Posted on 11/04/2010 2:39:05 PM PDT by abb
Don Hudson, managing editor of the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., and Rod Richardson, who held the same title at the Times in Shreveport, La., have been laid off in another round of cost-cutting under way at Gannett Co. newspapers, Hudson confirmed on Thursday. Both are black journalists.
Hudson said he left on Wednesday after informing reporters and editors who reported to him. Gannett "worked extremely hard to try to find a spot for me," he said, but without success. In the office "there were lots of hugs, a few tears," and a few cross words, which he discouraged, Hudson said.
After that, Hudson said, he and his wife kept their plans to attend Jackson's Anderson United Methodist Church, where they lead a marriage ministry.
Hudson, 49, said he'd like to remain in journalism. "I still have that passion." Layoffs were reportedly still underway on Thursday throughout the Jackson newspaper.
Hudson joined the Clarion-Ledger in 2003 from Gannett's Lansing (Mich.) State Journal, where he was managing editor. In 2004, he received the President's Award from the National Association of Black Journalists for keeping NABJ's comprehensive list of African American newspaper executives.
Richardson could not be reached immediately, but Hudson, who helped recruit him to Gannett from the Associated Press, said the two men had talked.
Richardson was assistant bureau chief for the AP in Dallas when he was named managing editor of the newspaper in his native Shreveport in 2004. The Texas Associated Press Managing Editors named Richardson its AP Staffer of the Year in 2001.
Meanwhile, the Gannett Co. flagship, USA Today, is implementing a dramatic overhaul announced in August. USA Today will "focus less on print ... and more on producing content for all platforms (Web, mobile, iPad and other digital formats)," according to a slide show shown then to employees.
"In the first wave of change, USA Today, which is based in McLean, Va., will no longer have separate managing editors overseeing its News, Sports, Money and Life sections," an AP story said at the time.
"The newsroom instead will be broken up into a cluster of 'content rings' each headed up by editors who will be appointed later this year. The newly created content group will be overseen by Susan Weiss, who had been managing editor of the Life section. As executive editor of content, Weiss will report to USA Today Editor John Hillkirk."
The new arrangement will mean new roles for black journalists who were deputy managing editors at the paper, but not all of the assignments have been fleshed out. Rodney Brooks and Geri Coleman Tucker, who were in the Money section, now lead "content rings" that serve all USA Today platforms. Brooks oversees personal finance, markets and small business, while Tucker has technology and autos. Robert Robinson in Sports and Dash Parham in Graphics are the other two former deputy managing editors.
Robin Pence, Gannett's vice president of corporate communications, did not respond to inquiries.
(I didn’t think I needed a sarcasm tag)
and hospital rooms too
Don Hudson, managing editor of the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., and Rod Richardson, who held the same title at the Times in Shreveport, La., have been laid off in another round of cost-cutting under way at Gannett Co. newspapers, Hudson confirmed on Thursday. Both are black journalists.
Hah! No! Sorry about that. I wasn’t thinking right...no sarcasm tag needed.
http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/blog-1512-more-layoffs-at-the-enquirer.html
More Layoffs at The Enquirer
http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=13449835
The Clarion Ledger experiences a layoff
:)
The fate of the Na, Cl and K editors remains in doubt...
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