Re 'Courant Lays Off Top Reporters' = Disaster

Per 2/25/09 story clip from 'The New Haven Independent', below:

One additional quotation from this article to consider: "Pazniokas’ layoff was a particular surprise since one line of thought was, that as the Courant shrinks its coverage in the wake of hard economic times, it would concentrate its competitive strength — namely, its experienced, knowledgeable coverage of state government and politics." (Commentary follows.)

clipped from www.newhavenindependent.org Courant Lays Off Top Reporters by Paul Bass | February 25, 2009 (Updated 2:45 p.m.) Connecticut’s “oldest continually published daily newspaper” (for now) axed its D.C. bureau, half of its remaining two-person state Capitol staff, and its environmental reporter as part of what one veteran dubbed “The Mardi Gras Massacre.” Those were among the casualties of the latest wave of layoffs at the Hartford Courant. Mark Pazniokas (top picture), one of two reporters based at the state Capitol, has worked at the paper for 24 years and was its senior political correspondent. Dave Funkhouser held down the environmental beat. A total of 100 employees got laid off. Thirty of them are reporters and editors — bringing the editorial staff to 135, half its estimated level at the end of 2007.

Yes, experienced journalist layoffs/newspaper shrinkage are Connecticut residents' misfortune, whether you may think so or not. E.g., For the time being at least, who is going to thoroughly cover and report upon political activities in the state; backed by the power and the platform of its largest newspaper? And state and local government goings on? Many government employees are fine people, but do you trust all of them to do the right thing --- without a few people with pens and laptops around checking/reporting upon them? (See previous posts here about recent, inebriated antics of a couple of CT high officials.)

Have you seen or read some 'news' reports on the local TV stations and their web sites?? "Superficial News for 10-year-olds, featuring the most positive, Chamber of Commerce spin possible", regularly describes those efforts.

Larger newspapers clearly have to find ways to bring in money from their online efforts. (Read: Charge for some content.) Perhaps a few laid-off reporters could (then) be brought back.

Otherwise, let's hope remaining, smaller news organizations (like 'The New Haven Independent'?) can find a way to employ some of these experienced reporters. Or, "small-time" bloggers, citizens, etc. with the time and talent will need to step up into the void. (E.g., Lots of people are angry with the 'dude' who asked UCONN coach Jim Calhoun about his massive salary at a press conference, during such tough economic times. But he brought the issue into public light, and has definitely started a discussion. I thought the individual (free-lance writer Ken Krayeske) was also correct when he asked the other 'reporters' at the time why they didn't cover 'stuff' like that. Going to need more of this, I guess.)

So, from this particular "small-timer": See you at Calhoun's next media conference. And at Mayor Eddie ('Who? Me? What's the Problem?') Perez's....for sure. Maybe.

(Note: Let's hope that my "'disaster theory of progress" (see previous February post) somehow operates in a positive way in this situation.)