Asheville News

Ashvegas reader: Endless cuts at Asheville Citizen-Times are draining

Jason Sandford January 8, 2009

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

An Ashvegas reader responded to someone who said the endless rounds of cuts by Gannett at its newspapers is inhumane. I thought the reader response was touching, and wanted to be sure people saw it:

yes, i agree. the indignities the employees suffer is inhumane. drastic changes to schedules and duties with an implementation date that changes at a managers whim. one day on, the next day off, and never any concrete evidence the changes will improve workflow.

the one thing that is evident is that those who remain can not afford to lose the job they have in a market that is slim to none. they suffer indignities that i believe would previously been non existent. when there were policies in place to protect the employee, when there was respect for talent, loyalty, and seniority.

i am sad to see our town lose so much. there is beauty in the expression of print that can not be found in the flash of the web. there is worth in the conviction of putting words to the printed page. my grandfather and his siblings were writers and publishers of a magazine in Asheville back in the day, back in the 20’s. to see our hometown voice be lost would be a sin.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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1 Comment

where is the humanity January 9, 2009

I read this post yesterday and was going to respond with my typical venom toward Gannett and the CTimes. I decided it might help this person if I told my story. The blogger is in a situation much like my own several years ago. Torn between self-respect and the need to make a living, I stayed at the CTimes and suffered many of the same indignities because I needed to have an income.

The sleepless nights, nightmares and self-doubt pushed me out the door. If I could survive the barbs, the screaming, hte uncertainty, the lack of leadership, the constant belittling inside the CTimes then I certainly could survive with less money and the job benefits.

I didn’t find a job right away. I went to therapy and discovered that I was suffering what was close to post traumatic stress. I finally went to work for a company where my bosses say "Thank You" and "Good Job" and, "Thanks for the extra effort". Phrases I never heard at the CTimes.

There are hundreds of people that have left the CTimes that are working free lance or left the newspaper industry altogether. Many of us discovered that leaving the CTimes was one of the best things that we have ever done for ourselves. We gained back our dignity and self-respect.

I say let’s help this person. If you are a former CTimes employee that feels better since you quit, or were pushed out the door, please share your story. Maybe we can help this person see that the managers and the toxic environment are not worth one’s mental or physical health.

It is sad to see traditional newspapers go the wayside. If Gannett thinks it can survive this storm by keeping publishers like Hammer and finance managers like Stenseth, it deserves to go down the tubes. Alt weeklies like Mountain Express will continue to survive. Once the economy turns, I think you will see more free weeklies stealing market share from the CTimes.

Blogger take care of yourself. You will survive and there is life after Gannett.

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