Just FYI… The staff of https://t.co/66gfnXHtqt was let go today. I want to thank everyone that contributed to the success of my career over the past decade. This has been a fantastic professional and personal opportunity and I will miss all that I interacted with. pic.twitter.com/vvfacEOVih
— Tom Davis (@Tom101010) August 10, 2018
(8-11-18) – Last year the Ft. Wayne News-Sentinel announced it would stop newspaper production for an all-digital product, the paper laid off seven of their last eight staff members on Friday.
Ogden Newspapers, who currently is the owner, say the News-Sentinel would maintain their online presence and will use only freelance writers and occasional editorial content will be available as in the past.
Tom Davis, a current reporter and former sports editor for the newspaper told WANE TV after the announcement:
“I’m devastated in a number of ways and I’m frustrated because our online traffic numbers were actually really good given our circumstances. I have three kids I’m trying to put through college. So anytime you lose your financial position it’s scary, but that’s the nature of the media industry particularly at newspapers and websites.”
According to several sources, laid off workers were given severance packages and continued healthcare coverage.
Twitter comments –
Thanks everyone for the kind words about the end of my News-Sentinel run. I appreciate it more than you know. Let me know if you need your lawn mowed. I’ve got some time.
— Reggie Hayes (@reggiehayes1) August 11, 2018
If you are a media organization in need of creativity, work ethic, and experience I can be reached at ThomasEDavis10@gmail.com pic.twitter.com/TaOub55qEa
— Tom Davis (@Tom101010) August 11, 2018
Thx @Tom101010 4 ur @MastodonMBB passion! U have been a BIG part of building our following 1 person at a time! U have pounded the rock! https://t.co/xY1KGSRlba
— Jon Coffman (@coachcoffman) August 11, 2018
Thanks everyone for the kind words about the end of my News-Sentinel run. I appreciate it more than you know. Let me know if you need your lawn mowed. I’ve got some time.
— Reggie Hayes (@reggiehayes1) August 11, 2018
When NS went digital only last fall, most of us employees were skeptical. How could it possibly be profitable? How good of a job could be done covering this market with just nine people?
We all knew what the endgame was, we just didn’t expect it so soon. https://t.co/S6GMPxJX9y
— Justin Kenny (@jkennyOPS) August 10, 2018
History of the News-Sentinel…
- The News-Sentinel first started publications in 1833, when The Sentinel was established as a weekly paper. In 1918, The Sentinel merged with another local paper, The Fort Wayne Daily News, to form The News-Sentinel.
- On August 24, 2017, it was announced that the News-Sentinel would cease daily production of a physical print edition, with a focus on digital content. The morning delivery Fort Wayne paper, The Journal Gazette, will carry some articles using The News-Sentinel content in its daily printed morning delivery. The two papers have a contract with each other that dates back to 1950, and runs through 2075
Mercer County Outlook 