Musical chairs: A TSF tipster says Bill Pierce, the Toronto Sun's entertainment editor, is the new sports editor. Dave Fuller, the veteran sports editor, is now a columnist. A sports columnist, no doubt. No mention of a replacement in entertainment.
Another TSF reader writes: "Has anyone heard there's a ban on all Sun papers entering awards this year? That means no ONAs, no NNAs, etc. as the company refuses to pay memberships or entry fees for same. It's the word here and I'd assume everyone in the realm has been given the same edict."
Kudos to Mike Strobel and his readers for raising $28,791.50 in the Variety Village Christmas Fund appeal. It was the Sun columnist's second run at the Christmas fund since the death of Sun sports legend George Gross. Impressive bookkeeping, Mike.
The Journal de Montreal lockout of 250 employees will be a year old Jan. 24, proving readers of hubdub.com a wise lot. In a poll last January, 98% of readers said the lockout would continue into 2010. Still four months shy of the Journal de Quebec lockout/strike.
CEP Local 87-M (SONG) meets in Kitchener next Wednesday to elect a president, secretary, treasurer and six vice-presidents. Brad Honywill, on leave from the Toronto Sun, is seeking re-election as president.
The Journal de Montreal lockout of 250 employees will be a year old Jan. 24, proving readers of hubdub.com a wise lot. In a poll last January, 98% of readers said the lockout would continue into 2010. Still four months shy of the Journal de Quebec lockout/strike.
CEP Local 87-M (SONG) meets in Kitchener next Wednesday to elect a president, secretary, treasurer and six vice-presidents. Brad Honywill, on leave from the Toronto Sun, is seeking re-election as president.
Kevin Slimp of the Institute of Newspaper Technology in British Columbia writes about "Ontario papers doing much more than surviving" in a recent blog posting. He's talking about a group of newspapers based in Prescott.
We again echo Jim Slotek's sentiment: Why do TSF readers who no longer work for Sun Media feel the need to post here anonymously? As Jim asked a recent anonymous casualty: "Are you afraid they'll hunt you down and lay you off again for fun?"
Regarding the ONA thing - our entries have been sent. If that's a new policy, it sure didn't reach us.
ReplyDeleteJim - some of us still freelance.
ReplyDeleteOur paper in out west here just sent in a package for the CCNAs, the difference is this year the company won't pay had to come out of our pockets and then expensed back to the company.
ReplyDeleteWe entered the OCNAs, after the company relented at the last minute and allowed us to submit entries; I understood that OCNA had received a minimum number of entries (mostly Metroland) and pleaded with Sun Media to enter so the thing wouldn't look like a sham...
ReplyDeleteRegarding Jim's usual foray into why he's better than all of us:
ReplyDeleteI believe that some of us are still in the newspaper business to some extent and making petty enemies of QMI employees is not to our advantage.
I personally know of several ex-Sun Media/Osprey employees who feel the same way and post here.
If you have useful insider information or comments that some people can benefit from, then why on earth would you wish to draw PKP's attention your way? Regardless of where you now work, he has enough influence to impact your life in one way or another.
People talk to people, who talk to people, who talk to people. The next thing you know, that great assignment or that impending promotion has been given to someone else. It's happened before. Jim is just in a position where he has been rendered oblivious or ignorant of QMI's inner 'workings.' Either that, or we should all just agree that he has balls of steel, and we can silence him forever.
Truth be told, as a manager for many years within the Osprey empire, I've watched a handful of people's lives destroyed over this exact issue. Claiming it does not happen is folly.
I miss my days of working at an independent paper. Sure the pay was lousy but at least we were given the freedom to do layout as we choose and run whatever stories/columns/editorials we wanted, not like this slave-driven Sun Media focus.
ReplyDeleteno Sun papers are to enter any awards under any conditions, even out of own pocket.
ReplyDeleteI've said before, we're all colleagues and I'm not going to diss people who are afraid. It's a different story for the ones who act, snottily, as if anonymity is somehow noble -like they're digital Scarlet Pimpernels or something.
ReplyDeleteIn that last thread, what irked me was the attempt to fear-monger a woman who was self-confident enough to attach her name to her opinions. It's what journalists are supposed to do, and I applaud her.
Jim
Fine, Mr. Manager (or whatever you are), I quit. I've never posted under anything but my own name in 16 years on the 'Net. It makes me queasy, makes people act socially inappropriately, and is the very basis of smear campaigns.
ReplyDeleteIf that one personal stand makes me better than you - that's your conclusion.
But you're right. Consider me silenced. On this board anyway.
Continue to talk amongst yourself or selves or whatever.
Jim Slotek
Vice Chair
Toronto Sun Unit
Local 87-M
CEP
"No Sun papers are to enter any awards under any conditions, even out of own pocket."
ReplyDeleteWere you actually told this? If so, this is false - several Sun papers have entered the ONAs.
4:31 pm comment is correct in a way Jim Slotek. I don't work for Sun Media, but I am still in the print industry and have to work along side of some of the Group Publishers, VPs who are still working with Sun Media. No, they won't come and give me another package, but the big boys may not want to deal with my company because of my comments. I am not afraid, but I am protecting the company that I am working for.
ReplyDeleteI know first hand of a reporter who posted information from a meeting the newspaper had with their Group Publisher. The post was word for word out of the Groupies mouth. Needles to say, the Group Publisher wasn't impressed. The publisher had to have a meeting with every employee that was at the meeting one on one to find out who had posted the comment.
Don't be fooled Jim, the reporter was sought out and reprimanded. He had even posted under anonymous.
Do you think he will post again. I think not, if he wants to keep his job.
Jim - do you think you can "agree to disagree" with all of us anonymous posters and move on.