The sad reality of more Kansas City Star layoffs unfolded today…
As is the company’s policy, no official Hit List was released. However insiders say the names known to date include my pal, letters editor Julie Rehm, another friend, imager John Ritchie, Ink Web producer and blogger Trevan McGee, A&E/Preview calendar coordinator dude Brian Potter and Joco bureau news staffer Jennifer
anonymous
A web producer? Seems about the last thing they’d want to get rid of.
Joe Smith
They also fired the head foreman in the Pressroom.
He started at the Star in 70’s as a part-timer when he was 16 and still in high school. I believe he was 52 years old.
The vine said that his position had been eliminated.
radiomankc
It does suck, doens’t it. I lament for them. Keep on voting republican for those rich folks who want more profits so they export high paying jobs to the far east… forcing them into low paying retail.
Crap falls downhill. somebody said that if the republicans had one in November, we’d have a barter economy and 25 pct unemployment.
Rich people are very shrewd, like the two bush elections. KC star spent too much money for that glass house… not seeing the road ahead. bad board of directors!
Hopefully they will realize theyre in the publishing business, do much more piecemeal publishing and use those profits from their expertise to fund a news departemnt. Probably doesn’t help by firing a senior pressman though.
I hate hearing about these Star layoffs. The last bastion of legitimate journalism. But everybody’s fighting over ad dollars. And I too cancelled the paper because I get my news online, even though I enjoy reading the paper fm tiem to time.
I have noticed though, you can’t find a Sunday Star after 2pm at the grocery store. Star marketers aren’t checking how early their stands sell out. There’s money to be made by being smarter, watching their inventory more carefully.
People DO want those ad supplements and they’re sold out too early for KC inhabitants lifestyles.
Robertoe
The Star needs to fire their whole web department. I’m an online news junkie and its the worst site I visit in terms of graphics, layout, functionality, everything.
The print version is all fluff and little more than too much landfill. Get rid of all the insert non-recyclable gloss! All your churning out now with that worst-timing-ever $200 mil print facility is CRAP!
Do I want to get my news from a company thats this clueless on trends and technology? And the king of cluelesness is McClanahan. Wrong on Iraq. Wrong on energy policy. Wrong on economics. Wrong on print trends.
Its Shivas dance. The Plaza and other Nichols projects weren’t the same after JC passed on. The Star is a far byebye cry from W Rockhill Nelson. “The first generation starts it, the second generation runs it, and the third generation ruins it.” Let’s all enjoy watching Hearne kick their ass.
Jake the Snake
Funny, that other web site half ass copied your list of Star names
The A&E/Preview Calendar Coordinator Dude
JOJO,
I think this article is pretty accurate. Not complete but still. I know this because I am one of the persons on the list. I know that those of us that were laid off loved our jobs and did our best. This had nothing to do with a lack of passion or being unproductive. The Star actually increase in revenue this past year but they still feel the need to cut corners still.
Robertoe
Hesus Christo you’re a blowhard JOJO. Because Hearne didnt mention all the stuff you thought he should cover, he’s a FREAKING LIAR!
You you look especially foolish because you’re the one who’s inaccurate. The Star article didn’t announce March pay raises. It said they planned on doing it. Nothing definitive there. Its an obvious attempt to spin things more positively. They might or might not happen. They might be less than 1% to a few folks. Why should Hearne play along with that charade?
Robertoe
“The Star, owned by The McClatchy Co., based in Sacramento, Calif., also plans to resume granting raises in March…”
http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1695225.html