IN the spring of 2008 I was called into the office of the editor who was supposedly running my section, Calendar. He said good things about my previous year of output and how much he was looking forward to what I’d turn out next. (Nearly every day I had a story in the paper, he came by my desk with a smile to tell me how much he liked it.)
The LA Times building after its bombing 100 years ago |
He referred me to an annual evaluation in which my assignment editor praised the “excellent and productive year” I’d just had, and told me I’d earned 1 4 percent raise in a bad year for the company. I went back to work and continued to have a fruitful and, er, productive time as the papers books and ideas reporter.
I was made to sign forms that forbid me to say much more – proving that for all our political excitement about Constitutional rights, a corporation can take anything they like away from you.
Some of the cause has to do with technology and larger economic issues, but some of it is more specific: A gripping, well-researched and deeply disturbing piece by the New York Times’ David Carr documents the greed and ignorance of impotent robber baron Sam Zell and his gang of thugs who took over a once-great newspaper and drove its parent company into bankruptcy.
Pete Bilderback says
It is remarkable how fast and hard the LA Times fell. Even those of us on the East Coast were starting to take notice of quality of journalism that paper was producing. From the outside it seemed that just as the paper had it achieved its greatest successes, it was destroyed.
I really hate that you have been caught up in this mess.
Scott Timberg says
Yes the rise and fall were both very rapid…
In the six years I was there the paper went through four editors and at least as many publishers. Some great journalism, but Trib became some of the worst owners in the history of the profession even before Zell and his douche bags showed up.
Deborah Atherton says
I couldn’t believe that article when I read it yesterday–the completely needless destruction of great newspapers that might have found a way through the current crisis in journalism and publishing. Your blog and articles are so good, it seems crazy that you aren’t overemployed instead of still looking for a job.
Richard Nash says
Dude, sorry for what you and the family have been going through…
cheevers says
I hope things turn up for you real soon, Scott. You’re a very talented guy. Congrats on the new baby (!) and my best to Sara.