Earlier today I posited that the latest downsizing at UBM editorial might have been a step too far and that there would be a voluntary exodus of the talent still on board.
Not 5 minutes after I posted I got a rumor that Brian Fuller was leaving his position at the UBM online publication EBN for a corporate position at Cadence Design. I just had it confirmed.
I also suggested that people who had been laid off in January would be approached to return and that few would take the offer. I've learned today that several offers have been rebuffed, even from those that have not yet found permanent employment.
Corporations are becoming attractive locales for displaced journalists. Ron Wilson left UBM, voluntarily, several years ago to be editor in chief for Altera's content engine and before him, Mike Santarini took over the internal publication at Xilinx. Last week UBM January detritus Silvie Barack landed as content manager at Atmel where she plans to launch a site similar to Intel Free Press very soon.
What happens when all the advertisers begin to compete with EE Times, EBN, and EDN for content? When will TI, HP and AMD offer the remaining staff similar jobs and freedom?
Suddenly it starts to look like being a journalist is not the worst job in the world.
Lou, your link points to the 2012 CareerCast review that labels Newspaper Reporter as the 5th worst job. As your blog points out, the hits just keep on coming: In the 2013 review, it rockets up the charts to #1! (http://www.careercast.com/jobs-rated/worst-jobs-2013).
The world. She is a changin'.
Posted by: Michael Markowitz | May 10, 2013 at 05:57 AM