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The new leaner, meaner, more melancholy Reader has come in for a little sympathy from New York Times media writer David Carr. A former editor of the Reader's sister paper in Washington, D.C., the Washington City Paper, Carr's Monday column tells the story of the Reader's devastating layoffs last week (City Paper took the same kind of beating) by focusing on John Conroy, one of the four writers dismissed here. Last week, after the city of Chicago reached settlement agreements with four men who had accused its police officers of torturing them, Conroy received a note that may have given him some consolation. It said:
“My son, Aaron Patterson, tortured by the Chicago Police Department, would not be alive today, I believe, without your articles about police torture in the City of Chicago. You documented and wrote the realization of police torture, of which we will never forget. You help save my son’s life for which I thank you.”
Letters like that don't pay the doctor's bills, but they make it easier for an out-of-work investigative reporter to manage a decent night's sleep. Under journalism's new business model, Carr broods, "the newsroom is no longer the core purpose of media, it’s just overhead," and he observes, "Thousands of bloggers could type for a millennium and not come up with the kind of deeply reported story that freed innocent men."
The other three writers that the Reader let go last week are Tori Marlan, Steve Bogira, and Harold Henderson, whom the Reader billed as "the world's first blogger" and who will continue blogging offsite. Given the circumstances, Harold has done something remarkably gracious: on his new blog he's posted a link to the Web site of Reader contributor Lee Sandlin, and urged his readers to go there and read Sandlin's tribute to this paper's "currently embattled editor." That's Alison True, who under a cost-slashing mandate from the new owners, Creative Loafing of Tampa, Florida, executed last week's massacre. She's taking a beating for that -- but read what Sandlin has to say.
Ok, I’m not retired- yet. But this relates. And I’m talking about Alison here, not ads.
It was 2003, and I was going to meet with Alison about a story. To my surprise it was going to be a cover story. I almost threw up on the walk to the Reader building. I’d published stories in a half dozen newspapers and magazines, but none of those were of the Reader’s caliber.
Nervous- an understatement. Excited- yes. The story I submitted began as maybe 800 words, but Kiki kept asking questions, and it kept getting longer as I got on the phone and asked more questions of various sources. I don’t remember what the final length was, but it was at least 3,000 words.
Neither Alison nor Kiki knew me from any other of the hundreds of submissions that they must receive on a weekly basis. But they were both so kind and encouraging, and made me believe enough in my abilities to submit a few other stories. Another story was published in the Reader, and a few others just never got around to making enough sense, though I enjoyed working on them. I was struck by their kindness and patience, and there is one phrase I remember from an email Alison sent back to me. She wrote, “Thank you for choosing the Reader.”
I remember laughing at that. She had no idea how lucky and honored I felt that the Reader had chosen my story. If any other editor had seen that tiny draft I submitted to Kiki, I’m not sure that they would have encouraged me to expand it, and ask the difficult questions. This seems to be what the sort of journalism the Reader stands for is about- asking the difficult questions. I’m amazed that week after week Alison and Kiki and the other senior editors are consistently helping writers ask those questions, and by their efforts ushering into print the stories that truly resonate with the Reader’s readers.
(So yes, amid the media blitz and mud-slinging, Alison does need some TLC. It's not her fault that she had to layoff four amazingly talented writers... In fact it's a testament to her enduring strength as an editor that there were four great, award-winning writers at her paper to layoff. My coffee mug is 1/2 full on this...)
A little sympathy is surely due all those at the Reader, and within the alternative press in general, as they make a painful adjustment during this challenging transition that is affecting our nations presses. I hope all of these talented writers and other staffs who were laid off find an outlet to continue their much needed contributions toward the betterment of Chicago. I wish them luck and a better new year.
Anyway, good luck to the new lean CR.