Don't Be Next

I hate to start the week like this, but, whatever. Grab a hanky. Click play. Keep reading. (If you're in the newsroom, it might be cool to unplug your headphones and let everybody in on this one, assuming you still have folks sitting around you.)

We're shrinking. After years of mildly reassuring numbers tracking the size of newspaper newsroom staffs, the latest American Society of Newspapers Editors' annual census leads with a bombshell. Fulltime professional news staffs fell by 2,400 last year, a drop of 4.4% to a total of 52,600.

It was an even larger decrease than the 2,000 drop-off in the recession year of 2001. Since the census is completed as of the end of 2007, the tabulation does not include hundreds more buyouts and layoffs already imposed in 2008. The New York Times, the Washington Post and a host of other papers have announced news staff reductions.

San Jose Mercury News designer Martin Gee posted a photo documentary of the bloodshedding there. Watch it. Take notes.

Now, let Fred Jones Part II finish, then dry your face, you sissy. Now play this.

Now stand up, push in your chair, and go do something like this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or this, or something, then send me the link so those of us left can read it and talk about it and be thankful. Godspeed.