Peter Schorsch
Dear Orlando Sentinel reporter (and, hopefully, soon-to-be colleague):
You don’t need me to tell that your parent company, Tribune Publishing, is in deep financial trouble.
The Chicago-based company, which owns the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun, Orlando Sentinel, and Sun Sentinel, offered most of its workers—those who have been with the company for more than a year — the opportunity to quit in exchange for a lump-sum payment.
“In the challenging revenue environment that all publishing companies face, it is critical that we make hard decisions and take the necessary steps that continue to position Tribune Publishing Co. for success over the long term,” Tribune Publishing CEO Jack Griffin wrote in a memo to you.
In other words, the ship has hit the iceberg and there are only so many lifeboats to go around.
Well, here’s a lifeline for one of you.
Extensive Enterprises Media’s is expanding to Orlando. We have planned a stand-alone site dedicated to Central Florida politics staffed with three to six reporters and bloggers.
You could be one of those reporters.
This is your lifeline. Take the Tribune’s buyout offer and make the jump!
We are looking for a reporter familiar with the Central Florida political scene who can cover it with the same verve as our reporters cover Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, and statewide politics.
If there is any doubt that we are the real deal, read this recent profile in the Columbia Journalism Review.
The hours are a little longer, the pace is more frenetic, but the pay is good and you can do it all from the comfort of your living room sofa.
And you’ll no longer have to deal with that brutal Orlando traffic.
This is your chance for a Jerry Maguire moment. You can grab the two goldfish from the office fishtanks and head for the door.
If you are interested in moving from old media to new, please email me at [email protected] and tell me what you would do with our new platform. Tell us about your familiarity with Orlando and Central Florida politics. And tell us what you’ll tell your bosses when you finally jump from that sinking ship.
Sincerely,
Peter Schorsch
Publisher, Extensive Enterprises Media
