Realist: Newsroom Cuts Not Made In A Vacuum

Full post here

It is a shame. It is a shame that with the decline in the print media all over the globe that so many of you don’t understand that taking a 3.5% hit after cutting every ounce of fat prior to choosing layoffs is not only rational but a statement about the industry and not just about Steve Smith. It’s a shame that some on this blog don’t understand that seniority is irrelevant when building a business that works, if those most senior cannot best fulfill the needs of the readership. It is a shame that some on this blog can’t see that when laying people off, it is ALWAYS time to weed your garden, and considering their misinformation and irrational ramblings, here, I’d say that Steve probably cut some based on quality, not seniority. I don’t work for the Cowles or for Smith… never have. But, I have laid off thousands of people across dozens of businesses as a senior director for a large company, and anyone here who believes that there is room in these decisions for cronyism, anyone here who believes that Steve made his decisions in a vacuum, anyone here who believes that Steve isn’t absolutely miserable every hour of every day, these days, has no understanding of the position the SR is in or the burdens the humans in leadership roles find themselves.

Realist