Here is one person’s reaction to the layoffs that are happening in the newspaper industry.
RALEIGH – A News & Observer subscriber is suing the newspaper for cutting staff and the size of the paper.
Keith Hempstead, a Durham lawyer, filed the suit last month in Wake Superior Court. He says he renewed his subscription in May just before the paper announced on June 16 the layoffs of 70 staff members and cuts in news pages.
The paper, he says, is now not worth what he signed up for and therefore the cuts breached the paper’s contract with him.
“Plaintiff alleges fraud in that the newspaper announced changes in the coverage after procuring renewals from Plaintiff and other subscribers,” Hempstead says in the complaint.
In a phone interview today, Hempstead, 42, said he could cancel his subscription but filed the suit to make a point.
“I wanted to get the newspaper’s attention and the news industry’s attention,” said Hempstead, who is a former reporter at the Fayetteville Observer, adding that he loves The News & Observer.
Hempstead is both a lawyer and a former reporter. I think that explains the lawsuit.
Should I sue the Palm Beach Post? Cox Newspapers who owns the Post, will be eliminating over 100 newsroom positions. One of those people who will be leaving, is golf writer and blogger Craig Dolch. Wizbang readers, dont feel faint when I say Craig is one of the best in the country at that type of sports writing. Craig, who has been covering pro golf for 14 years, is far superior than the overrated hack Doug Ferguson who writes for AP, or most of the people employed by major magazines. I was informed by a private email from Craig as to what was happening before the news broke in Golf World magazine, or even the Post. Craig decided to take the buyout Cox was offering, as the newspaper plans to now focus on local golf only. That will save money, but will this and other staff cuts keep people reading that dinosaur of a newspaper in Palm Beach County? I’m very skeptical to say the least.
Hat tip- Overlawyered
