Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Jersey Journal cuts out Art (and sports)

It looks like the Jersey Journal is sticking around: limping on to see another day--minus a few staff members--including arts editor Jeff Theodore and sports reporter Leon Banks. I'm curious how many writers the paper can actually cut until it reverts to only carrying syndicated news (AP anyone?). I suppose we'll see.

Though I didn't always appreciate the type of coverage given to the arts in the Journal--the *aww, feel good, let's be pc!* kind that negates creativity to the level of goopy precious moments-- now that Jeff has gone the way of the passenger pigeon...what's next?

A quick call to the Journal later and it seems the Independent knew what was up before the receptionist. The writers accepting the buyout leave at the end of this week, and after that, there isn't yet an official plan for who will be accepting story submissions, or writing content.

Tough times for journalism, tough times for art. The Journal editorial director will be calling back once he gets a handle on where local arts coverage will go from here--hopefully we'll still have a place in print.

1 comment:

Charles Kessler said...

I'm sure they did it so they can hire stringers (like yourself) at slave wages and no benefits. I'm a little sympathetic to newspapers since their survival really is at stake, but why is it that so called enlightened institutions like colleges, museums, non-profits in general, even unions for God sake, are the worst offenders? Do they think their cause places them above ethics?