Please Help a Fellow Falcon

BGDrew · Post by **BGDrew** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:03 pm

As you may or may not, the Toledo Blade has announced that they will be making cuts to their staff at the paper. One of the names that is being considered is the BG beat writer, Ryan Autullo. I think we can all agree that Ryan has done a fantastic job at his position. I urge you to please support a fellow Falcon and contact Ms. Luann Sharp at the Toledo blade by e-mail @ [email protected] or by phone at 419-724-6127 and express your hope that Ryan will be retained by The Blade.

Ryan has not asked me to do any of this, but I don't feel that the Blade is making a good decision by possibly letting go of one of their best writers. Anyone who has met Ryan will agree that he's a true Falcon and is a wonderful person to talk to about BG sports. He has a passion for his craft and bleeds orange and brown like all of us.

Again, please consider contacting the Blade so that we may try to help Ryan out and keep BG's coverage as strong as possible in the Blade.

Thank you.

BgWaRrIoR · Post by **BgWaRrIoR** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:10 pm

Will do!!

BGSU33 · Post by **BGSU33** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:40 pm

I think the coverage Ryan has given BG from the Blade is the best I've ever seen or read and I would dislike it very much if he were not covering BG sports for us now or in the future. He does an excellent job and I especially appreciate the blogs he does in addition to his articles. I will contact them as well.

BGDrew · Post by **BGDrew** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:51 pm

My e-mail in case anyone cares:

Dear Ms. Sharp:

My name is Drew Evans and I live in Bowling Green, OH. I attended school here at Bowling Green State University and decided to live here after my time at the University was done. As a student, I was a rabid fan of my Falcons and have traveled across the nation to cheer for them even after my time was done. On one of my trips I had the honor of meeting a staff member of your's named Ryan Autullo. I knew of Ryan, but never had the pleasure to meet him. I met him while on last year's trip to Mobile, AL for the GMAC Bowl which BGSU was playing in. Ryan came up to me at one of the functions before the game and recognized me from a few different functions I had attended. After exchanging pleasantries we began to discuss the upcoming game. After nearly a half hour conversation Ryan excused himself to talk to a few other fans and we said our goodbyes. Ryan and I now talk nearly daily about the latest in BG news and other aspects of sport and life and is someone I would now consider a friend.

I recently found out that cuts were being considered at the Blade and just want to urge you to please retain Mr. Autullo on your staff. I have never met a journalist who is more personable or connected to this reader's than Ryan. He truly cares about BGSU and his passion comes across wonderfully in his writing. I will admit to you that I am not subscriber to the Blade, but I read your online version everyday and Ryan's blog is in my list of daily sites. I realize that times are very tough for everyone, but please don't punish Ryan for his lack of time with the paper. Please consider his body of work and the passion that he brings to the job everyday.

Thank you for your time and feel free to contact me back to discuss this further.

Sincerely,
Drew R. Evans
740-XXX-XXXX

1987alum · Post by **1987alum** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:08 am

It's ugly, folks.

A little background ... 2006 was the single biggest year for cuts to newspaper newsrooms. That was topped in 2007. They say 2008 won't top that because, quite frankly, there's not much left to cut, but many companies will find a way. The situation in newspapers has been deteriorating for the past decade and the slide has become a free-fall ... and not all because of the recent economic chaos, far from it.

And at the end of the day, it's all about numbers. Tribune declares bankruptcy, JRC is de-listed from the stock exchange and even the mighty NY Times is looking for a line of credit against its shiny new building just so it can make the bills.

Redwingtom · Post by **Redwingtom** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:19 am

Sadly, the newspaper business is just not relevant anymore. It's just too slow when you can find everything online or on a 24 hour cable news channel at a moments notice.

The younger generation just does not take the time to read a newspaper these days.

kdog27 · Post by **kdog27** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:27 am

About the only thing keeping many small newspapers afloat these days is car dealership ads.

1987alum · Post by **1987alum** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:19 am

kdog27 wrote:About the only thing keeping many small newspapers afloat these days is car dealership ads.

kdog - actually, it's been recruitment (help wanted) for the past few years. The rates for auto dealers have been in freefall for a year or more.

RWT - and that's the problem. Newspapers aren't nimble enough to reinvent themselves as "news organizations" that focus more on the Web than deadwood.

They don't need to die, but they can't get out of their own way.

BgWaRrIoR · Post by **BgWaRrIoR** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 12:00 pm

Redwingtom wrote:Sadly, the newspaper business is just not relevant anymore. It's just too slow when you can find everything online or on a 24 hour cable news channel at a moments notice.

The younger generation just does not take the time to read a newspaper these days.

That is mostly true. I think the only "young" group that read newspapers is college students. Everyday in in Olscamp I see papers flying off the stand. Its amazing. I thought newspspers were dying too, but college students here read it more than you think.

cw08 · Post by **cw08** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 12:20 pm

BgWaRrIoR wrote:
Redwingtom wrote:Sadly, the newspaper business is just not relevant anymore. It's just too slow when you can find everything online or on a 24 hour cable news channel at a moments notice.

The younger generation just does not take the time to read a newspaper these days.
That is mostly true. I think the only "young" group that read newspapers is college students. Everyday in in Olscamp I see papers flying off the stand. Its amazing. I thought newspspers were dying too, but college students here read it more than you think.

Keep in mind, those papers are free.

kdog27 · Post by **kdog27** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 12:25 pm

1987alum wrote:
kdog27 wrote:About the only thing keeping many small newspapers afloat these days is car dealership ads.
kdog - actually, it's been recruitment (help wanted) for the past few years. The rates for auto dealers have been in freefall for a year or more

Got ya. I could see those help wanted ones dying off too as more and more ads are placed online.

kdog27 · Post by **kdog27** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 12:26 pm

cw08 wrote:
BgWaRrIoR wrote:
Redwingtom wrote:Sadly, the newspaper business is just not relevant anymore. It's just too slow when you can find everything online or on a 24 hour cable news channel at a moments notice.

The younger generation just does not take the time to read a newspaper these days.
That is mostly true. I think the only "young" group that read newspapers is college students. Everyday in in Olscamp I see papers flying off the stand. Its amazing. I thought newspspers were dying too, but college students here read it more than you think.
Keep in mind, those papers are free.

And easily available.

Metz · Post by **Metz** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 1:17 pm

Redwingtom wrote:Sadly, the newspaper business is just not relevant anymore. It's just too slow when you can find everything online or on a 24 hour cable news channel at a moments notice.

The younger generation just does not take the time to read a newspaper these days.

Not relevant? I REALLY hope you are just referring to the printed newspaper.

The only change with newspapers is that news is moving online and out of print. We still need people to actually dig for stories and write the news! Many newspapers are now becoming online interactive environments where there are videos/photos to go with stories. Even our very own BG News, which has had a new site in the works since last Summer.

Their writing style may need to be different as most news (from newspapers) people read online is probably from blogs. Blogs tend to be rather brief and to the point as you can provide quicker updates this way.

daspollak · Post by **daspollak** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 1:27 pm

Give it a few years many news sites may be a suscriber based site. Newspapers are going away with the times. I know personally I use RSS feeds on my cell phone to get the news I want. Right now they are free, and much more useful than lugging a paper around all morning.

On a more important note, I hope the Blade does keep Ryan in some compacity. His article are great, and his blogs even better. It is nice to have a passionate voice for the Falcons, and if he does go he will be missed by me.

Redwingtom · Post by **Redwingtom** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 1:43 pm

Metz wrote:
Redwingtom wrote:Sadly, the newspaper business is just not relevant anymore. It's just too slow when you can find everything online or on a 24 hour cable news channel at a moments notice.

The younger generation just does not take the time to read a newspaper these days.
Not relevant? I REALLY hope you are just referring to the printed newspaper.

The only change with newspapers is that news is moving online and out of print. We still need people to actually dig for stories and write the news! Many newspapers are now becoming online interactive environments where there are videos/photos to go with stories. Even our very own BG News, which has had a new site in the works since last Summer.

Their writing style may need to be different as most news (from newspapers) people read online is probably from blogs. Blogs tend to be rather brief and to the point as you can provide quicker updates this way.

Yes, printed papers. I can read about all I can stand out of the blade on-line every morning for free. And I don't have to get ink on my hands or have my mouth dry out from touching newspaper...I think I am allergic