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February 21, 2008
Life in a dying industry
Yesterday The Columbian announced layoffs. I am still employed. Nineteen people are out of work, three in the newsroom. Eleven open jobs will never be filled. We're shrinking by 8 percent.
This is the way the newspaper industry is going. A lot of older folks who have been through downturns before think this is temporary, but I don't think we'll ever fully recover. People don't read print newspapers anymore, they go online. Advertisers just don't want to send us the same big chunk of their yearly budgets.
My real question is whether or not we'll survive. If we do, we'll almost certainly be much leaner and meaner in the end. The good news, for folks like me, is that Web-based news orgs are starting to see profits rise. The number of non-poverty-wage journalism jobs will go down, no doubt about it, but there will be some work for the skilled, ambitious and lucky.
None of my closet friends at work got the ax, but people with long histories with my newspaper are now going to have to reinvent themselves. People I like and admire.
On my lunch break today I went to a small strip of grass with a basalt bench behind our office and lay on the hard stone looking at the sky. Pedestrians, drivers and bicyclists gave funny looks to the sprawling woman in the suit as they passed. One of my teammates from last year's Portland to Coast Relay Walk stopped to talk, and I learned that she'll be unemployed in 30 days.
It's weird that I love so much about my job and my career, and yet I feel like I'm fundamentally on the wrong track. Today and yesterday my motivation levels have been nil. It's hard to work when you're surrounded by bad news. I'd much rather be outside in the crisp wind and sunshine. I feel like I have to DO something, but I don't know what, and it's mildly depressing and scary.
I feel stunned and confused, even though nothing has happened that I didn't see coming and even though I understand the broader picture. Maybe it's because I don't know what I'm working TOWARDS any more. For years I've had my eyes on better or bigger newspapers, and I figured at some point I would shift my focus and strive for increased responsibility, maybe I'd want to be an editor. Right now I don't know if there's a future for me in newspapers at all. Not because I would ever reject newspapers; I love them too much. But they're dying. There are a lot of other possible futures out there that might work for me, I know it. Which future should I pursue? It's bewildering.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at February 21, 2008 07:56 PM
Comments
You are being introspective as you approach a significant birthday. (sorry if I sound like a fortune cookie)
Posted by: Anonymous at February 21, 2008 09:35 PM
I think that you've been fairly focused and had goals and a path through most of your 20s... That isn't really normal. Most 20somethings are in situations of uncertainty, to varying degrees. I, personally have experienced much of what you describe.
... I also know that you often feel uncertain when you don't have things to be working at.
...It's important to feel unambitious sometimes.. contentment with one's surroundings is a skill to be learned and practiced....
Sorry if I sound like a longer fortune cookie.
Posted by: Anonymous at February 21, 2008 10:55 PM
I love to hear your thoughts about serious issues. These are eternal dilemmas, aren't they. Keep writing about it here. We love you, and we are all in your boat. We will help each other out if it comes to that.
Posted by: Sue at February 22, 2008 10:06 AM
I hope this doesn't sound trite, but I think you of all people will be one of the best-prepared to adapt and find new opportunities. You are comfortable with the online world: you write regularly on this web site, on goodreads.com, and you're going to participate in the PHP/JavaScript study group with Ben, Mike, and me. If all the readership is going online, you can probably find the audience there, no?
My new employer now makes more revenue from its web sites than from the broadcasts of its 104 radio stations. The growth in online advertising revenue has been staggering, I'm told. Perhaps we are all reaching a point where we can reinvent ourselves, and create new online publications where we can write in the niche of our dreams.
I hope all this doesn't sound fluffy-bunny, but I seriously think there are opportunities here. If you could establish yourself as a niche online writer, what niche (or niches) would you want to fill? Would you be interested in producing online video or audio in addition to writing?
Posted by: Dan OM at February 23, 2008 08:26 PM
You raise some good points, Dan. I don't know what online niches I would want to write for. I think I would like to either do really straightforward reporting or to write essays exploring ideas, which covers about half of all possibilities. I guess I need to narrow things down a bit.
Posted by: Courtney at February 23, 2008 10:22 PM
Thanks, I'm glad some of my thoughts might be useful. When you say "straightforward reporting," do you mean reporting about local events?
Well, I'd be interested to hear if you have any more thoughts about the next step you take.
Posted by: Dan OM at February 24, 2008 01:48 PM
Hi, I am one of your mother's email friends, so I have known you since you were a teen, though not met you. I have had two layoffs due to downsizing or budget issues in the past few years--one in the nonprofit industry (another one that is dying or changing to be unrecognizable) and another in high tech. I am also a writer (instructional designer/tech writer). We get farmed out to India a lot--my fiance just last year trained a team in India to do his specialty, writing assessments for trainings, and then they told him that he'd just trained his replacements. That workplace laid off 10%. He is now back there as a contractor, making twice as much, but no insurance or security. When my contract at another huge firm ended, I too had to take a contract at this icky, soul-less place (if I believe in corporate souls--we UUs question a lot, LOL).
The point is, at least you are only 30. I am almost exactly 20 years older than you (my Big One is in ten days). Now the age discrimination thing is happening, and it is WEIRD to see it. So, reinvent yourself NOW, while you can. Your older coworkers will find themselves in a pickle unless they have capital to start a new enterprise or know someone who knows they are still smart and hard-working. People my age are losing insurance, having to take temp job after temp job, and in general, scrambling.
So, vote hard on Tuesday. Sorry to rant. You just got me thinking. I sure know how you feel and the hopelessness it engenders.
Posted by: Suna at February 25, 2008 01:12 PM
Hi Suna, thanks for your thoughts. You raise some pretty good points. I'm almost wondering if I should go see a career counselor to help me figure out what comes next, because all I can imagine being is a writer, and doing is writing. I need help to get beyond that.
Posted by: Courtney at February 25, 2008 07:54 PM