Wednesday 19 May 2010

OttSun job

The Ottawa Sun is on the hunt for a "deputy city editor."

With at least three years newspaper experience - and a reliable car.

The job posting, brought to our attention by a TSF reader, is puzzling on a few fronts.

We've never heard of a "deputy" city editor before today. Deputy editors, perhaps, but assistant city editor has been the norm.

As the TSF tipster notes, three years newspaper experience for the city desk? So much for having the depth to mentor reporters.

Last, but not least, why does an ACE need a "reliable" car? Will he or she be expected to fill in as a reporter/photographer/videographer? Deliver papers?

Go-fer comes to mind.

The posting notes that the job is a "management" position, which today means non-union and if you don't work your butt off for the betterment of the corporate bottom line you're fired.

Sun Media job postings always appear positive, but reading between the lines should tell interested parties this job, at whatever pay, will not feel like management.

When we think management, we picture newsroom giants with resumes, mentoring skills and depth of character to die for, not relative novices with reliable cars.

10 comments:

  1. "Deputy" indicates it's a management position. "Assistant" indicates it's a union sluggo. There is no ACE so they're trying to fill that role as a management position. And there is no mentoring depth or capability in the newsroom.

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  2. Got to entice more students to work for QMI, of course. We don't want experienced reporters, that might cost some money and we can't be having that.

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  3. Three years experience? It's so sad to see all the experienced and respected people thrown under the bus in the past two years. There appears to be no rationale behind any personnel or hiring decisions in this company.

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  4. See Gaulin media board for details about Pagemasters jobs

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  5. FYI. Did you notice that centralized pagination giant Pagemasters is now hiring for new bureau in Toronto? They can't be coming here if there's no business. Wonder who has expressed interest?

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  6. Pagemasters North America, launched last year, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Canadian Press. Would Quebecor drop CP's wire services in a cost cutting measure then pay CP for its editorial service bureau services? If the price is right, no doubt.

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  7. Here's the wrinkle. Get hired with three years experience...but after a couple of years, whoa...you're a veteran...too expensive....sorry....just business, here's your pink slip.

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  8. Edmonton had a deputy city editor several times. David Sands, now with the province, was dce there for several years.

    If that job posting surprises you, then you have no idea the level Sun newsrooms have sunk to.

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  9. Globe is making several changes, starting with a major redesign and overhaul to the paper this Fall. Globe says it will invest $2 billion over the next 18 years in .... new printing presses.

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