While doing my usual afternoon reading of the Buffalo News Online, I came across the following headline:
“Buffalo News extends buyout offer to more employees”
Several months ago, when the Buffalo News first offered such a buyout I pleaded, neigh begged, sports writer Bucky Gleason to take advantage of such an offer.
Last time, the offer was only offered to 110 employees, this time around the News is upping the offer to almost three times as many workers. From the News
A second round of buyouts involving some 300 employees at The Buffalo News is being offered this week because of tough economic times, a News executive said today.
The buyout initially was offered to about 110 workers last fall. Employees who accept the offer will receive a minimum of $60,000, but the amount increases based on the number of years of service and salary level.
So here is what I am thinking, there are a lot of sports writers employed by the Buffalo News. Between Bob Discesare, Mike Harrington, John Vogl, Jerry Sullivan, Allen Wilson, and Mark Gaughan there are more than enough people capable of handling your work load. Granted, this season you have not been nearly negative as in years past, but I can feel it coming. I know that come the end of February when the Sabres only come out with only 3 points in 6 games that you will be calling for Coach Ruff’s job, claiming “the system” doesn’t work. You will bring about the idea of what a poor trade Darcy Regier made by acquiring Craig Rivet, claiming the Steve Bernier is having a wonderful season without bothering to look up any stats. You will mention how foolish the Sabres were for signing Tim Connolly to a long term deal, without mentioning how it was well below the market rate for a player of his caliber. Not to mention calling out the Sabres owner, Tom Golisano, for spending money on political contributions instead of bolstering the Sabres blue line.
Why don’t you just save us all the trouble and take the buyout. The News says that the buyouts start at $60,000 and will increase according to salary and tenure. I cannot find on the internet when you started with the Buffalo News (what are the odds of that?) but I am sure that you have worked there long enough to secure a $150,000+ buyout at this point. Sure, those are Jerry Sullivan dollars, but hey, it is more than I am going to make this year, and next year, and the year after that. So please, Buck, take it. Save us the trouble, save yourself the trouble. Start over. Maybe in a town like Raleigh, the residents of the Carolinas won’t even notice how negative you are, you know, that is unless you start to cover NASCAR for the paper.
Tags: Bucky Gleason, Buffalo News, Buffalo Sabres, buyouts, journalisim students gone bad, newspapers are dying a slow death
