Another round of layoffs at La Socialista – a.k.a. The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper – was reported by the struggling media outlet on Tuesday.
This time a dozen newsroom employees got the ax, including business editor Sara Svedberg, photo editor Chuck Dye and environmental writer Megan Sexon.
“This news is the latest in a series of actions we have taken to adapt to these historic economic circumstances and a changing business model,” president and publisher Henry B. Haitz III told his employees.
The news comes even as the paper claims “some improvements in revenue trends” and even as stock in its parent company, McClatchy, is trading above $5 after dipping below $1 in recent months.
By Cooter Brown January 13, 2010 at 6:46 am
Canint say I’m a gonna shed a dam tear– scalawagss!!!
By Ynotfirst January 13, 2010 at 7:48 am
People still take the paper for the crossword puzzles. That’s about all.
By Todd January 13, 2010 at 8:06 am
Megan Sexton was one of the shining stars at La Socialista. First class, intelligent, intuitive with a good eye. The State will be sorry she is gone. With her talent, she will land on her feet. Wait. With your notarious lack of artistic talent, style or sophistication in the fine arts of living, Sic, perhaps she could become the contributing editor for fitsnews? Sorry, dude, but you and Duff Goldman from Ace of Cakes are looking more and more alike every day. Only he can cook and decorate a cake.
By Liberty For Me January 13, 2010 at 8:23 am
I think it is shameful that the capital of the state that twice led the charge for independence does not have a paper that can mirror that voice.
Now would be the time to take this rag over and turn into real news with a proper name and add some pride back to the capital….any seconds on that motion??
By CNSYD January 13, 2010 at 8:55 am
LFM, you did not make a misstatement but I am afraid that readers will assume that in the first war for independence Columbia was the capital. Not so. It was Charleston.
IRT “The State”. How can they call themselves that when they are shrinking their coverage to Richland and Lexington counties? Case in point. They fired their Clemson beat writer. Thus they will use stories from “The Greenville News” to report on Clemson.
By WorkingTommyC January 13, 2010 at 9:35 am
So the ship of the state is sinking even lower?
I suppose miserable Bradwart Hen will have some company, then.
Maybe all the fired employees can meet in a barn and put on a show to raise money for a printing press so they can start their very own fascist propaganda rag!
I can hear them now:
“Golly-gee-willikers, that would be swell!
“Wadda ya say, gang?”
I appealed repeatedly to Bradwart when he was still employed at Der Staat to get up off his fascist-socialist rear and actively pursue the corruption in the statehouse but he wouldn’t get off his butt. He was too comfy hobnobbing. And he didn’t want to make his big government butties cry.
Instead of aspiring to be Thomas Paine, he modeled himself after Caspar Milquetoast. Now his bland, wallpaper paste journalism has made him just as unremarkable and just as unnoticed.
By Liberty For Me January 13, 2010 at 9:38 am
I think the name the STATE speaks volumes…..I think the original meaning was to cover the state.But now seems to further an agenda.When you look at it that way it is a little creepy.
How about the “SC Independant”?? …now fire everybody but the paperboy and the printers
By Tank McNamara January 13, 2010 at 11:58 am
how about a newspaper that just reports the news without putting any spin or opinions in it? that certainly would be a novel idea. there is very little “news” reported anymore. it seems that every article has a certain spin to it based on the writer’s political or philosophical bent.
By No Name January 13, 2010 at 3:27 pm
How about reporting the details of the offer that was made for this media property and the thinking that turned it down.
I am thinking that they would love to have that money now.
The day this property sells will be the day the State of SC begins to see the truth published about the financial fraud that is the State’s finances.
Hey “McClaughly” try calling them back and saying the future is bright as you know a disaster is coming that will no doubt help circulation.
By Sean R January 13, 2010 at 3:54 pm
sucks
By Jeffy January 14, 2010 at 7:19 am
Thank goodness Warren Bolton was saved. What would readers do if we lost his insight on his Sunday school class? How we would all miss his weekly whinning about payday lenders? Whew, we dodged a bullet. Keep on preaching Warren.
By WorkingTommyC January 14, 2010 at 7:43 am
I have no trouble with the press advocating political stands. If not for a (truly) free and adversarial press, we’d have had no revolution to establish this country. I’ll argue with them over which stands they advocate and the logic of their politics but they’re perfectly free to be whey want.
My problem with Der Staat is that they let the crooks in the statehouse get away with murder. I just can’t believe that they won’t, AT LEAST from a survival standpoint, work to make a positive difference and thereby make themselves an essential part of the conversation. They could have increased their readership to the point that NO ONE would have been fired from there.
Instead, they treat their jobs as, well, JOBS. They’re just a bunch of working slobs who come in to work and do what they have to do to get by. And that’s it. They don’t take risks. There’s nothing combustible about them. You can’t even use their paper to start a fire.
There should be a mission. They should be after the TRUTH no matter where that takes them.
Instead, intellectual wallpaper hangers like Bradwart just added more layers of bs that rationalized his big government, socialist/fascist stands in the context of what one politician wanted vs. what another wanted and another wanted and so on. He seems to have forgotten about the law and gotten tangled up in the intrigue in which he had long ago determined to be a player.
Bradwart could have taken a hammer to the wall instead and exposed the broken sewer pipe behind the wall over and over again. But nooooo! He thought a few more layers of paper and perfumed words will make the air as fresh as Lindsey’s Graham’s posterior (which he STILL likes and wishes people would quit picking on it–he has a prior claim on all the fleas).
By Devan Galloway January 14, 2010 at 9:09 am
There is a major inaccuracy in this report. Guess that’s what happens when people rely on blogs who pass along only what they hear without any verification or fact checking.
By SnakeMD January 18, 2010 at 4:40 pm
So, Devan where is the inaccuracy in this post? Do you want footnotes? So, why stick your head in the door and then leave without saying anything? Hell, anybody can call a foul. Let’s hear it! Thanks…
By martha washington January 25, 2010 at 1:14 am
Most newspapers are financed by the same few monopolists in this country. The STATE, in specific, is clearly biased. Their agenda on illegal immigration, for example, is to zip-it at the expense of the guilt or innocence of those in the city judicial system.
An excellent paper is the Times Examiner from Greenville. Editor Bob Dill covers many unreported stories. http://www.timesexaminer.com You can subscribe in paper or email subscription.
Many large city SC papers are owned by the same company and they say the same news. Or half of the news anyway.
By Ed Mann May 22, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Devan is correct. There is a major factual error in the post and it leads me to wonder if this hack pretend journalist reads the paper. If he did, the error would be quite apparent.
From the hack pretend journalist’s parents on the domestic abuse charges against him:
“We take very seriously the charge against our son but we are convinced that he is innocent of the charge. Will joins us in placing faith in God, and relying on our family and friends for support.”
The hack pretend journalist then pled guilty.
Thanks God.