The Hartford Courant, which famously bills itself as “the oldest continually published daily newspaper” in the country, laid off 100 employees last night with 30 of them coming from their news division.
This is a blood bath. The victims of the cuts included veteran political writer Mark Pazniokas, D.C. Bureau Chief Jesse Hamilton and religion reporter Beth Hamilton (not related to Jesse, so far as I know), who is apparently 8 months pregnant. Nice touch, dickbags.
As a member of the journo-roadkill club, my sympathies go out to all of these folks. Good luck, god speed and remember: it’s not you, it’s them. The Courant, which is owned by the bankruptcy-filed Tribune Co., now has a news staff just larger than half of its 2008 numbers.
No More Absolutes 
As somebody who was laid off from a kushy and probably ill-advised (on their part) freelance gig at Tribune, I have to say, all this stuff was a long time coming. Sucks about Jesse. I wonder if Danton dodged the dirty bomb? Hope so. It’s sad, but newspapers move at the speed of sloths with the eyesight and rationality of especially stupid dogs. Too bad they’re all getting rid of the talent instead of the cattle.
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