Tampa Tribune employees told the newsroom will lose 21 more jobs to layoffs by year's end; WFLA-Ch. 8 to lose 10

  Executives at Media General's Tampa Tribune and WFLA-Ch. 8 are informing employees today of a new plan to ramp up convergence at the company's media outlets in Tampa -- a plan that will include the involuntary layoff of 21 positions from the newspaper's editorial staff and a loss of 10 positions from the television station's newsroom.

Tribune editor Janet Coats said 11 newspaper employees will be notified they will be laid off tomorrow, receiving the same severance benefits as 15 editorial staffers who took the buyout offered by the company earlier this year. She couldn't say for sure when the next wave of 10 positions would be eliminated, though she expected action within eight to 12 weeks.

  At WFLA, the 10 disapppearing positions include: three people who took the buyout offered by Media General earlier this year, on air staffers Mace Michaels and Claudia DeCampo and five more people who will be gone by the year's end. Tribune publisher Denise Palmer could not be reached to confirm non-newsroom layoffs. All told, about 50 jobs will disappear from the two newsrooms by the end of 2008.

According to WFLA news director Don North, both the Tribune and WFLA will work to create a single pool of photographers who can shoot video and/or still images for television, online and print. He would not comment on rumors that all photographers will be required to reapply for their jobs, because the job description has changed so much.

The numbers, while significant, were less than the 60 newsroom layoffs predicted by some earlier reports. But Media General had already said it expected to eliminate 250 jobs this year across all its Florida outlets, where 54 people total took the buyout.

By the year's end, Coats expects the Tribune's newsroom staffing to be just over 200 people. Including WFLA-Ch. 8, the total staffing for both outlets should be closer to 275 positions. Under the new plan, the team reporting concept begun at the paper years ago will be expanded, with Tribune, WFLA and TBO.com staffers working together, grouped by subject, and sometimes sitting side-by-side in the same spaces.

"In essence, we will be operating as a single entity," said North, who admitted managers hadn't yet quite figured out how it all would work. "There's still a lot of details we're talking about."

Comments

[Scott the computer guy]

As an IT professional, one might think that I'd be in favor of getting rid of the print edition of newspapers and magazines I read. One might think I would be in favor of a paperless society, where everything is stored and viewed digitally. But the fact is, I am on the computer so much that when I read the newspaper or PC Magazine (which recently announced it is going online only), I want to get offline and read my media. I read enough stuff online and don't want to give up the tangible media that I enjoy reading in my backyard, comfortable chair, or in bed (without looking at a screen). I treasure my time of being away from email, instant messenger, and other electronic distractions that you cannot avoid while reading the news online. Yes, I do plenty of reading and learning online (news included), but that isn't all I want. I want my hard copy. I also see more value in something tangible. My DVD collection has more meaning to me than being able to order a PPV or buy a movie on Xbox Live.

Next week I am calling to cancel my subscription to PC Magazine after subscribing for several years. I can get enough free information online, and I am not going to pay for a magazine I have grown accustomed to reading in bed under a light, not on a screen. It is not a fair assumption that all, or even a majority of people are accepting of this change. The same will hold true if my newspapers go online only.

[newshound]

Why is Peter Bernard and Katie Coronado still on air?
They are slowly killing that time spot. A show would be better than to kill that channel all together at that time.
You watch him on TV and he looks bad, he misses lines, talks over Katie.
How did he get that job?
Where did he go to school at, does anyone know? I can't figure that combination out.
Katie is so pretty and he is doing nothing but making her look ugly on screen.

[Thomas the Tank Engine]

Yes, the Trib was celebrated for its "convergence" efforts. At the time, they all patted each other on the backs, and crossed their fingers that the FCC -- or the public - wouldn't hassle them for having multiple news "voices" controlled by a single owner.

Sadly, the Trib's publishers and editors (and Media General honchos) were clueless about how to take advantage of the opportunities presented by convergence.

Instead, they offered a web site that was one of the worst in the business - have you ever tried to search for anything on the site? It's not at all intuitive and it generally leads to frustration.

Even worse, "convergence" in reality seemed to mean little more than a)duplicating the print product online, which took away the incentive for anyone to read the actual print paper (who needs to buy the paper when you can get it free online?)

b)forcing print journalists to fritter away valuable research and writing time by dealing with on-camera appearances.

c)forcing talented news photographers (still photographers) to fritter away THEIR valuable time looking for great images and artfully capturing those images by being forced to hassle with videography.

B) and C) above point to the fact that the folks in charge simply took for granted the professionalism and experience offered by newspaper longtimers, or that those values are no longer important in the "new media" era.

So "convergence," not unlike many of the short-sighted decisions made by the Tribune and too many newspapers, was merely another desperate attempt to remake a media outlet and demonstrate "innovation."

Like so many of these misguided decisions, it has led to a devaluing of the (print) newspaper product. And the editors and publishers seem to be hellbent on heading in this destructive direction, by removing experienced, professional reporters and editors and shrinking the news hole and eliminating sections - business, features, etc.

When the history of all of this is written, utter mismanagement of newspapers will be a key part of the story.

[Tigergator]

There is irony here.....not too long ago the Tampa experiment between wfla/tribune/tbo was way out front in the industry. That changed quickly. I think if they bit the bullet earlier on and made the changes they should have, they may have been more successful.

By that, i mean, creating a true "converged" news product on line that was constantly updated, and with solid design and layout principles. For a long time, MG had three web sites in tampa, that were basically the same thing. Instead, the turf wars between newspaper staff and tv staff, seemed to lead to a watered down product. A shame.

[Adrian]

Unfortunately, I see newspapers --hardcopy--disappearing, to be replaced by electronic versions available for a nominal fee on the 'net. Extremely cost-effective and could largely be driven by a much smaller staff.
Like the railroads, the newspaper industry had it's day....made it's money...and did whatever they liked.
And, as the railroads were demolished by the airlines, the newspaper industry will be done in by the Internet.

[Adrian]

Unfortunately, I see newspapers --hardcopy--disappearing, to be replaced by electronic versions available for a nominal fee on the 'net. Extremely cost-effective and could largely be driven by a much smaller staff.
Like the railroads, the newspaper industry had it's day....made it's money...and did whatever they liked.
And, as the railroads were demolished by the airlines, the newspaper industry will be done in by the Internet.

This is all a natural result of the rapid shift of control away from "journalistic editors" and toward the end user (readers, listeners and viewers). The speed of the shift has been accelerated by the economy in the Southeast.

If you are looking for someone to blame, you should look at the overlords in headquarters who are supposed to look at the future while the Janet Coats' of the world are supposed to operate in the various markets and produce revenue and profit.

The problem is the newspaper industry is an Industrial Age relic...massive use of paper and ink to produce a product that requires cars and trucks and bodies to deliver on each doorstep and to each news stand. The prices of paper and gas have driven newspapers to their knees. And as the papers publish themselves, those prices aren't likely to go down.

The advent of the Internet has overwhelmed that business model and you are seeing the results. Control of content and delivery time in the handsof the user, not the editors. Fewer subscribers to newspapers and fewer viewers of TV news. Those lost subscribers and viewers are not coming back...they've chosen the web and more will do so going forward.

My question is...where have all the newspaper senior managers at HQ been? It's not like this was an un-predicted outcome. Yet managers at Media General, the NY Times and the Wash Post and everywhere else have done NOTHING with years of advance notice.

Back in the early half of the 1900s, the railroad executives had a big, fat happy business going and felt nothing could hurt them. After all, they dominated the railorad industry.

Unfortunately, executives failed to recognize they actually were in the transportation industry, and airlines kicked their butts almost off the map.

Newspaper executives look remarkably similar to the early 1900s railorad executives.

Combining newspaper and TV photographers into one unit? Interesting idea, but how long willit take to devleop the kind of talent to easily replace the downsized? If ever?

And what will Media General executives come up with next year when revenues drop another 10% and subscribers cancel more subscriptions?

And the year after that?

[Chris]

Newswatcher:

WFLA's product has become quite tabloidy over the years...All's I hear about is investigative reports. Channel 13 is still the best, although I think Rupert Murdoch has been slowly flushing them down the toilet since FOX bought them, I've noticed a conservative slant on some of their political reports. Too bad the "big switch" had to happen, I really liked their "Eyewitness News" product.

Some of their recent hires leave a lot to be desired also, and the weekend morning news is simply unwatchable (Ray Collins? Yuk.)

When their longtime personalities quit I don't think their news will be worth watching anymore. They really carry the station IMO.

I kinda like what WTSP's trying to do -- connecting to the viewers.

[James Mosteller]

Are any members of the Capitol Press Corps affected?

From a former employee's perspective, one who left before the bloodletting started, there is some truth in both A and B, Thomas.

[Thomas the Tank Engine]

Denise Palmer and Janet Coats and their Media General overlords are either a)among the worst newspaper managers in history or b)simply following a Media General directive to let the paper die a slow death.

Why? Because there's no world in which eliminating key staffers and nuking content is going to make for a better paper. So these management decisions, if truly made in good faith, with the aim of helping the Trib survive, are not merely ruthless - they're senseless.

And although Palmer and Coats appear to be in over their heads, I don't think they're 100% clueless.

So one has to conclude that Media General is just attempting to let the Trib die slowly, and focus on other properties. Because to kill it off all at once would simply reflect too poorly on Media General's corporate board, and would cause even more damage to stock prices.

[Newswatcher]

WFLA, not long ago, was the powerhouse television station in the area. Not any more. So many changes. So many people have left. It is really sad what has happened to them. i used to watch Gail and Bob and now I watch John and Kelly at FOX. It is a better news program. Paul has the best weather too. We are watching a television station and a newspaper crumble in fornt of our eyes.

[wordy]

for the record, the photogs *are* going to have to reapply for their jobs. it's sad.

[The Carl]

Hey Tamayo, are you gonna use the Charles Foster Kane formula for running a paper? How many millions/years ya got?
I can't help but think big papers are having to learn to run lean and mean like small neighborhood papers after so many decades of luxuries. I truly hope all papers survive, either in print or digital form. We need watchdogs whether we like them or not.

[steven tamayo]

i am starting a local newspaper and i need some hard workers, who is interested contact me

[former I.T. guy]

I was with the Tribune for almost 5 years in their I.T. department. It's not just all those talented writers in news but also all the support departments that have been affected. And not just in being laid-off but in the disgusting way the company had gone about getting rid of people. I'd still be there today if it were not for the over zelous reorganizing of departments and the placement of cruel and self-serving (yet unskilled) managers to run the place. Look into the I.T. depatment over there sometime and check out their sad, sad story. Here's a perfect example of a department that is prime for outsourcing and the one manager over there who seems to be pushing the process along.

[John F.]

dchail has the right idea. For the past decade plus, the tribune has been cut-cut-cut-cutting here and there and here again in the name of satisfying MOther Corporate and the Media General stockholders. The product has suffered immensely because of it. The Newspaper service -- you know, being PART of the community, has suffered because of it... As extra offices were the first to be cut, then other staff members, and sections of the paper, and so on and so forth.

There latest cuts coincide the revelation that the Trib has outsourced it's advertising staff to India, all while they continue to have subscription services run by a Philippines firm.

The Trib/TBO/WFLA are the "Crown Jewel" of Mother Corporate's media "empire". That crown must be really ugly with how poorly they treat that gemstone.

So grab a magic wand, a camera and become a paparazzo. Gotta head west though.

[Honey]

It's sad, really. There's something about holding a newspaper in your hand and reading the different sections; much better than waiting for some of these stories to load. I recently subscribed to the St. Pete Times and am very pleased with the paper and it's content. I gave up on the Tribune years ago when it became so heavily conservative.

[dchail]

The Trib has always been cheap, Times has a better product. The only reason for reading the Trib is they have complete obits for Hills county.

[reddijet]

Actually, it's about the avialability of getting news everywhere, from your cell phopne to the laptop to the endless loops on 24 hour news stations. By the time a paper reports on it and publishes it, it is old by a day. I prefer a newspaper to any electronic media, but I am a realist and I know they will continue to shrink in size and circulation.,

[Al]

This is news, Justin, because the newspapers are shrinking and dying on the vine. You won't miss them until they are gone, and then the greatest check on government power will be gone. IMHO, this is a result of their becoming "celebrity" media and "entertainment" media. They have forgotten what the news media are supposed to do.

[Justin]

Why is this news? Don't waste my time please.

[Roland]

Yeah Eric! watch those numbers!
No need to scare the 20 or so other people on the chopping block come Jan 09.

[Eric Deggans]

correction made...sorry about that...

[Janet Coats]

Eric, one small correction. The Tribune newsroom number will be just more than 200, not just under 200. A small matter, perhaps, but every position counts these days, as you well know.