May 13, 2009

Goodbye, Daily News; farewell, Union-Tribune

Former Daily News editor Ron Kaye remembers without an ounce of fondness the man who fired him, Ed Moss. Yesterday Moss announced he was resigning his post as publisher of the Daily News and president of LANG to take over as publisher of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Kaye writes:
Sending Moss to fix a struggling paper is like sending a mortician to treat an ailing patient. He will do the only thing he knows how to do: Cut, and cut, and cut some more: When he's done with his handiwork, the U-T will be ready for embalming and burial much like the Daily News is. ...

In his 23 months at the Daily News, the editorial staff -- already reduced by half in previous years -- was slashed by two-thirds. There's now only nine news reporters and a staff of barely 40 to produce the paper which has shrunk to the point most days that it gives new meaning to the idea of a fast-read newspaper.

Almost every department of the paper from circulation to sales has been eliminated or gutted to the point of dysfunction. ...

My heart goes out to my colleagues still at the Daily News every time I pick up the paper and see what Moss' leadership has done to it. Somehow I hope it will be different in San Diego but I doubt it.
*The Union-Tribune has published a short bio on Ed Moss.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Ron Kaye says it very well. The paper down south is doomed to suffer the same fate as the past papers under his leadership.

Anonymous said...

go ron kaye!! well written and well said.

Anonymous said...

this is the hard cold real truth. not the spin that medianews and lang always puts on things.

Anonymous said...

he said he had confidence on the success of the DN...that is why they sunk $3 million into renovations and such for the new building....which now they gave up the first floor. staffers would have prefered working out of a tent if it meant keeping a healthy staff and a vibrant newsroom.

Anonymous said...

yes, but that would have made sense and had vision and leadership traits which is missing from that talented group of executives.

Anonymous said...

According to the Union-Tribune announcement yesterday Moss said, “I'm all about local, local, local – local news, local advertising,” Moss said. “That's our niche. The way to differentiate ourselves is to be as local across the company as we can.”

That's pretty much the same line of BS he gave the Daily News staff (before he stopped meeting with them) when he started there.

Ron told it like it is. God help San Diego.

Anonymous said...

It is the exact same line he used with his senior management team at LANG when he was hired and it was then and still is pure BS. He parroted the words but never followed through because he was incapable.

Anonymous said...

wonder if ron kaye will be invited to ed moss going away party...i would pay to hear that conversation.

Anonymous said...

Is there a sympathy card being circulated for San Diego that I can sign? Please let me know before it's too late.

Anonymous said...

You would think at least one of his lackey's would post a nice comment about his great two years at the helm.

Anonymous said...

Must of missed my invite to little eddie's goin away party today. Beware san diego...here comes the little grim reaper.