Creative Loafing film critic laid off

Usually, you can count on alternative newsweeklies for two things: in-depth coverage of the local arts scene and snarky columns anytime the local daily makes a boneheaded move.

But Tampa's alt-weekly Creative Loafing is putting both mainstays at risk following news that on Wednesday it laid off its film critic of 19 years, Lance Goldenberg -- who tells me he was never hired as a full-time staffer in his years there.

What's that you say? Shouldn't alternative weeklies offer the kind of detailed coverage of local film communities that big daily newspapers can't match? Shouldn't they take a lesson from the way big newspapers have struggled to offer unique film stories after laying off their critics?

You would think so. But at a time when just about every newspaper in the country is laying off staff, few decisions seem surprising, anymore. I first found out about Lance's departure from area writer Philip Booth, who summed up my thoughts pretty well on his own blog here.

"It was certainly a shock and huge disappointment," Goldenberg said. "Obviously, they've got other things in mind for film coverage."

CL editor David Warner said that, even though financial issues forced him to cut Goldenberg's column, film coverage will not suffer because he is committed to continuing it and they have access to other award-winning critics who work for the chain. Here is a blog from the editor of CL's Atlanta paper, expressing remorse over two layoffs in their newsroom which he notes "seemed to me not the wisest business decision."

"I was faced with having to make significant budget cuts this year (and) none of the options were pleasant," said Warner, who noted that Goldenberg once had turned down an offer to join CL's staff some time ago. The editor also said there may be other cost-cutting measures revealed next week, though he couldn't be specific until details were finalized.

"I was paying close to, or what I would be paying a full-time staffer, but not getting the benefits of a full time staffer – someone who was here in the office, contributing in other ways beyond what he did do," Warner added. "In this one situation, I thought that there were resources already in the company that could cover a national medium like this from wherever they are."

Much as I like and respect CL and staffers such as Warner, Wayne Garcia and Eric Snider, I have often wished the newspaper could be a little more feisty, a little more sophisticated and a little better in covering arts locally and nationally. I hope that goal won't be tougher to reach lacking a local film critic.

Click below to see a full statement from Warner (Goldenberg has asked that his original email announcement of his departure be taken down):

Re: Film coverage at Creative Loafing
From: David Warner, Editor
The news that Lance Goldenberg will no longer be our weekly movie critic come September has been greeted with alarm in some quarters.

The alarm is understandable. Lance has been a reliably expert voice on film in Tampa Bay, one with an engaging writing style and a clear love for the medium.

However, Creative Loafing must deal with the fiscal realities that are facing everyone in the newspaper business. We have to find ways to economize while still bringing high-quality coverage to our readers.

As it happens, CL’s recent purchase of newspapers in Chicago and Washington, D.C. has expanded our access to talented writers and editors. Among them is J.R. Jones, an award-winning, nationally recognized critic who has been the chief film reviewer for the Chicago Reader for 11 years. Like Lance Goldenberg, he has a strong, distinctive voice and a deep knowledge of film. Unlike Lance, who was a freelance reviewer throughout his time with Creative Loafing, J.R. is a full-time staffer at the Reader, which means his reviews are available to other Creative Loafing papers either free of charge or at a substantial reduction in expense.

We expect that with J.R.’s reviews, plus reviews by other CL critics and writers in Atlanta, Charlotte and Washington, we will be able to review more rather than fewer movies than we were able to do with one freelance writer.

In addition, we remain fiercely committed to reviewing and reporting on the local film scene and the many film festivals Creative Loafing has always covered in depth. Staff knowledge and enthusiasm for film is deep, and we as a paper believe in the importance of a thriving film scene to Tampa Bay’s cultural life.

We’re sorry that the relationship with Lance is coming to an end. But we’re excited about the new and expanded possibilities that have opened up to us.

Comments

[Scott Harris]

I would literally plan my weekend around Lance's review sometimes. His columns gave me a percpective of movies that I never had before, he actually taught me how to understand and appreciate what I was watching. I can't believe that in CL's estimation Hollis Gilespie is an asset but somehow Lance is expendable. I have looked forward to every Thursday for the last 15 years just to read his column and now I have to trust CL's word that this will be a seamless transition. CL just became nothing more than a bar hoping guide.

[Michelle]

Times are tough nationwide for newspapers but cutting out your gifted, local writers is biting your nose to spite your face. Lance Goldenberg's column was my MAIN REASON to pick up CL. His ability to analyse a movie and communicate his brilliant thoughts never ceased to captivate me. Reading his column is like reading a great book where you cannot help but dog-ear the magical passages that are so well-crafted, profound, witty and flat-out pleasurable...I have always deemed him to be a world-class writer and a treasure to TampaBay. I cannot begin to tell you how depressing this news is to me. When you dispose of unique local talent, you are further driving a nail into the coffin not only of the ailing CL (and similarly at the Tampa Trib), but of Tampa Bay's future as a vibrant, cosmopolitan city.
Thank you , Lance, for so many, many years of outstanding reviews. I am certain you will channel your amazing gifts into a new rewarding venture. You have a huge credit in the karma department, baby!

[andrea andersen]

i am sorely disappointed with creative loafing's decision. i think it will diminish the paper in a way that cannot be replicated with writers living outside the tampa bay area. my husband and i looked forward to lance's weekly columns and likely will not continue reading creative loafing. you gave away your golden(berg) goose!

[joe griffith]

Well, there goes my main reason for picking up the CL.
Why is it that when resources stretch thin the very best things go first. It has already been stated that there are plenty of places to hack away at that would not matter.
Instead CL has torn out the heart. Lance's thoughtful reviews guided me towards better film experiences and
alerted me to local events that nurtured such experiences.
How am I to believe that some critic in Chicago will be able to (or care to) report on a Tampa film festival? It is an insult to the intelligence of CL's readers to assert otherwise. This is a giant step in the transformation of CL from cool local paper to fish wrapper.

[Carmen Alvarez]

I am disappointed and saddened by this step towards the McDonaldization of Creative Loafing. Lance is an extremely talented reviewer that has been the beacon of Tampa's local film scene since I can remember. Tampa will mourn the loss of this LOCAL voice for many years to come. I would have to say that this is the final straw for me--Creative Loafing can count yet another reader lost with this very poor, and not very well thought, out decision.

[Clem Crowder]

CL two thumbs Down !
So let's see , David Warner is " faced with the opportunity that I had more options ".
Wasn't the guy that delivers the papers let go recently? Surprise,surprise,the place I ALWAYS pick up CL did NOT RECEiVE ANY PAPERS this week.
Is this an example of " no or low cost "services ?
Maybe not the best option David.
I moved back to Tampa in 1985 from Paris via New York via Seattle and I have read local papers and depended on local papers while living in those places.
I have been clipping and saving and sharing and quoting Lance Goldenberg's reviews since his start here.
Lance goldenberg's film criticism is WORLD CLASS.
The reasoning and excuses Im hearing don't cut it. Dodgy as a White House press conference.
Clem Crowder

[jeanne lavettre]

What a shame. We were so fortunate to have access to Lance's perspectives and insights. His passion for film is palpable and contagious. I've enjoyed many movies that I hadn't considered seeing,based on Lance's review. CL, letting go your local reviewer, especially when you had such an excellent, well respected writer representing you, is a mistake. However if dreamer is indicative of your target reader, maybe it's easier to understand.
No offense to dreamer, there are probably many more who share those sentiments. Maybe it's time for a REAL alternative local newspaper- not a glossy, ad-filled magazine- for those of us for whom the sex column is not the highlight of the issue. I will miss this column like I would miss a friend.
jeanne

[dreaming]

on the flip side, gotta say ive never read one of his film reviews after 9 nine years in tampa. i just dont care about movie reviews period.

however, cl could do well to get rid of some the other wasted space and fill it with reader friendly material. some of the junk never-reads: 'your war questions answered' zzzz ; hollis gillespie, bo-ring; news of the weird, just not interesting; any cover story lifted from some out of towner. never even look at em.

good stuff:
restaurant reviews by brian
bar tab by wade
sex columns
wayne on media (the local politics are deeply bo-ring)
best-ofs

[Kym O'Donnell]

Ouch! What a loss to the Tampa Bay arts community and public at large. In a media market with precious little critical writing Creative Loafing offered a potent double whammy in the form of film critic Lance Goldenberg and visual arts writer Megan Voller, two well-informed witty voices who actively cover local events. Losing our film critic in the slow homogenization of a local weekly is really unfortunate.

[Natalie C]

Lance was the remaining lone treaure of Creative Loafing. His thoughtful, intelligent reviews were the last-remaining intellectual element of what was once a good paper - the late 90s saw an end to all the great reporters and editors. What we're left with now are ironies and superficial references masked as "cleverness" and "wit."

The only reason I picked up the paper were for his reviews. So now you have 399,999 readers (if not less).

[Joseph]

I think this is nothing short of travesty! Film appreciation in Tampa Bay is doomed. CL has chosen to usher Tampa Bay into the realms of mediocrity (as if this area needed any such push).

Lance's voice, as a wittily playful writer and an unabashed "real" film critic, is one of the freshest in the nation --and let us not forget he was local.

Now that CL has removed the area's only authority on films themselves or on local film happenings in the Bay (and now that some of the area's local film festivals are outsourcing their festival programmers: see "Clip" for example), the Tampa film scene (or cinema culture) has seemingly all but vanished.

Thanks CL for another nail in the coffin! I will NEVER pick up another copy of what has clearly become a pandering rag.

[Ellen.L.]

David, I think this is more than a sense of "loss" your readers are experiencing. This is more like a deep disappointment, even anger, that you are removing a vital LOCAL voice who has done so much to promote film IN THIS AREA.

[Robert Flynn]

I am disappointed that Creative Loafing would take such a shortsighted move. I remember CL's principled stand against X rated advertisements, and I fear that they have now lost the battle to the yahoos. Now there is no reason for me to ever open a copy of CL. Lance's reviews were the gold among the dross. Now we're left with dross.

[mary in houston]

And publishers wonder why they are losing readers. Shame on you.

[David Warner]

I appreciate the comments, and the sense of loss. All I can say is, keep reading -- if the intelligence or comprehensiveness of Creative Loafing's movie coverage suddenly plummets, then you'll have reason for concern. I promise you it won't.
A correction to my statement about J.R. Jones: Though he has been employed by the Chicago Reader since 1997, he has been writing about movies only since 2002, winning a first-place award for his criticism in 2007 in the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies’ national competition.
Jonathan Rosenbaum was chief film critic at the Reader until he retired in February of this year.

[JoEllen]

Lance taught me how to watch a movie. His love for movies, for how movies intertwine our lives and cultures, his passion for putting intelligence and quality in front of the readers, and his love of teaching a two-dimensional film appreciation class for 19 years will be very missed. CL has other writers that I enjoy reading, but none other that have changed the way I see.

[Ellen L.]

As a former advertiser, I understood that Creative Loafing attracted two demographics, the beer-swelling bar-hopping crowds, and the more thoughtful intellectual segment of the local population. Lance's column was was of the few things that appealed to the second demographic, and I doubt I'll be advertising again with this publication, since the former group is not the group I am interested in attracting. I'm hoping Tampa will not lose Lance's voice, as he contributed so much in the last two decades to our local film scene. But maybe his intellect is wasted here, and it's a terrible shame CL failed to realize how lucky they were to have a writer of his caliber.

[Ellen L.]

As a former advertiser, I understood that Creative Loafing attracted two demographics, the beer-swelling bar-hopping crowds, and the more thoughtful intellectual segment of the local population. Lance's column was was of the few things that appealed to the second demographic, and I doubt I'll be advertising again with this publication, since the former group is not the group I am interested in attracting. I'm hoping Tampa will not lose Lance's voice, as he contributed so much in the last two decades to our local film scene. But maybe his intellect is wasted here, and it's a terrible shame CL failed to realize how lucky they were to have a writer of his caliber.

[Liz]

I think this is very bad judgement by the powers that be. Lance's column was always entertaining, intelligent and insightful and I looked forward to reading them with interest and anticipation. I thought it was the best thing in the paper frankly and am now less likely to read it at all. It is clear the paper is now one step closer to being generic and irrelevant. I'm sure Lance will have no problem finding a new venue for his voice. In fact, congratulations Lance on your release from such short sighted and ignorant employers. Your devoted readers anxiously stand by to rediscover your thread in a more enlightened tome.

[Brian Taylor]

THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE. CL WILL NEVER FIND ANOTHER FILM CRITIC (AT LEAST THAT THEY COULD AFFORD) WITH AS VAST AND VARIED KNOWLEDGE OF AND SENSITIVITY TO LITERALLY EVERY GENRE OF FILM. FURTHERMORE, LANCE GOLDENBERG'S INSIGHTFUL WIT, PERFECT CRITICAL EYE, AND ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE THE ESSENTIAL QUALITIES OF A FILM (BOTH GOOD AND BAD) TO THE AVERAGE JOE READER ,I BELIEVED ARE VIRTUALLY UNMATCHED. CL IS THROWING AWAY A RARE GEM FOR SOME CUBIC ZARCONIAN ERSTWHILE CRITICS.

[Steve]

CL has always been hit or miss. Lance's page was something you could always count on - well written and insightful. This is a big miss. Bad decision, CL.

[GlennS.]

This just stinks.

Mr. Goldberg's column was often the first thing I turned to in CL. His reviews were top notch, and as I especially appreciated his occasional columns about noteworthy DVD releases.

Although his work was usually not political, I admired his occasionally taking positions that may not have been popular with some of CL's more radical readers.

Maybe he was just too smart for a paper that has often appeared to be more interested in "Ten Best Places To Get Drunk in Tampa" stories than in any true celebration of culture. He will be missed.