Rumor from a very reliable source: Rhonda "Ask SAM" Bumgardner has resigned from the Winston-Salem Journal effective Monday. I'm sure details will follow from the newspaper in six point font at the bottom of page A23 next to the funeral home ad.
Not exactly surprising news since the paper laid off her husband not too long ago.
Befuddled 
My blog is a reliable source now? Excellent.
Whether true or not, the morale at the WSJ and just about all newspapers must be horrible. Layoff fueled, low morale can just kill organizational spirit even for those remaining.
Esbee, you have earned reliability. Sadly the WSJ is withering away.
“Paper people” continue to implore us to support our papers today more than ever. I do, but it’s getting so difficult. Deep down, you know Esbee wants that job!
Well I hate to admit that it was a different reliable source. I didn’t see the comment on your Dog post until after you commented and I went a lookin’. This will make your toes curl: I got the tip via Twitter, which is a first for me. Now your source was better since it was literally her husband and he even gave you the “why” for the news and I guess that makes you my “even more reliable source” 🙂
Btw, I agree with YD that you’ve earned the “reliable” moniker many times over. I also agree with AMR that deep down you want that job!
Sent from my iPod
It is a sad comment on what is happening at newspapers nationwide. The Rocky Moutain News in Denver will shut down tomorrow… and the San Francisco paper is in big trouble too.
I love my morning paper… but over the years they lost their way. I think papers tried too hard to compete with the internet and tv news and forgot their way. Papers are about communities and local events. Rarely do you see something local as the lead story on the Journal. You see a national or international story you were fully aware of 12-24 hours earlier.
Where do you get GOOD local community stories? Places like jonlowder.com Seriously. I am not blowing smoke… blogs such as these have taken over what newspapers used to do so well… they let you know what is happening in your NEIGHBORHOOD not your world.
I don’t know how may people remember the Journal’s sister paper The Sentinel… now THAT was a paper that covered the community. But it was an afternoon paper and it fell decades ago.
And papers began to tick off a whole segment of society by becoming largely biased politically. I know that is whole OTHER huge debate I won’t get into…
Chris,
Thanks for the compliment. It’s tough watching newspapers go through these hard times, but I do agree that their reactions to the changing marketplace are at least part of the reason for their troubles.
I enjoy my morning paper too. I hope it survives and improves.
Thanks again
Jon
Sent from my iPod
I miss good newspapers, too. I haven’t subscribed to one in months, and outside of the coupons on Sunday, I don’t feel like I’m really missing anything.
Oh, I doubt they’ll keep the column going. We have Google now.
No longer a rumor:
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/mar/03/ask-sam/community-askSAM/
She’s moving to MIT (which I argue is a step up!)