The Public Editor's take
Larry Wilson, public editor of the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group and my former boss at the Pasadena Star-News, has some thoughts on the cuts announced last week at his papers.
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3 comments:
Other than insulting YouTube viewers, he didn't say a damn thing about the downsizing. Is this what the public editor at the Star-News does?
Sad. Sad. Sad. When the public editor does not recoil and strike at inhumane treatment of the paper and the people he has grown up with.
It was ever so sad to watch Wilson sit right next to all those big wigs talking about re-tooling, reforming, redoing, re-F*&%#ing everyone at the paper, and he said NOTHING.
What a shell of a man who used to be the Star News Editor.
I guess he is just also hanging on for dear life. Back when they made him public editor, moved an assistant editor to his position and left WDN Bill Bell by himself, he should have screamed so loud and so strong that he should have been heard all the way to Denver.
Lets look at what has happened.
Bill Bell: left alone to do the job of two people: The man with tremendous dignity, QUIT. He did not retire, he was forced out. He was WHITTIER LOCAL!
Phil Drake left after not being able to "catch up to technology." But, the reality is that he was also forced out by those who brought incompetent editors to take his place. Three or four doing the job of one can't get it together. Phil was TRIBUNE LOCAL!
Now, to our Public Editor... Mr. Pasadena... Mr. Dad was famous someone in Pasadena... Mr. I belong here because it is my destiny. Mr. Star News Editor, Mr.PASADENA LOCAL.
Demoted, yes demoted because Public editor means what?
If he has not quit, I don't know why. He was replaced by a writer promoted to assistant editor guy. Mr. Pasadena was even told NOT TO BE in the office the week the new guy came in. He was given a every-day people desk at Tribune to cool down. Yes, he kept his office at Star News, but did just as a token of dis-appreciation. To remind him that even though he is Mr. Pasadena, the prodigal son and heir to the throne, he is just a pawn in their game.
Wilson has refused to speak up for himself. And I am not berating him for that. I am pointing out a fact. If Pasadena people knew of how he was treated, if Whittier people knew how Bill Bell was treated, and if Tribune people know how Phil Drake was treated, they would all cancel their subscriptions on the spot.
People! SPEAK UP! Why do we allow these usurpers to destroy our livelyhood? Yes, we all have families, mortgages, car payments and expenses to cover and if we keep letting them treat us like this, we will all be out of a job soon enough.
All the good people who knew how to navigate their way around the communities are gone. It seems that when someone friendly with upper management does not like you, you are ostracized. Ruby G., one of the greatest at having contacts in the SGV, gone to Whittier because she "did not get along with others at Trib." Others who? Same with long-time reporter E. Parker. Who knew Star news area better than him? Many others have left to bigger and better things because of management. All the great reporters get trained and then leave. But those who are lazy and know nothing stick around because it is easier to kiss A** than work hard. There is no sense of community in the new people. Most don't live in the area, and even if they do, they don't even know how to get around. Comments, additions to this anyone?
Well, leave it to Larry to begin a column on layoffs and somehow transition to
"A Seed of Modernism: The Art Students League of Los Angeles, 1906-1953" within a few paragraphs.
Glad to see in this time of uncertainty and change - some things do remain the same.
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