# Chicago Reader trimming staff **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 13, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125 "2007-09-13T23:13:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/1 "2007-09-13T23:13:04Z")
Note they don’t say which staff. [http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-thu\_phil\_0913sep13,0,2454757.story](http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-thu_phil_0913sep13,0,2454757.story) > [@](#): > > The city’s free alternative newspaper since 1971 is poised to reduce its page size when it goes from a quarter-fold format to a standard flat tabloid next month. It’s also trimming the size of its staff, including an effort to get the drivers who deliver its 135,000 copies each week to leave the payroll and become independent contractors. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/2 "2007-09-13T23:24:43Z")
Yeesh. Here’s hoping **Ed** and **Jerry** and everyone else who keeps us together is spared. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/3 "2007-09-13T23:45:49Z")
That would be to weird if they had to actually subscribe to this service to use it. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/4 "2007-09-14T21:20:45Z")
A bit more info at the Sun-Times [http://www.suntimes.com/business/lazare/554427,CST-FIN-lew13.article](http://www.suntimes.com/business/lazare/554427,CST-FIN-lew13.article) > [@](#): > > The changes range from staff firings to new printing and distribution arrangements to replace those the paper had for decades. (Full disclosure: This columnist was formerly a Reader staff writer.) … > > As earlier predicted in this column, the Reader’s in-house production department has been dismantled, and longtime art director Sheila Sachs has parted ways with the company. Layout for the Reader and all other Creative Loafing titles is now done in Atlanta. Eason said Publisher Crystal and Editor Alison True, in conjunction with a Creative Loafing consultant, are now analyzing the rest of the editorial staff to determine what, if any, additional cuts need to be made. An interview with the new CEO [http://www.sptimes.com/2007/08/19/Features/Media\_exec\_gets\_cold\_.shtml](http://www.sptimes.com/2007/08/19/Features/Media_exec_gets_cold_.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/5 "2007-09-15T01:19:03Z")
[QUOTE=Troy McClure SF] Yeesh. Here’s hoping **Ed** and **Jerry** and everyone else who keeps us together is spared. [/QUOTE] G’darn it, if they touch \*\*Jerry \*\*or \*\*Ed \*\*I say we all cancel our newspaper subscription!! Say what? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/6 "2007-09-15T07:08:48Z")
[QUOTE=Troy McClure SF] Yeesh. Here’s hoping **Ed** and **Jerry** and everyone else who keeps us together is spared. [/QUOTE] Because the board is working so well. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/7 "2007-09-15T07:13:42Z")
[QUOTE=treis] Because the board is working so well. [/QUOTE] It’s trimming, not replacing. Consider how badly the board would work if we didn’t even have them working with it. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/8 "2007-09-15T13:02:40Z")
Cecil, you there? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/9 "2007-09-15T14:46:42Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] Cecil, you there? [/QUOTE] Does Cecil draw a salary? I thought he fought ignorance out of the joy it brings him. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/10 "2007-09-15T14:57:45Z")
[QUOTE=Mahaloth] Does Cecil draw a salary? I thought he fought ignorance out of the joy it brings him. 🙂 [/QUOTE] And the groupies, don’t forget the groupies. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/11 "2007-09-15T17:38:21Z")
I am under the impression that neither Cecil nor Little Ed are _employees_ of the _Reader_. So they’re safe . . . until the new folks get around to looking at the acquisitions budget. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/12 "2007-09-15T17:44:14Z")
I’m worried. They say that the Dope isn’t losing money, and yet the board crashes weekly. This board can’t be all that profitable, if they aren’t willing to put more effort into keeping it running and stable. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-reader-trimming-staff/419125/13 "2007-09-15T17:52:28Z")
[QUOTE=BJMoose] ..neither Cecil nor Little Ed are employees of the Reader. **So they’re safe** [/QUOTE] yes, but are **WE** safe? I fear for the future of the SDMB… (and, dammit, I’ve paid for 2 years subscription. So if this site dies, I want my money back. Well, not really…I’d gladly pay double, if they would just promise that us Dopers won’t go the way of the dinosaurs. Hell, brontosauruses never had to pay $15, and they lasted for longer than 35 years.\*\* And they had less ignorance to fight, too. \*\*(quick math calculation:2007-1972=35 yrs)