning, the shade provided by a rolled up paper, the comfort and friendship that we feel when we sip a latté solo. My computer or iPhone is a poor replacement for lining the bird cage, washing my windows, or packing my prized goblets for a move.
One person who stands out on this list that no one will ever mention is Joan Harvey. When I knew Joan she had fiery red hair, a gentle smile and a graceful way with customers. Not just any customers but those who had just lost a loved one and were calling in to the obit desk. They always found a sympathetic voice, a compassionate and dedicated professional who always got it right. She *cq’d* everything!
Knowing the importance of documenting a life fully lived that exists no more, I wonder if there will be any one left that could write an adequate obit for The Oregonian as we have known her all these years.
More...
Since then the flood gates have opened and for those who got to choose whether to take the buyout it seems as if things are okay. There is a certain amount of dignity in self selecting out of a job. When you believe that you’ll be safe and choose to stick it out the pink slip can be humiliating, even if you think it might be coming.
The good news is that perhaps this latest round of those laid off can negotiate a group discount for the therapy they’ll certainly need. I know it took me time to reinvent myself. Although I’ll probably never pull down the change I did at The O, I am gainfully employed. The O was a great gig while it lasted. Being less than full-time, I didn’t enjoy that lifetime employment covenant that is now rescinded in the face of the ultimate demise of newspapers everywhere. I wonder if you all wish you would have unionized?
10 years ago The O was doing some cutting edge work pulling huge chunks of census data, mapping, probing campaign finance issues, telling readers about school report cards, winning journalisms highest awards. Rowe carefully cultivated the best and brightest whose egos could fill a building twice the size as that on Broadway. Guess what? They were good. Many are now gone, those that are left are probably overworked, extremely stressed out, and wondering when the other shoe will drop. It’s got to be a dismal atmosphere in the ghostly hallways nowadays.
Who is left to dig deeply into the changing Oregon landscape that the 2010 census will reveal? As Steve Duin so eloquently reminded readers last week, there probably won’t be a paper left by 2020 when my child graduates high school. This is a sad day for my former students who I helped bring through the Harris conversion and into the world of PC’s. It’s a sad day for those directly affected, their families, their bill collectors, their kids at home or in college. It’s mostly sad for those of us who still love the feel of the ink that stains our coffee cups on Sunday morning, the shade provided by a rolled up paper, the comfort and friendship that we feel when we sip a latté solo. My computer or iPhone is a poor replacement for lining the bird cage, washing my windows, or packing my prized goblets for a move.
One person who stands out on this list that no one will ever mention is Joan Harvey. When I knew Joan she had fiery red hair, a gentle smile and a graceful way with customers. Not just any customers but those who had just lost a loved one and were calling in to the obit desk. They always found a sympathetic voice, a compassionate and dedicated professional who always got it right. She *cq’d* everything!
Knowing the importance of documenting a life fully lived that exists no more, I wonder if there will be any one left that could write an adequate obit for The Oregonian as we have known her all these years.
52
Joan Harvey's life stories were always a favorite for me. Even after leaving Portland, I always read the feature online. She was a humble and detailed reporter and perfected the art of telling life stories in an accurate and poignant but not sappy way.
53
Don't forget, they endorsed Bush TWICE. Assholes. Seriously, get a clue and make the internet version READABLE. It is completely boring and useless. Margie Boule? Not sorry, she had a sweet ride for 23 years??? And her last column was as boring as her first. Good luck to her. Hey, and the buy-out people? Yeah, they might have gotten the sweeter buy-out but then took major super hits in the stock market the last 2 years so they are not sitting as pretty as you think they are. This is just karma payback for the Big O's creepy opposition to 66 & 67 and other stupid, untenable political positions that they clung too regardless of how many intelligent people show them they are wrong. I am sorry a lot of real smart people are out of work. They drank the kool-aid when they should have boogied.
54
Well, I just lost my job with the Oregonian. Some would maybe say that I quit my job, but that’s only what it looks like from the outside. What actually happened is that I had employment delivering newspapers and the paper decided it suited them better to make the position basically a volunteer opportunity – without acknowledging that's what they are doing.
The Oregonaina has decided it wants to compete with the USPS for carrier-route sort junk mail (the stuff that comes to “Resident”). They reason that they can undercut the cost of mailing to an area by putting ads in This Week (aka Food Day aka That Damned Free Paper That Shows Up On Your Lawn Once A Week). To do this they needed to match where the Post Office was going so the cost comparison would be obvious for advertisers. Sound like a good idea? Sure it does. Unless you know that postal carrier routes are insanely disconnected, higgledy-piggledy and sprawling. So even though my number of papers stayed roughly the same on this new route I’ve been suddenly given (without prior consultation), the time to deliver is at least an hour more and my mileage has more than doubled. That’s no petty matter when you take into consideration that gas, auto insurance and vehicle wear-and-tear are out of pocket. Especially as carriers are paid piecework (.10 ea fyi – and some get even less). Most especially when you consider the rate cuts we have already been subjected to recently (completely by fiat ; so much for a contractor being an “individual business person” who negotiates their pay, rather than an employee who gets dictated to without question).
The upshot is that The Oregonian has decided to shunt all of the trouble and expense of their new delivery scheme (of which they stand as sole beneficiary) onto the backs of the distributors and individual carriers. As one of those (now former) carriers I can tell you I was already earning barely enough to make it worthwhile. Now, if I were foolish enough to continue with the new route, I would likely be breaking just about even and possibly dipping into the red during the inevitable summer gas price hikes. Apparently they'de like us to be so doggedly loyal (or so stupid) that we’ll deliver their papers for the sheer glory of working for them. Sorry, but the answer at long last is “No”.
I’d like to say now that no blame attaches to the shop managers or distributorship owners, on whom this has also been a huge burden. In the year or so I have had this route I have been shuffled through seven different shops. It’s standard for them to fold quickly as running a newspaper distributorship is a lot more toil and bother than anyone would guess. They work really hard, going above and beyond every day and they have my best wishes.
I’m sorry also to leave my customers behind, many of whom were always so appreciative and thoughtful. They were by and large a really great bunch of people to serve and I wish I could continue working for them.
But I can’t just put my head down and keep doing this in the hope that it will somehow come right in the end. I have to face the reality that if I continue a relationship with this company, I will slowly be dragged under financially.
More...
The Oregonaina has decided it wants to compete with the USPS for carrier-route sort junk mail (the stuff that comes to “Resident”). They reason that they can undercut the cost of mailing to an area by putting ads in This Week (aka Food Day aka That Damned Free Paper That Shows Up On Your Lawn Once A Week). To do this they needed to match where the Post Office was going so the cost comparison would be obvious for advertisers. Sound like a good idea? Sure it does. Unless you know that postal carrier routes are insanely disconnected, higgledy-piggledy and sprawling. So even though my number of papers stayed roughly the same on this new route I’ve been suddenly given (without prior consultation), the time to deliver is at least an hour more and my mileage has more than doubled. That’s no petty matter when you take into consideration that gas, auto insurance and vehicle wear-and-tear are out of pocket. Especially as carriers are paid piecework (.10 ea fyi – and some get even less). Most especially when you consider the rate cuts we have already been subjected to recently (completely by fiat ; so much for a contractor being an “individual business person” who negotiates their pay, rather than an employee who gets dictated to without question).
The upshot is that The Oregonian has decided to shunt all of the trouble and expense of their new delivery scheme (of which they stand as sole beneficiary) onto the backs of the distributors and individual carriers. As one of those (now former) carriers I can tell you I was already earning barely enough to make it worthwhile. Now, if I were foolish enough to continue with the new route, I would likely be breaking just about even and possibly dipping into the red during the inevitable summer gas price hikes. Apparently they'de like us to be so doggedly loyal (or so stupid) that we’ll deliver their papers for the sheer glory of working for them. Sorry, but the answer at long last is “No”.
I’d like to say now that no blame attaches to the shop managers or distributorship owners, on whom this has also been a huge burden. In the year or so I have had this route I have been shuffled through seven different shops. It’s standard for them to fold quickly as running a newspaper distributorship is a lot more toil and bother than anyone would guess. They work really hard, going above and beyond every day and they have my best wishes.
I’m sorry also to leave my customers behind, many of whom were always so appreciative and thoughtful. They were by and large a really great bunch of people to serve and I wish I could continue working for them.
But I can’t just put my head down and keep doing this in the hope that it will somehow come right in the end. I have to face the reality that if I continue a relationship with this company, I will slowly be dragged under financially.
55
If the Oregonian is choosing to move to a more dynamic online presence, why dispose of good writers and relevant content? Are they not as valuable in print as they are in electronic media?
If the Oregonian is to move toward online content, existing talent is equally valuable.
The O maybe a lost cause in print, but with that thinking, they will fail online, too.
It's about content and a creative exchange of information and ideas. An earlier post referenced the new owner's conservative content. I pray that Portland will never be rendered in any shade of purple on a national map. We are a leadership city, hell-bent on making our place in the world a model for livability and a pioneer for creative solutions, locally, regionally, nationally–even globally.
That won't happen without a progressive media presence.
So the O caves to a conservative agenda. May that agenda fail and take the O down with it.
Folks, it's time for some healthy competition to the strained, labored ideas of shareholder value.
Afterall, we are Oregonians, not The Oregonian (italics).
If the Oregonian is to move toward online content, existing talent is equally valuable.
The O maybe a lost cause in print, but with that thinking, they will fail online, too.
It's about content and a creative exchange of information and ideas. An earlier post referenced the new owner's conservative content. I pray that Portland will never be rendered in any shade of purple on a national map. We are a leadership city, hell-bent on making our place in the world a model for livability and a pioneer for creative solutions, locally, regionally, nationally–even globally.
That won't happen without a progressive media presence.
So the O caves to a conservative agenda. May that agenda fail and take the O down with it.
Folks, it's time for some healthy competition to the strained, labored ideas of shareholder value.
Afterall, we are Oregonians, not The Oregonian (italics).
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