The Minneapolis Star Tribune isn't a Gannett paper, but its just-announced decision to eliminate the jobs of 18 copyeditors and one copy desk chief offers clues about how newspapers are shifting work around.More of these jobs across Gannett could be lost as the company consolidates work at fewer papers. Nearly half of the U.S. papers now build pages at central hubs, U.S. Community Publishing President Bob Dickey told Wall Street analysts last month. Gannett Blog readers wonder what's next; Anonymous@3:56 p.m. asked in a comment today: "Has anyone heard more news about the creation of more copyediting hubs?"
In Minneapolis, here's what will happen after the 19 jobs get cut, according to a memo obtained by MinnPost:
- Some reporters might serve a shift as a copy editor or line editor in any given week.
- More pages will be templates and easier to produce.
- Most stories will now flow from team leader to designer to slot.
- Reporters and team leaders will be required to write initial headlines for their stories.
[Image: today's Star Tribune front page, Newseum]
Templates. It sounds like Mad Libs for journalism. "I need a noun, a verb, and an adjective." Oh dear.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever heard of the 1A person doing the ENTIRE section (justified by the bosses: "it's a small section," translation: you can get the section done by deadline) by him or herself? SAD to say the least!
ReplyDeleteReporters at our joint already fill in for line editors. Not a lot of boundaries drawn between editor and reporter these days since assignment editors and the like got whacked the last round.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the weekly world.
ReplyDeleteMy newsroom hasn't laid off ANY of the copy desk staff. There's been some turnover, but the positions always eventually get filled. A lot of their design work has been handed off to the multimedia artist in the newsroom. Why swamp someone else with more stuff to do? Rumor has it the copy desk is "scared" to design. My thoughts: Why are they still on staff when plenty of talented copy editors with good design experience would LOVE to have a spot on anyone's staff. Might help how our paper looks, as well...just an opinion.
ReplyDeleteTime to be a social media editor.
ReplyDeleteUh, at a Gannett paper that is a hub, the 1A designer also lays out the inside of the section, plus the two Business pages, and does other tasks.
ReplyDelete"Charles Stanley make repeat trip to Hattiesburg"
ReplyDeleteThe above is an actual headline taken from the Hattiesburg American website on Saturday. Do you suppose a copyeditor wrote it?
The only change for copy editors in Westchester/Poughkeepsie is more work, less people.
ReplyDelete"Photographers must turn in accurate cutlines that adhere to AP style." Good luck with that.
ReplyDelete