Internships are important but for different reasons, certain other areas beyond reporting should be accessed.There is some very strong people in various aspects of internet applications that might be more useful.The radio room, really. That might be part of the problem.
Regarding internship cuts and job losses at the Toronto Star and likely other newspapers too.
The first thing ,there are things a person cannot control and there things collectively that can be controlled.
Good ,bad or indifferent journalism is not going to save newspapers.If it could it would have already. New partnerships will be needed, content, content , content needs to be examined. In reality the same beats produce the same content, the news beats have never changed.
The ethos of relations between ownership, investors,managers and workers has always bee suspicious and strained. There are times when everyone has to realize that they all depend on each other for the common good. They are all in the same boat.
During these times distrust melts away and real action is achievable. This is not a “pie in the sky” approach even though it started out that way seven years ago at the Winnipeg Free Press.
Companies want cost certainty and labour wants job security,these are not conflicting goals. In a rising company these expectations are expected to rise but in a descending company these expectations should also descend. Often they do not and the result is cut backs. Cut backs are the only option in this case.
If people accept that a good contract with positive gain can be made in a rising economy then in bad times some of those gains should accpeted to be reeled in. The gains can be reeled in without job loss, this is a fair deal not a bad one for the times.Live to fight another day.
There are limits to cutbacks and most newspapers have reached that point. Everyone concerned, within the walls has to be more flexible and creative. People of certain ages,people with young families, living in a high cost ,high debt city will have different pulls but a common goal can be found.
Labour needs to decide if it prefers having a job or freezing salary or even taking/planning an orderly retreat from wage hikes.
Staffing levels need to be at a reasonable number. That means wages are in play to extend jobs. Layoff will still be an option because the future econony of the business is unknown.There are no guarentees but ther has to good intentions at the very least.
The newspaper business is in a state of steady decline , something has got to give. The government is not going to subsidize a business that has no plan to recover. There is no political gain for government and the amount of money would have to be large. The new source of taxation through internet sales could be used elsewhere with bigger gains.
The Winnipeg Free Press has a contract that I believe has been extended in the seventh year and every newspaper and union should enquire about it. Having a job and extending the life of the company is everyone's responsibility and all parties are ready to discuss. Old battles can be put aside if people are desperate enough.
The year 2020 is the long ago prediction and expiry date for Canadian newspapers. Consider every year of existence after that date a gift. Assume no one is coming to help , so save thy self.
Topic: Toronto Star Suspending Internship Programs Indefinitely (Read 2031 times)