A tale of two pities

BY JOHN OLESKY (BJ 1969-96)

The Beacon Journal banner at the bottom of Page A2 each day lists 16 "generals" -- including editor Bruce Winges, Managing Editor Doug Oplinger, Business News chief Larry Pantages, Editorial/Letters honcho Michael Douglas, Features Editor Lynne Sherwin, Local News' Rich Desrosiers, National Editor Joe Thomas, Photography's Kimberly Barth and Sports' Ron Ledgard.

That nine Newsroom leaders. For 69 privates and corporals on the BJ's staff list, including clerks. That's 7.7 chiefs for every Indian. Although columnist Bob Dyer probably isn't very controllable even by the generals or chiefs. When you're the best writer on the newspaper, you can be a little more independent than the others. Although Mark J. Price does give Bob a run for his writing money. 

Compare the 78 to 1984, when there were 128 with at least 25 years of service among the 754 BJ employees from the pressroom to the third floor.

As recently as 2005 there were 21 BJ folks who were honored for being with the company 15 to 35 years. Mind you, that didn't include those who had been there more than 35 years, or 34-31, 29-26, 24-21, 19-16 and 14 or fewer years. I enjoyed 26 years at the BJ myself. 

That pretty well encapsulates the disintigration of the BJ staff, which is in line with what has happened all over the country because newspaper owners failed to get in front of the Internet revolution till it was too late.

Again, this is NOT a knock on former co-workers and others still working at the BJ. I feel for them, particularly Managing Editor Doug Oplinger, Columnist Bob Dyer and husband/wife reporters Jim Carney and Katie Byard who have lived through the apex of the BJ's existence and now have to endure the nadir. 

They are not responsible for the demise of the BJ. Tony Ritter and his breed are, mainly because they out-lived John S. Knight, the best newspaper owner I ever worked with. The quest for more yachts to house expensive parties instead of improving the newspapers' place in the communications world sank the BJ and other papers.

Newspapers once had the best of times. Now they are in the worst of times. This is a tale of two pities: For the newspapers themselves and for those who have to endure today's situation after riding high during the glory years.