Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Moving day just ahead for PD news room

The Plain Dealer apparently isn't  close to ceasing news about...the Plain Dealer.   A widely circulating online report   says the paper's 120 news staffers have been informed that they  will be moved  out of their  editorial offices on Superior Ave. to a destination yet unknown to accommodate the paper's new online staff of 50.

The reports have surfaced in Cleveland Crain's Business  and Cleveland Scene as well as from other sources.  Here's word from the media blog, jimromenesko.com: 
 “The Plain Dealer is being kicked out of The Plain Dealer building. Staffers were told today the news operations will move out in as soon as 8 weeks. The first floor of the block-long building will be remodeled so that Advance’s brand new, non-union online news operation can move in. The online company [Ohio Media Group] has about 50 employees. The PD news operation consists of 120 journalists — 36 dedicated to print production who were just moved to the 4th floor of PD headquarters and the remaining 82 on the 1st floor. (There are also 2 in Washington.)”

Managing Editor Tom Fladung reportedly told the news staff  that he couldn't say where it would be stashed  - maybe in a downtown office building or the paper's huge West Side production plant.   Note that the online operation will consist of non-union employes, one of Advance's  unspoken anti-guild missions in the new operation. Obviously, guildsmen whose labors once created a powerful paper have been demoted to second-class citizens.

With so many moving parts at the PD these days, it is terra incognita for anyone trying to guess the next move by  Advance Publications. But this much seems obvious:  None of the remaining options seem bright.

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