Re: Laid off, now what?

**"Richard Poynter" r*@poynterlandscape.com**

Margaret

I may something for you. Contact me at richard@poynterlandscape.com

Thanks
Richard

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Margaret Lauterbach" <melauter@earthlink.net>
To: <gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2003 12:36 PM
Subject: [GWL] Laid off, now what?

> I've been laid off by The Idaho Statesman, the principal newspaper in
> Boise, for whom I wrote a (mostly) weekly garden column for 9 years and 10
> months. It's a Gannett paper, attracting the usual rancor townspeople have
> for Gannett newspapers.  They seem to be going full bore after the 25-35
> age people, very few of whom read newspapers.  The Statesman started an
> "alternative" (free) paper, using semi-literate slang for text.  It's
chock
> full of ads (I suspect charged on reduced rate card), and printed on high
> quality newsprint such as Gene Cervi used for his paper in Denver after he
> learned that each paper was read by more than 5 people.  The Statesman's
> newsprint stock is "recycled" near-tissue paper. I know they lost
> subscribers when they started charging for obituaries.  I suspect they
lost
> subscribers when they started charging for 50th anniversary and wedding
> photos.
>
> There is a perception among the general public that gardening is for the
> retired elderly because only they have the free time.  Hot-to-trot MBAs
> concerned with demographics are not interested in the retired elderly.  I
> wrote my columns mainly for beginning gardeners, pointing out the
> advantages of drip and soaker hoses, timers, weed suppressing mulches, and
> everything else that simplifies gardening.  Most of this 25-35 year age
> group have huge mortgages, so large house and car payments, sapping two
> full-time incomes.  Many also have children, requiring ferrying here and
> there for after school lessons, etc.  Those young women are up at 4 a.m.
> running the washing machine, cleaning house, making sandwiches for
lunches,
> getting kids dressed, teeth brushed, etc., and have zero time to read
> newspapers.  They do have a moment to step outside and turn on a
> faucet.  Perhaps garden writers should emphasize the ease of gardening
now,
> lest our readers die off.
>
> Money is not an issue with me, but I do have something unpleasant that
I'll
> probably have to face, if history repeats itself.  Years ago when they cut
> me back to two columns per month, they used a staff writer to write garden
> articles.  Where did she get her information?  She called me.  I told her
> to contact someone else, and submitted my resignation.  The then editor
> knew I had great readership numbers (doesn't impress the new publisher
> here), so persuaded me to stay, promising me weekly, front page of the
> features section.  When this woman calls for garden information, what
would
> you do?  Margaret Lauterbach
>
>
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For GWL website and Wiki, go to
http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters