The Associated Press says Thomas Beaumont is joining the cooperative's Des Moines bureau from The Des Moines Register, where he was chief political reporter since 2002. Beaumont, 42, "led the paper’s coverage of the White House aspirants who every four years spend months courting Iowa voters ahead of the state’s first-in-the-nation caucus vote," the AP says in a story today.
In 2009, another high-profile Register political reporter, David Yepsen, quit the paper soon after a wave of layoffs across Gannett. "Every four years," The New York Times said at the time, "as the caucuses which begin the presidential nominating calendar approach, Yepsen found himself to be the most sought-after political journalist in the country, entertaining campaign managers, strategists, journalists -- and candidates themselves."
In 2009, another high-profile Register political reporter, David Yepsen, quit the paper soon after a wave of layoffs across Gannett. "Every four years," The New York Times said at the time, "as the caucuses which begin the presidential nominating calendar approach, Yepsen found himself to be the most sought-after political journalist in the country, entertaining campaign managers, strategists, journalists -- and candidates themselves."
So what? Who really cares?
ReplyDeleteSmart...get out while your can and on your terms. RIP Gannett.
ReplyDeleteAnd at USA Today, staff members shocked to hear the up and coming young White House editor, Rachel Smolkin, is quitting to go to Politico.
ReplyDeleteThe decision makers in charge dismiss talent. Too threatening. Why would she stay when there is no growth prospect and the work atmosphere is so poisonous? Good for her.
ReplyDeleteGannett never had a great rep in the business. Now it has a terrible one.
ReplyDeleteBeaumont's resignation is a huge hit to the Register as the caucus season begins. But, as a former Register editor famously said when a talented reporter left, "They come and they go." That editor left, by the way. So has much of the Register's talent in the last couple of years. Beaumont, by the way, is far more talented than Yepsen, who gave good quote on TV (always had a makeup kit in his pocket) but never wrote anything of significance. That's a fact. Check the clips if you don't believe me.
ReplyDeleteIt must be nice to be wanted by other media outlets. I could only wish. Good for him.
ReplyDeleteSooo - the Register gets all his work via AP, without paying any benefits. Granted, they can't tell him what to cover, but is this really a loss to the company?
ReplyDeleteWouldn't an AP writer who follows the national campaigns and has the resources to travel with them do a more complete job than a local writer who has to fight for 27¢ a mile?
If we're going to have to limit our resources, better to spend what we can on the local school board than a national election race that everybody's brother is already blaring on and on about. There's no national RAGBRAI correspondent to take up the slack if that reporter gets canned. You want to report on the caucuses, just link to the USAT story....
Who really cares? Only those who care about the quality of a newspaper.
ReplyDeleteThis is a huge hit for the Register. It may be able to pick up Beaumont's stories from AP, but the main thing the Register loses is star power when it comes to the caucuses. The Register was THE only game in town for that. But when you work in an environment of never knowing if it is your last day or not -- any chance to get out is worth it.
ReplyDeleteWhat is not writen is how Thomas Beaumont covered local Iowa stories with topnotch research, so he is not just a political writer. AP is gaining a very talented writer, but Iowa's The Des Moines Register is losing a writer that actually researches hot topics and exposes.
ReplyDeleteGood for him. He has his talents, but The Des Moines Register does not. What is truly sad is that the Iowa people lose out on his local articles. Every person needs to look out for themselves, and Thomas Beaumont has obviously left a sinking ship and climbed onto a better future. Congratulations!