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When I left my first newspaper I just new I'd stay in touch with everyone forever. They were my lifeblood. Heck, we'd gone through back-to-back tornadoes together (and I don't just mean covering 'em - for the second one we all "hunkered down," as they say on the Weather Channel, in the press room). We'd gone through two deaths in the newsroom - a longtime photographer who died of cancer and a young ad rep who was murdered. And a host of just once-in-a-life time experiences with photographers and other reporters, from ice fishing in the middle of Central Illinois-turned Siberia to watching a doctor stretch a kid's bone, the first time that procedure had been done in the U.S. When I left, they threw me a frog leg fryin' party and I bawled my eyes out and just knew I'd stay in touch with everyone forever.
Then came the next paper - new faces, new stories. People left, new people filled in the desks around me. I went on a pub crawl on my last night there - the amazingly hopping and hip downtown Greenville, S.C." - with my new "gang" and I bawled my eyes out but I just knew I'd stay in touch with them all forever. And the newspaper climbing continued, and pretty soon, as happens in life, memories and people faded. A few stuck, of course, I'm embarrassed to say usually because they hunted me down.
Fast-foward to 2008. Enter the social networking Web site Facebook. A friend talked me into signing up. And, then, one by one, they appeared. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning every time I found a new one. "Steve!" I'd yell, "it's my old editor!"
"Which one?" he'd say.
Not only that, my ridiculously huge high school class - 600-plus - has been reunited, well, much of it anyway, thanks to Facebook. And the coolest thing - there are no more cliques. I can finally fit in with the band news and everyone else.
I never realized how much I missed everyone. Geez I really missed them. And I'm glad their back.
Showing posts with label newspapers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newspapers. Show all posts
Friday, July 25, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Sam Zell himself speaketh
Sam Zell himself, by the way, is a billionaire. He took Tribune Co., including the Orlando Sentinel, private at the end of 2007.
So from the horse's mouth today ... this article from the Baltimore Sun.
So from the horse's mouth today ... this article from the Baltimore Sun.
Orlando Sentinel Truths and Myths
Fact: I used to work at the Orlando Sentinel.
Fact: I loved it there.
Fact: I married an Orlando Sentinel editor (see previous post).
Fact: I still love him.
Fact: He's upper management there.
Myth: I had front-page stories because I married what some would refer to as "upper management" (others might call him middle mgmt - he's an AME, call him whatever you like, his name is Steve, by the way, and he'a also a best friend and amazing dad).
Fact: When my stories landed on A1, he had recused himself from front-page voting.
Myth: Upper management at the Orlando Sentinel is NOT enjoying cutting staff positions. At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, it's about killing them.
Fact: Cutting staff is a depressing side effect of TRIBUNE CO. mandates to trim millions dollars from newspaper budgets. Newspapers are running out of other options. Yes, it stinks. Many of my former co-workers are gone, at the Sentinel and at other newspapers. Or are scared they will be next. But you can only cut so much TP from the toiletry budget to total a few million - AGAIN.
Fact: Some people hate the new re-design, some people like it. Some people jump to the parts they like and crumple up the rest.
Fact: The re-design saved money. And probably saved at least somebody's job. For now.
Myth: The Doyle's never talk about any of this at home.
Fact: When we do, sadness strikes, and strikes hard I can barely stand to hear the names when they've been announced, wondering who will next. My husband tears up every time. I suppose now you'll quickly yank him out of the upper mgmt category, eh?
Fact: My husband does not know I am writing this- yet. So don't rip on him if you find typos in my blog.
So, about this blog. What this blog won't be: A Sentinel-bashing blog. As I said, I loved it there. Am I saying that because my husband still works there? Many are screaming yes. Most who know me, know better than that. Was it perfect? No. But I'll never forget one night...Ann, Sean and Sal were arguing over the lead of one of my stories - an important one. I sat there just soaking up every word thinking, "It just doesn't get any better than this." I learned more listening to their 20-minute conversation than I did in some entire journalism classes.
Anyway, there are enough new Sentinel-thumping blogs out there to tickle your fancy, believe me. But we will talk about it from time to time, yes. Because it's our hometown paper. And it's important. Whether you like it or not. Whether you believe changes going on there are spiteful, or simply a result of unfortunate times and new leadership - not new Sentinel leadership. Be smarter and look higher than that. It's easy to be angry - in psychology that's the "easy" emotion. Dig deeper.
Fact: I loved it there.
Fact: I married an Orlando Sentinel editor (see previous post).
Fact: I still love him.
Fact: He's upper management there.
Myth: I had front-page stories because I married what some would refer to as "upper management" (others might call him middle mgmt - he's an AME, call him whatever you like, his name is Steve, by the way, and he'a also a best friend and amazing dad).
Fact: When my stories landed on A1, he had recused himself from front-page voting.
Myth: Upper management at the Orlando Sentinel is NOT enjoying cutting staff positions. At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, it's about killing them.
Fact: Cutting staff is a depressing side effect of TRIBUNE CO. mandates to trim millions dollars from newspaper budgets. Newspapers are running out of other options. Yes, it stinks. Many of my former co-workers are gone, at the Sentinel and at other newspapers. Or are scared they will be next. But you can only cut so much TP from the toiletry budget to total a few million - AGAIN.
Fact: Some people hate the new re-design, some people like it. Some people jump to the parts they like and crumple up the rest.
Fact: The re-design saved money. And probably saved at least somebody's job. For now.
Myth: The Doyle's never talk about any of this at home.
Fact: When we do, sadness strikes, and strikes hard I can barely stand to hear the names when they've been announced, wondering who will next. My husband tears up every time. I suppose now you'll quickly yank him out of the upper mgmt category, eh?
Fact: My husband does not know I am writing this- yet. So don't rip on him if you find typos in my blog.
So, about this blog. What this blog won't be: A Sentinel-bashing blog. As I said, I loved it there. Am I saying that because my husband still works there? Many are screaming yes. Most who know me, know better than that. Was it perfect? No. But I'll never forget one night...Ann, Sean and Sal were arguing over the lead of one of my stories - an important one. I sat there just soaking up every word thinking, "It just doesn't get any better than this." I learned more listening to their 20-minute conversation than I did in some entire journalism classes.
Anyway, there are enough new Sentinel-thumping blogs out there to tickle your fancy, believe me. But we will talk about it from time to time, yes. Because it's our hometown paper. And it's important. Whether you like it or not. Whether you believe changes going on there are spiteful, or simply a result of unfortunate times and new leadership - not new Sentinel leadership. Be smarter and look higher than that. It's easy to be angry - in psychology that's the "easy" emotion. Dig deeper.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Just Steph
So before I begin trying to keep up with my new blogging post goals, let me introduce myself.
I'm Steph. I'm 37 (which dates me - as I mentioned in the previous post I started in newspaper pre-Internet). In fact, I helped launch the first Web site at my first full-time newspaper job, a daily in Central Illinois, the Herald & Review. That was a big BIG deal back then and while I take great pride in that, the Web site sucked, well, compared to what it is now. But it worked. From there I warmed up, moving south to Gannett's Greenville News in S.C., and then warmed up even more when I was recruited to work at the Orlando Sentinel. My newspaper trifecta. But I also should count the Charlotte Observer , where I worked part of college, learned a hell of a lot and probably would have stayed had I not gotten so desperate for those things called Benefits.
Today, I'm a freelance writer (85%) and editor (15%). Editor after editor tried to steer me into editing. But writing is where my heart is. I married an editor so I can just live vicariously through him as needed. And speaking of the editor hubby, if I were to be perfectly honest, he, or our marriage rather, is a big reason I left the Sentinel. I had a hot beat at the time, social services - lots of crazy things happening at the time, such as women getting raped in group homes, that was helping land my stories on A1. My hubby was a front-page decision-maker and had to keep recusing himself. Some newsroom relationships work, some don't (but you can visit Doyle Mania to see what great perks came of choosing the relationship over the newsroom). Now, I am watching former co-workers get the boot, one after the other, due to budget cuts, and wondering ...
So here I am, trying to see if I can make a living at this freelance writing biz. I write about it all - and I credit newspapers for the fact that I can. I had the education beat, political beats, cops beat, I was even an outdoors writer. Mainly, though, I've covered medicine just about everywhere I've been, and I can't get enough of it. So although my recently published book was about true crimes in Florida, I have a secret yearning to find my way back into an OR - just without me on the operating table. Yesterday I interviewed a doctor, the inventor and pioneer of ultrasound guided cryosurgery for both the prostate and the liver. How nerdy am I that I wanted his autograph?
When it comes down to it, though, my favorite writing topic is pretty simple: people. I love watching them, their every move. I used to watch my parents, follow them around, when I was a kid. Write down what they were doing in a special notebook and then hide it. Like I was capturing their secret inner spirits. And when it comes to people, the more down-and-out the better. Sick people, old people, mentally ill people, poor people. That used to be the joke in the newsroom. "Oh, what's wrong with them?" Send them to Steph. Which used to piss me off. What do you mean, what's wrong with them? I love, crave giving a voice to the voiceless. The quieter their voice, the more newsprint I hope I can give them. I get it from my great-grandmother, no doubt, the only white gal on a South Dakota Indian reservation. But I'll save her for another post.
I'm Steph. I'm 37 (which dates me - as I mentioned in the previous post I started in newspaper pre-Internet). In fact, I helped launch the first Web site at my first full-time newspaper job, a daily in Central Illinois, the Herald & Review. That was a big BIG deal back then and while I take great pride in that, the Web site sucked, well, compared to what it is now. But it worked. From there I warmed up, moving south to Gannett's Greenville News in S.C., and then warmed up even more when I was recruited to work at the Orlando Sentinel. My newspaper trifecta. But I also should count the Charlotte Observer , where I worked part of college, learned a hell of a lot and probably would have stayed had I not gotten so desperate for those things called Benefits.
Today, I'm a freelance writer (85%) and editor (15%). Editor after editor tried to steer me into editing. But writing is where my heart is. I married an editor so I can just live vicariously through him as needed. And speaking of the editor hubby, if I were to be perfectly honest, he, or our marriage rather, is a big reason I left the Sentinel. I had a hot beat at the time, social services - lots of crazy things happening at the time, such as women getting raped in group homes, that was helping land my stories on A1. My hubby was a front-page decision-maker and had to keep recusing himself. Some newsroom relationships work, some don't (but you can visit Doyle Mania to see what great perks came of choosing the relationship over the newsroom). Now, I am watching former co-workers get the boot, one after the other, due to budget cuts, and wondering ...
So here I am, trying to see if I can make a living at this freelance writing biz. I write about it all - and I credit newspapers for the fact that I can. I had the education beat, political beats, cops beat, I was even an outdoors writer. Mainly, though, I've covered medicine just about everywhere I've been, and I can't get enough of it. So although my recently published book was about true crimes in Florida, I have a secret yearning to find my way back into an OR - just without me on the operating table. Yesterday I interviewed a doctor, the inventor and pioneer of ultrasound guided cryosurgery for both the prostate and the liver. How nerdy am I that I wanted his autograph?
When it comes down to it, though, my favorite writing topic is pretty simple: people. I love watching them, their every move. I used to watch my parents, follow them around, when I was a kid. Write down what they were doing in a special notebook and then hide it. Like I was capturing their secret inner spirits. And when it comes to people, the more down-and-out the better. Sick people, old people, mentally ill people, poor people. That used to be the joke in the newsroom. "Oh, what's wrong with them?" Send them to Steph. Which used to piss me off. What do you mean, what's wrong with them? I love, crave giving a voice to the voiceless. The quieter their voice, the more newsprint I hope I can give them. I get it from my great-grandmother, no doubt, the only white gal on a South Dakota Indian reservation. But I'll save her for another post.
A tiny writing corner in suburban Florida greets you
Welcome to my niche of the writing world. Does the world really need yet another blog about writing? Probably not. Is my writing so good that I can change the world? Probably not, but I know for a fact I've changed slivers of it. Do I have the most sage advice out there for up-and-coming writers? Probably not. But another perspective can't hurt.
Here's my first bit of advice: don't go into journalism. At least not the journalism as I knew it. I spent 15 years in newspapers - yeah, before the Internet even existed. Back when everyone, OK, nearly everyone in a certain age bracket, couldn't wait to hear the slam of that black-and-white roll hit their driveway before the sun came up. Those 15 years were some of the best of my life, and you'll read about some of the highlights here - the tear-jerking, the gory and the downright hair-raising.
But newspapers are cutting staff left and right because people are getting their news elsewhere and ad dollars are drying up. So if you're a news junkie, shift your thinking to another form of media - Web sites, blogging (ahem). I'm trying to stay afloat freelancing, and you'll read about the ups and down of that crazy venture here as well. Some days I think I have it made (thank you Medscape), other days, I wonder why I didn't just get a medical degree. After all, I've spent enough time with physicians and in ORs - a steady paycheck would sure be a heck of a lot easier than mining the battlefield against the other 1,543,871 freelance writers out there.
Upcoming posts - who the heck is Steph anyway, and how much is she going to write about the Orlando Sentinel since that seems to be what every former Sentinel-ite is doing these days?
Here's my first bit of advice: don't go into journalism. At least not the journalism as I knew it. I spent 15 years in newspapers - yeah, before the Internet even existed. Back when everyone, OK, nearly everyone in a certain age bracket, couldn't wait to hear the slam of that black-and-white roll hit their driveway before the sun came up. Those 15 years were some of the best of my life, and you'll read about some of the highlights here - the tear-jerking, the gory and the downright hair-raising.
But newspapers are cutting staff left and right because people are getting their news elsewhere and ad dollars are drying up. So if you're a news junkie, shift your thinking to another form of media - Web sites, blogging (ahem). I'm trying to stay afloat freelancing, and you'll read about the ups and down of that crazy venture here as well. Some days I think I have it made (thank you Medscape), other days, I wonder why I didn't just get a medical degree. After all, I've spent enough time with physicians and in ORs - a steady paycheck would sure be a heck of a lot easier than mining the battlefield against the other 1,543,871 freelance writers out there.
Upcoming posts - who the heck is Steph anyway, and how much is she going to write about the Orlando Sentinel since that seems to be what every former Sentinel-ite is doing these days?
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