Monday, June 29, 2009

"A Deeply Painful Process"

Bad news last week from my one-time employer of fond memory:

Observer Publishing Co. eliminated 12 positions at its newspapers Wednesday.

Most of the jobs eliminated were from the editorial department of the Observer-Reporter, which serves Washington and Greene counties daily. One position was dropped at The Almanac, the weekly newspaper serving the South Hills.

"The economic downturn has resulted in lower advertising revenue, and we - like most other newspapers - have had to adjust," said Observer-Reporter editor Park Burroughs. "This is a deeply painful process, but we have an obligation to remain this area's main source of local news."

Observer Publishing Co. employees 184 people at its offices in Washington, Waynesburg and McMurray.


Park Burroughs elaborates further on the cuts at his blog.

Mike Jones, one of the O-R staff writers to get a pink slip, has started "The Bread Line Blog." His goal: "I hope this blog will explain the story of unemployment and the journey of finding a new job in this environment."

Memo to my family members and friends in Washington County: now would be an excellent time to begin home delivery of the O-R.

That 201-year-old newspaper needs your support. Without a daily newspaper, the county would be a weaker place politically, economically and culturally.

1 comment:

St Edwards Blog said...

The newspaper business is breaking my heart. A daily paper cannot be taken for granted, yet it so often is.

I spent 30 years in the TV business and my husband is still there, he in news no less. It is tough tough tough.

But it is the local paper - and all the others that are local for someone else, that seem to suffer so.