Continuing the slow dry-bleeding of the American newspaper industry, the new owners of the Star Tribune have announced the "voluntary buyouts" of 24 staffers, including several mainstays at the paper. The most prominent include Timberwolves beat writer Steve Ashburner, and humor/food columnist Al Sicherman.
Sicherman, for his part, in 1989 wrote one of my favorite newspaper pieces of all time- his eulogy for his son, Joe, who died at the age of 18 when he jumped out a window after taking LSD. Sicherman's byline of late, though, had been so scarce that I assumed he must've retired years ago.
Of course, if Sid Hartman had done the right thing and retired himself (like he should have done about 15 years ago), about half those people could've kept their jobs. The legendary DC sportscaster George Michael (of "Sports Machine" fame) recently retired rather than let his staff get decimated; Sid, alas, is no George. Reminds me of Nicholson's quote in "Broadcast News" about knocking a million or so off his salary.
From the Onion, some comforting thoughts for the departed.
Posted by Stephen Silver at March 14, 2007 05:46 PM