Coming back after a dark day
Hi Guys,
I want thank everybody in the newsroom for showing such class and compassion Friday. It was an awful day. But it was moving to see how everyone came together to support each other, from bringing in coffee and treats in the morning, to the hugs and encouraging words for colleagues who were packing up their stuff. Really, it's you guys and your commitment that has made the job worthwhile. And that's what is going to make it worth coming back to work on Monday.
I've also been heartened by the community response to the news of our layoffs. The comments on dailynews.com show that readers care about the product and they are not happy with the dwindling staff and coverage.
Over the last week, I couldn't help but feel like I was in mourning for the Daily News, and perhaps even journalism. I've already gone through four of the five stages of grief.
Denial: "They can't possibly cut 22 people from our already lean newsroom."
Anger: "Those out-of-touch suits don't know anything about journalism!"
Bargaining: "Maybe we can save some people by job-sharing, taking on new work, anything?"
Depression: "This is the worst day in the paper's history. The Daily News will never be the same."
Next comes acceptance. I'm not really sure I want to accept what's happening to the Daily News and our industry. But I've learned a few things from Mr. Brent Hopkins, including the power of optimism. With his constant, upbeat attitude Brent was able to push himself to do incredible work and inspire his colleagues to do the same.
We can still do great work at the Daily News. We still have the power to tell compelling stories, take amazing photos, design eye-catching pages and write the headlines that demand attention. It's a rough time, sure. But we'll survive.
I want thank everybody in the newsroom for showing such class and compassion Friday. It was an awful day. But it was moving to see how everyone came together to support each other, from bringing in coffee and treats in the morning, to the hugs and encouraging words for colleagues who were packing up their stuff. Really, it's you guys and your commitment that has made the job worthwhile. And that's what is going to make it worth coming back to work on Monday.
I've also been heartened by the community response to the news of our layoffs. The comments on dailynews.com show that readers care about the product and they are not happy with the dwindling staff and coverage.
Over the last week, I couldn't help but feel like I was in mourning for the Daily News, and perhaps even journalism. I've already gone through four of the five stages of grief.
Denial: "They can't possibly cut 22 people from our already lean newsroom."
Anger: "Those out-of-touch suits don't know anything about journalism!"
Bargaining: "Maybe we can save some people by job-sharing, taking on new work, anything?"
Depression: "This is the worst day in the paper's history. The Daily News will never be the same."
Next comes acceptance. I'm not really sure I want to accept what's happening to the Daily News and our industry. But I've learned a few things from Mr. Brent Hopkins, including the power of optimism. With his constant, upbeat attitude Brent was able to push himself to do incredible work and inspire his colleagues to do the same.
We can still do great work at the Daily News. We still have the power to tell compelling stories, take amazing photos, design eye-catching pages and write the headlines that demand attention. It's a rough time, sure. But we'll survive.
posted by Kerry Cavanaugh at 11:16 AM
1 Comments:
As an outsider to the newsroom I would still marvel at the constant buzz that was not present in the other parts of the building. It was a room that was alive and breathing with ideas, facts and passion. Instead of taking the long way around the newsroom I cut across to take in the ambience of it all.
Last Friday I did not make the trip through the newsroom... It would be something akin to seeing a proud racehorse being putdown after a valiant attempt at recovering from a series of dibilitating injuries.
I'm glad of the upcoming move, the stench of the death of something vital permeates these ugly walls made uglier yet still.
Fare thee well all.
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