The Blog

The demise of a glorified yellow journalist of the worst stripe. Her insistent tack leftwards has left the formerly "conservative" Tribune at death's door. Ah, the memories. Management pulling an offensive story from the "Women's News" section at the printing plant should be foremost among them. Good riddance.

And David Hiller -- who axed both Dean Baquet and Jim O'Shea as editors for TribCo -- is fired as publisher of the Los Angeles Times by ZeklCo: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/business/media/15paper.html

Obviously, that's ZellCo.

It's confounding how people like this get to be people like this. Gerould Kern is to put it mildly a fitting choice for an industry hell bent on committing suicide. It's no small wonder that newspapers are in the mess they are in when people who should never be allowed near positions that do so (adversely these days) affect careers of journalists and the future of newspapers, are handed those very jobs. For what it's worth, I surveyed a few of the people who've worked with Kern and the reaction stemmed from "Slimeball named editor of ChiTrib", and "Evil troll takes control" to, "NO! Jeez. The end really is near!" If you were to speak with Tribune rank and file, I imagine few would be happy with Kern being the top man. Some of the lucky ones who got away from him expressed shock and then dismay. Just thought you might want to know.

"I want us to be more fun to be with," says Gerould Kern, who replaces Ann Marie Lipinski as Chicago Tribune editor. There is already a place to turn for "fun" -- it's called the internet. A universe of free comics, crosswords, celebrity gossip and sodoku live on the web. Any medium challenging the 'net on that front is doomed to lose. Instead, why not have newspapers focus on -- wait for it -- NEWS. -- SCAM so-called "Austin Mayor" http://austinmayor.blogspot.com

Her predecessors (McCrohan, Squires, Tyner) had much more success than she did. Change was needed.

I would argue that the sucess of her priors was not difficult to achieve, given double or triple the talent and budget. Those were the last of the financial glory days of print journalism

As the Aluminum Group would say: They substitute the telegram with the fax machine. What did you substitute me with? They overtook the doorman with the intercom. What did you overtake me with? Change has gotta come to that poor company lead by people who didn't really have a clue and never listened to those who did.

As someone who once worked @ the Trib, it's with great humor that I watch the demise of the FOAMs (Friends of Ann Marie)from afar. Her inclination for years was to promote and support her personal friends and patrons. So now as they twist in the wind, I'm delighted to see them all be fairly treated. I thought Kern's comment that no emotion would be involved in the selection of who will stay or go was refreshing. My final salute to AML is thanks for treating me like #$&*, I left. And I'm making 400% more a year working one of the great journalism jobs of the internet. To those of my friends still in the mothership, hold tight, it's going to be a bumpy ride, but Gerry's going to be a breath of fresh air. (cough).

I am a former Trib newsroom vet. Many people were being payed a lot of dough for rank and file jobs. The pay disparity between the ranks on the same grade level was staggering — and I was in the middle. If the Trib had paid people on an even scale and not let wages get so out of control they might not be in this state of disarray. How about pay cuts off the top and encouraging people stay who do good work instead of giving the favorites golden parachutes and letting them fly off the top of Tribune Tower with hefty retirements in hand?

She left because she ruined the paper. Zell just showed her the door. Almost made the Sun-Times look good, and that ain't saying much.

I can't imagine why you weren't payed more.

Paid not payed. Thanks for the catch. Everyone needs an editor. I was a bit rushed when posting.

Another former Trib staff here who got out when she knew neither Zell nor Anne Marie could save the sinking ship. The culture is toxic there. Too many mediocre Midwesterners who think they know what they don't know. Too many insular lazy editors who can't see beyond the tips of their noses and would rather spend their time inside the Tower trying to impress their bosses rather than getting off their a----- and being journalists who actually talk to real people. Hardly ever saw AML talking to anyone who wasn't a FOAM or a higherup. Arrogance killed the Tribune, but most of the people there are too arrogant to realize it. Too comfortable with their suburban lifestyles and Tribune paychecks, they didn't notice how even their own world, let alone the world they were supposed to cover, was changing right underneath them.

Handwriting hit the nail on the head. There still are some great young minds there — let’s hope they lead the charge into a new successful new era.