(02-06-2020 01:07 PM)monarx Wrote: This whole situation is not good for ODU at all. Is the Richmond Times having the same issues? I guess thats why ODU has hired so many of its own media people. Its going to bite the paper though. The only reason I subscribe is for "unbiased" Monarch news.
Almost all newspapers are struggling, including the Times-Dispatch. Berkshire Hathaway sold all their papers, including the Virginia ones, to Lee Enterprises, which used to have a not-great reputation for salaries, retention and unpaid furloughs/layoffs. Not sure if that's changed but they've been busy the past 10 years or so with acquisitions. The BH (formerly Media General) papers have had their own furlough/wage freeze/layoff issues in the past few years, but that's par for the print media course.
Basically, if you're a national legacy paper (Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal) you're doing well, if you're a small daily or weekly mostly publishing notes from Ruritan and Rotary Club meetings and youth t-ball results, you're doing OK, and if you're in between, you're in trouble deep.
The Pilot used to have something like 250, 300 editorial employees. With this latest round of buyouts, they're down to the 60s, and that's counting the Daily Press employees. I'll always have a soft spot for the Pilot; I spent a long time there and got to know a lot of good people along the way. But it's bad and it's getting worse and I don't see a way to even tread water at this point, much less reverse their fortunes.
I don't see how they can survive much longer. And whatever you might think of their ODU coverage or editorial board's stances, the area will be worse off without a well-staffed daily newspaper's reporting.