It seems to me that the citizens of the US are rapidly moving into Depression-era living with more and more out of work, “necessities” from gasoline to milk becoming more expensive and hopelessness on the rise. The only difference is that the people at the top haven’t been jumping off buildings, probably because their greed is the biggest contributor to our problems. They certainly seem to be taking care of themselves.

I live in Patagonia country (they are about 25 minutes away) and their reputation locally is just as good as it is internationally. I’ve also been impressed with what I read about Costco, although as stockholders complain that they aren’t making enough on their investment (hello? didn’t you research what you were buying into?), Costco seems to be drinking the corporate kool aid, too.

Our democratic republic is evolving into a corporate oligarchy which includes those responsible for counting the votes. Frightening to me in the extreme.

-0-

fumibill Says:
June 8th, 2007 at 10:07 am

Holly,

Yes, I’ve been following things-Tribune since I left AP three years ago after 35 years, including 23 as bureau chief in Salt Lake City. Much of what is happening at the Tribune also has befallen my former colleagues in the wire service, locally, nationally and internationally. There no longer exists a Utah/Idaho bureau chief for AP. That person is now headquartered in Denver (Singleton’s base) and has responsibility for three other states aside from Colorado - Wyoming, Montana and Utah. AP hasn’t replaced a news clerk in the Salt Lake bureau, nor its administrative assistant. I understand the staff reporters and a photographer are way overworked and, of course, under compensated.

I’m told there is widespread discontent throughout AP. During my career - which I loved with an overwhelming passion - the wire service looked upon itself as “family.” President and CEO Lou Boccardi often referred to his family and was terribly proud of the work AP staffers did, day in and day out.

That’s no longer the case and it saddens me no end.

Incidentally, Singleton now is chairman of Board of Directors of The Associated Press!

Finally, I’ve found a blog that appeals to me. Thanks very much for sharing your thoughts, wisdom, family tales, and your love for good journalism. I’m 66 now and, thanks to you and your followers here, I feel inspired again!

Bill Beecham

1. Fill Zoned Editions with content from cheap labor: wannabe journalists with no resume, college and high school students. Pay them $15 to $20 per article. Add $5 for pictures. When they don’t come through, have reporters contribute in addition to their regular tasks. Fill each Zoned edition with plenty of classified ads.

2. Keep interns for as long as you can without granting pay raises or benefits. They are desperate for the experience. Make them earn their keep (unless they are a minority).

3. Hire new reporters as “contract employees.” That way, you don’t have to pay them benefits or market-level salaries.

4. Skimp on coverage and combine beats. One person can easily cover both Davis and Southern Utah counties…right?

I liked journalism, I liked working for the Tribune, but these policies aren’t the best morale boosters. And they encourage people like Michael Westley and me to try and make ends meet with businesses on the side (mine was an unintended conflict of interest that got me fired).

I think the Trib is reaping what its bosses have sown.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

-T.Peterson

Seriously, to quote Jean Powers-Mullen, my 80-year-old mother who knows something about the work world and the life of hard knocks: “Just because everyone else does it, that doesn’t make it right.”

(This bit of wisdom can be applied to everything from corporate downsizing and the inhumane work place to getting drunk at high school keg parties.)

No question, the newspaper industry is really under siege these days. On-line alternatives are pretty much eating the trad media alive. Vconrad is right–you don’t like something you can leave. But something that springs from my liberal bone marrow pushes me to try to work out a better situation before I “cut and run” (I knew I’d find a good use for G.W. Bush’s quote sometime).

I’m no technophobe and I understand the demands of changing and keeping up in the work world. But it doesn’t have to be a sweat shop, and there are plenty of corporate bosses who realize that. Read “Let My People Go Surfing” by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, for a shot in the arm about running a humane business, where healthy profits can be made and employees can feel dignified in the process.

As for me, I like reading both newspapers, online–don’t subscribe to either. I like the online layout of the DNews better, the Trib’s all jumbled up, but I like seeing two approaches to news items. My only complaint about the Trib is that sometimes it tries too hard to be the ‘bad boy’, like the article a couple years ago that helpfully told us where to go in surrounding states to get prostitutes. Now that’s community service!

The situation in Santa Barbara is beyond belief. An owner who is mean, vindictive and loves recreational lawsuits. Wow. She must have studied every nuance of Hearst`s career, yellow journalism all the way. Winners?..lawyers and the feral pigs on the Islands.

Hate to see any decline in the Trib…a beacon of light in the Mormon gloom. Some of the Bagley cartoons are political equivalents to the `Far Side`.

On a more edifying note, `Big Love` returns Monday pm. Shakespeare it is not but I enjoyed some of the vignettes, like Chloe Sevigny arguing theology with `Mo` missionaries.

The worst case of Journalistic Destruction, however, is happening in the Santa Barbara News Press. It is two fold, saving money and controlling the news. You can do a Google search to find the alternative web sites describing that mess. (Google is not a verb — yet)

You were brave to leave the SLT when and how you did and you should be proud of the exodus you started.