MORE PRESS-TELEGRAM LAYOFFS

This issue with the Press-Telegram laying off more employees strikes a chord with me. I worked there for three years and there wasn't a single employee who ever came to my aide when I needed it. The only time I went to the union, they ended up fucking me as much, if not more, than the company did.

That said, I don't like what's happening there. I haven't bought a PT in ages and wouldn't recommend anyone doing that either. I go on their site daily to check headlines. Then I get frustrated seeing, or should I say NOT seeing, what should be covered. More babbling from the codgers who've been there forever, but nothing about what's going on in the community. It's a slap in the face to readers, one of which I won't and don't put up with.

Don't get me wrong. My lack of interest in the PT shouldn't be construed as a knock on the reporters because it's not. It's more of a fuck you to MediaNewsGroup than the remaining journalists.

In fact, I read the Stress-Telegram (http://lbguild9400.blogspot.com) as often as the PT. Unfortunately, that site depresses me just as much. As a former insider, I know firsthand the level of bullshit fed to PT employees. Yet ST readers don't get any of that. We're spoonfed these links to sites that people in Long Beach simply don't care about.

Everyone I know asks me what's up at the PT and I tell them I know as much as they do. That's sad. One way to remedy this would be the Stress-Telegram, but it appears these people are too afraid to report on the newsroom meetings that involve the "lucky" few being caught up on the new round of layoffs. Why not report that instead of a canned message from a union rep who doesn't work at the PT?

I agree with the ST's sentiment that the PT needs a better staff. But please, give those who never worked there the opportunity to know what's going on without the use of whitebread filters. Everyone's job is in the toilet and telling us about their situation in such a manner isn't winning over readers; it's just pushing more people away.

I've written this before and I'll write it again: Stress-Telegram, start saying something. It's sad when your comments section is more interesting and informative than your actual site.

On a related note...I heard the powers-that-be laid off Fred Murdoch, the mailroom guy. If there's a more awesome person on this planet, someone please introduce me to them. Fred was like a bartender to me. I'd go into his office, bitch about everything and somehow leave our conversations feeling much better about myself. He offered a glimmer of hope into what was already a sinking ship. It's too bad more outlets aren't playing up his loss as much as they are a reporter who was employed there for a matter of months.