A sharp-eyed reader spotted a job listing just posted today for what appears to be the Register-Star position filled until recently by Tom Casey, namely that of Hudson beat reporter.
The job description (to be filled immediately) claims that the paper’s “ideal candidate is someone willing to work hard and go beyond the ‘official story’”—even though repeating and reinforcing the official line has been the default position of the paper for 15 years or more, across multiple editors and publishers. (The listing does not mention that beat reporters may be abruptly fired for even mild backtalk or other perceptions of insubordination.)
The paper calls upon applicants to send a “cover letter, resume [sic] and at least three writing samples to Executive Editor Theresa E. Hyland, One Hudson City Centre, Suite 202, Hudson NY 12534. Or email to [email protected].”
UPDATE: Jim Romenesko’s well-traveled media site has picked up this story, and some interesting comments are cropping up there, for example from public-interest economics journalist Dan Mitchell:
Wow. 20 years ago, I worked for publisher Roger Coleman at a crappy daily in the west suburbs of Chicago (The Kane County Chronicle.) He never directly tried to interfere with any of my work, at least, though he certainly expressed his displeasure whenever one of his business/golf buddies at the Kiwanis or the Lions Club (or what the hell ever) got negative coverage.
I don’t recall any particular nutty right-wing/loyalty oath/redbaiting type stuff either (I didn't know him well, but he seemed more concerned with advertisers and wearing the correct tie than he did with 'murrica), but of course, times have changed in that regard, as they also have for newspapers and who wields power within them. I have little doubt that if Coleman could have done something like this to me back then, he would have.
Meanwhile, commenter Walt Yost notes that “Newspapers with a Guild contract often allow reporters the right to withhold their byline from a story. Guessing Register-Star isn't a Newspaper Guild paper.”
