Tuesday 9 February 2010

Sign of the times part 2

A recent job ad spotted on HTFP.

Editor
Location: Market Rasen
Lincolnshire Newspapers Ltd
Do you want to join Johnston Press, one of the largest
regional newspaper groups in the UK
, at editor level?
We are looking for a new editor for the Market Rasen Mail – a great opportunity to make a mark at a time of exciting challenges for a paper that is going
places
.
The Rasen Mail is the heart of its community, a bustling market town in the Lincolnshire Wolds.
There is a very small team – and we need an all-rounder who is comfortable with reporting, editing and running the diary.
Applicants need to be NCE-qualified seniors who want to take the first step
on the management ladder and who have the right attitude to get things done.
A great package including company car awaits the successful applicant.


Please correct me if I am wrong here, when they say "editor" do they actually mean dogsbody who is prepared to do absolutely everything because they sacked everybody else.
This is supposed to be an editors level job yet they are asking the succesful applicant to do basic reporting. WTF?
I am all for lending a hand when things are tough but this is putting it in as a job requirement.
The clue to this ad is right at the bottom. Must have the "right attitude to get things done". Or in real English must work their nuts off doing every job under the sun for fuck all money because, despite being the "one of the largest regional newspaper groups in the UK", we seriously under resource our paper's editorial departments because we don't actually believe them to be important.
I imagine the company car in question is in reality a pair of roller skates and a push.
The only places this newspaper is going is straight down the shitter.

6 comments:

  1. No subbing involved though. That will be handled by a hub of demoralised long-service employees on three-month contracts 20 miles away.

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  2. The Market Rasen Mail appears to have only one reporter - and thats a "photojournalist" So theres probably no photographer either.
    This is similar to a lot of US and Canadian local papers. And they really are piss poor.
    There are two "correspondents" as well.

    13 ad sales people though...

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  3. Last Chance Saloon12 February 2010 at 03:14

    Well this sounds more like a jumped up chief reporter in a district office. At least the job title is better than multimedia content provider.

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  4. Well look who's cracking off the odd blog again...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Not the only think I have been cracking off. How are you doing? How is the soulless void of PR treating you?
    I have a new email should the fancy take you to contact me blunt2010@live.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  6. If you want to persuade staff to work harder for next-to-nowt give them a better job title. Next step: Editor in chief writing and laying out half a dozen titles!

    ReplyDelete