Advertiser employees reflect on the news
Several journalists in The Advertiser’s newsroom quickly went to work to post the news of today’s announcement and to start gathering comments from people in the community for tomorrow’s Advertiser print editions.
As the work went on, employees gathered in small clusters to consider their future.
Russell McCrory, an Advertiser page designer for the last six years, had a simple question.
“So who can we thank for this?” he said.
Suzanne Roig, an Advertiser reporter for 15 years and president of the Hawaii Newspaper Guild, said, “This is a very sad day to be a journalist in Hawaii. There are many unknowns right now. We are still in shock. I am sure that many Advertiser employees will be going home tonight and taking stock of their finances and looking at what their options are.”
Veteran copy editor Jim Richardson looked back on his 41 years in The Advertiser newsroom and all of the changes that have occurred, beginning when the paper was owned by Thurston Twigg-Smith.
“I never thought Twigg would sell the newspaper, and I certainly did not envision the scenario that had Gannett selling the Star-Bulletin and buying The Advertiser,” Richardson said.
“This next change of ownership is more traumatic for Advertiser employees because it won’t be a seamless transition, with jobs intact,” he said. “But The Advertiser will continue to have a strong voice in Hawaii. For someone who has been a part of this newspaper since before man first walked on the moon, that is important to me, and important to the state.”