Fasteddie is a frequent visitor to this blog. He sent me by e-mail a reflection on the owners of JRC, the string of newspapers that includes the Oakland Press. Recently I posted an item (http://freefromeditors.blogspot.com/2008/04/more-bad-news-for-oakland-press-journal.html) about the pending financial failure of that newspaper ownership.
Fasteddie chimed in with a reflection that brings the failure and meanness down to a human level. Sometimes I think we forget that many of the people being hurt by the decisions of media tycoons are human beings.
Here's fasteddie's comment:
"Those heartless JRC bastards"
As told to me by Dick Hunt deceased former Chief Photographer at The Royal Oak Tribune.
Dick Hunt was one of the hardest working photojournalist I have ever known He did the work of two for all of the nearly fifty years he was at the Tribune.
Reaching his goal of fifty years at the Trib was to be his greatest achievements. Dick had won numerous awards and was at one time president of The Michigan News Photographers Association.
The Tribune became another of JRC's victims when it was bought as part of the once proud 21 Century chain that included The Oakland Press.
It was just a matter of weeks before Dick would make his Fifty year goal and a couple of big parties were planned by employees and friends. But the heartless managers at the Trib called Dick into the dirty little office and told Dick to turn-in his keys and camera and leave the building. You are being let-go.
Dick was stunned and pleaded to be able to finish the few weeks left and achieve his goal also, he had already planned to retire at the same time. "No" was the reply. He even offered to work free for the remaining time. "No".
It broke his heart and spirit. I had a long lunch with him shortly after that day. He was a broken and in the over fifty years I had known him he was a changed man.
Dick dropped dead a couple of days after our last of many times together. But JRC did save that few extra days of pay and perhaps more importantly having to buy a gallon of ice cream and a small cake for the dozen remaining employees sill huddled in one corner of the once nice building the Trib build about fifty years ago.
Editor's note: If that doesn't turn your stomach, not much will.
Here's a link to Hunt's obituary: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/121807/loc_20071218201.shtml
Fasteddie chimed in with a reflection that brings the failure and meanness down to a human level. Sometimes I think we forget that many of the people being hurt by the decisions of media tycoons are human beings.
Here's fasteddie's comment:
"Those heartless JRC bastards"
As told to me by Dick Hunt deceased former Chief Photographer at The Royal Oak Tribune.
Dick Hunt was one of the hardest working photojournalist I have ever known He did the work of two for all of the nearly fifty years he was at the Tribune.
Reaching his goal of fifty years at the Trib was to be his greatest achievements. Dick had won numerous awards and was at one time president of The Michigan News Photographers Association.
The Tribune became another of JRC's victims when it was bought as part of the once proud 21 Century chain that included The Oakland Press.
It was just a matter of weeks before Dick would make his Fifty year goal and a couple of big parties were planned by employees and friends. But the heartless managers at the Trib called Dick into the dirty little office and told Dick to turn-in his keys and camera and leave the building. You are being let-go.
Dick was stunned and pleaded to be able to finish the few weeks left and achieve his goal also, he had already planned to retire at the same time. "No" was the reply. He even offered to work free for the remaining time. "No".
It broke his heart and spirit. I had a long lunch with him shortly after that day. He was a broken and in the over fifty years I had known him he was a changed man.
Dick dropped dead a couple of days after our last of many times together. But JRC did save that few extra days of pay and perhaps more importantly having to buy a gallon of ice cream and a small cake for the dozen remaining employees sill huddled in one corner of the once nice building the Trib build about fifty years ago.
Editor's note: If that doesn't turn your stomach, not much will.
Here's a link to Hunt's obituary: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/121807/loc_20071218201.shtml
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