More Oklahoman Layoffs

[Doug Loudenback]

Picked this up in google news ... it's 18 hours old but I've not seen it earlier: The Associated Press: Oklahoman announces 57 layoffs, some in newsroom

Oklahoman announces 57 layoffs, some in newsroom

(AP) – 18 hours ago

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoman says 7 percent of its employees will be laid off because of what it calls a struggling advertising environment.

Oklahoma's largest newspaper announced the layoffs Wednesday.

The cuts of 57 people are in all departments and include 19 in the newsroom. The staff reduction is about one-third the size of the last round of job cuts at The Oklahoman in October 2008.

Publisher David Thompson says advertising volume is soft for all media and is in the biggest downturn since the Depression.

Thompson says The Oklahoman's website is seeing an audience increase and that home delivery subscriptions are rising. He also says digital specialists are working to bring the newspaper to new platforms such as Apple's recent iPad.

On edit, I now see that it was also reported in the Oklahoman today: http://www.newsok.com/the-oklahoman-...financial-news

Can you comment, Steve?

[Steve]

no

[Doug Loudenback]

Understood. I'm sure that it must be a sad place out there today.

[Soonerus]

newspapers are a dying industry....really pretty amazing...think of all the wealth gained, at least initially, on newspaper revenue in years past

[Steve]

The same struggle is being faced by radio and television. There is a shake-up going on in the media world and I don't think anyone knows how it will shake out.
I believe those voices that are able to provide their communities with a consistent, reliable source of information, tell good stories and make a difference will survive.
Yesterday I broke a news story via Twitter. So yeah, things are changing.
There it is. That's my comment.

[barnold]

Hate to hear of anyone losing their jobs. Technology seems to favor some and hurt others.

[mheaton76]

very sad to hear it

[metro]

Sad to hear they are laying off anyone, especially the news room. The Oklahoman is already seriously lacking enough content in the news department. maybe if they'd have reasonable advertising rates, they'd have MORE business, but they price so many businesses out of the opportunity.

on second thought, maybe they'll get rid of the headline writers and just let the journalists do it themselves.

[possumfritter]

Remember the days when the kid on the bycicle used to deliver the paper to your front door?

[Steve]

Yes, I so do very much wish to extend my workday to midnight so I can write and fit headlines on a page...
I think there's a fundamental misunderstanding out there when it comes to how headlines are written - and that's the industry's fault.
1. Headlines are an art form of their own and they are listed as a separate awards category by the Society of Professional Journalists - as they should be. Good headlines are written to draw attention to a story and provide readers who don't have time to still be better informed even if they just read two stories and only scan the headlines for the rest of the paper (or news site).

2. Headlines must fit into a page. This is why it's really not possible for the story writers to do headlines - though we can and sometimes do make recommendations when possible. I emphasize that "when possible," because time doesn't always allow for that.

Now, my top two favorite headlines:
International classic of all time: "Headless Body Found in Topless Bar" - NY Post
Great political headline: "Ford to City: Drop Dead" - NY Daily News headline of Gerald Ford ignoring NYC plea for federal aid in late 70s.
And, now, my favorite headline for one MY stories...
"Bomb Bosnia, Humanitarian Says" (1993 story I wrote about Larry Jones. And yes, it made Leno's weekly list)

[Kerry]

Yes, I so do very much wish to extend my workday to midnight so I can write and fit headlines on a page...
I think there's a fundamental misunderstanding out there when it comes to how headlines are written - and that's the industry's fault.
1. Headlines are an art form of their own and they are listed as a separate awards category by the Society of Professional Journalists - as they should be. Good headlines are written to draw attention to a story and provide readers who don't have time to still be better informed even if they just read two stories and only scan the headlines for the rest of the paper (or news site).

2. Headlines must fit into a page. This is why it's really not possible for the story writers to do headlines - though we can and sometimes do make recommendations when possible. I emphasize that "when possible," because time doesn't always allow for that.

Now, my top two favorite headlines:
International classic of all time: "Headless Body Found in Topless Bar" - NY Post
Great political headline: "Ford to City: Drop Dead" - NY Daily News headline of Gerald Ford ignoring NYC plea for federal aid in late 70s.
And, now, my favorite headline for one MY stories...
"Bomb Bosnia, Humanitarian Says" (1993 story I wrote about Larry Jones. And yes, it made Leno's weekly list)

I guess I have mis-impression of how newspapers are put together today. When I was in elementary school (way back in the late-70's) I took a field trip to the Chico Enterprise Record and they showed us how the newspaper was put together. I figured by now it would all be done on a computer. I mean, it isn't like the size or number of page changes every day and the number of stories are about the same. It seems to me that every possible possible combination has already been done. Are they re-inventing the wheel every night?

Any chance "Headline Writer" is a union job?

[Steve]

Not that simple my friend.....

[metro]

I too find it hard to believe, I'm sure it's an artform we don't see, but with technology in this day and age, seems there could be a simpler way. Magazines don't have one, newsletters as well. Seems to me the layout editor could change the font size or spacing to make whatever reasonably sized headline work. Hey if the industry is declining so bad, why don't they change their methods?

[Steve]

Metro ... never mind.

[Urbanized]

Ah, takes me back to my school days. Headlines were always assigned separately from the story itself. I loved getting headline assignments, especially when I had the chance to write something like "Golf Team Clubs Redskins," or something like that. I realize now that much of what I did was pretty cliche, but at the time I thought myself to be quite clever.

[Spartan]

You know, when I was entering college not long ago I initially wanted go into journalism and kind of do what Steve does, but in a different city..maybe Tulsa or Houston could use a Steve. I mean, of course they have downtown beat writers..but not downtown beat writers that have followers, friends all over downtown, that are involved in the community, and so on. (Although I think studying environment design was better for my future..and my future kids)

Steve, I really think you're so unique among journalists that when The Oklahoman is down to its last writer, it will be you...whether that's a compliment I dunno lol. I do think every city needs a Steve, though. P.J. Lassek covers downtown for the Tulsa World and hardly anyone even knows who he is..just a name beneath a headline.

[MikeOKC]

You know, when I was entering college not long ago I initially wanted go into journalism and kind of do what Steve does, but in a different city..maybe Tulsa or Houston could use a Steve. I mean, of course they have downtown beat writers..but not downtown beat writers that have followers, friends all over downtown, that are involved in the community, and so on. (Although I think studying environment design was better for my future..and my future kids)

Steve, I really think you're so unique among journalists that when The Oklahoman is down to its last writer, it will be you...whether that's a compliment I dunno lol. I do think every city needs a Steve, though. P.J. Lassek covers downtown for the Tulsa World and hardly anyone even knows who he is..just a name beneath a headline.

I'm all misty-eyed now. No, seriously....Nick, that was a very nice post and I have to agree with you. The future of journalism-as-we-know-it is not bright, but you're so right that every city does deserve someone with the commitment and love for his city as Steve clearly does. Really, that was just a nice post.

[Steve]

For obvious reasons I'm trying not to say much in this thread. But I do want to thank Spartan for his kind words. It's more than generous and I'm very fortunate to be able to have the beat I've got. I'll do my best to live up to such praise.
Let me return the praise: for all the craziness and debate on this board, Oklahoma City very, very lucky to have www.okctalk.com, Pete, and the people who make this forum what it is - including Metro, Spartan and all the regulars.
Thanks for keeping me on my toes and not letting me get complacent. I'm now going to return to my post dark day therapy (it involves enjoying time with a great family)

[MGE1977]

For the record, if the Oklahoman published zero headlines to draw our attention and grab our readership, what the hell else would we read?

More to the point, what the hell else are we allowed to read in print, in Oklahoma City, from an Oklahoma City Press?

The art of headline writing is lucky to have such a captive audience.