popular thinking

If I'm moving out of the denial phase to recognition and acceptance, you might think I'd use the blog to get a lot off my chest, rant and whatnot. But that's not as productive as you might think. It wasn't my fault. I had a good run at the Boston Herald. Actually, a very good run. Made a lot of friends. Interviewed a lot of famous people (more about that later). But the paper as a whole has struggled financially, despite its talented writers and workers, in trying to compete with the changing times. Bostonians can get their news for free in print and online. I know many people who read my Herald stuff online rather than paying the 50 cents for the paper. And if you (and I) couldn't see the writing on the wall, then you (and I) weren't paying attention. Just take a look at these reports leading up to the layoffs...

Oct. 30: New circulation figures are out, covering the six months ending Sept. 30. Herald's daily circulation down, from 230,000 to 203,000.
Nov. 10: Editor & Publisher, in a story on Globe union voting, notes layoffs at the Herald "could be expected."
Nov. 22: Boston Business Journal and the Weekly Dig report on alleged layoffs in my department. Two of the people sit right in front of me.
Nov. 27: Again, from E&P, reporting that Ken Chandler, the editorial director, is leaving the Herald at year's end. This is the quote from incoming EIC Kevin Convey: "On the one hand, I aim to try to keep the paper vital in print by focusing on enterprise, attitude and pop culture as well as by maintaining its traditional strengths in news, sports and business," Convey said in a statement. "On the other hand, finding ways to translate the paper's particular appeal to the web is a key part of the job as well. And all of that has to be done in one of the most challenging business environments this industry has ever experienced." That first part sounded promising for me. That second part? Promising, too. I'm online right now. That last part, about the "most challenging business environments" for newspapers? I have a sneaky feeling I'm going to hear those words again quite soon.
Dec. 5: E&P reports that Herald publisher Pat Purcell promotes his daughter Kerry Purcell to the newly created position of director of content development for Herald Interactive. Kerry sat two desks away from me. It's getting awfully lonely over here.
Dec. 6: The Weekly Dig digs into the Purcell matter, as they are wont to do over there. But the end of the paragraph reports thusly: "If our tipsters were right, at least part of the next round of layoffs will be focused on A&E staffers with the least seniority." Wait a second. I'd celebrate two years at the Herald next month. You don't think they could possibly mean, oh, geez, if their tipster is right, then they definitely mean...
Dec. 8: E&P reports on the Herald's latest layoffs.
Dec. 8: The Weekly Dig finds out about me. So does Boston media critic Dan Kennedy, who thought my "cheeky sensibility is the sort of thing I thought they wanted at One Herald Square." Cheeky sensibility? I'll take that.

And I'm sensible enough to know it's time to move on.