Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s plan to buy U.S. Sugar for $1.75 billion has been described by Florida newspapers as “bold,” “ambitious,” and “grand.” Now it’s time to throw “stupid” and “irresponsible” into the mix. It’s true that the deal, in its broad strokes, may look like a masterpiece. It will…
The Pulp has been a grim and bloody business of late. Reporting on the slaughter of the press in South Florida is like being near the front in war, hearing the bombs, knowing they aren’t far away and could strike at any time. And the number of casualties just keep…
The massacre of the Palm Beach Post’s newsroom is slowly coming into focus. As of Friday, 81 staffers had accepted the buyout, according to sources, though more are believed to have taken it since. In all, about 100 are expected to accept the offer and another 30 will likely be…
— In a story by Jane Musgrave about a college student suing after her picture had popped up on a porn site, the newspaper linked the site, www.collegewildparties.com, which leads you to a picture of, among other things, a young woman who may have been true Watergate source for Woodstein…
The Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post have told us of their carnage; this week, it’s the Sun-Sentinel’s turn. Several sources have told me that 50 will be laid off in the newsroom, with at least 20 (some say 30) already pretty much done through the voluntary buyout plan. Trying…
Former Sun-Sentinel Assistant City Editor Alan Cherry, who recently took a voluntary buyout from the company, had his premiere concert during a recent going-away party in Plantation (some of y’all are going to recognize some of the audience members). He’s now converting half a room in his house into a…
— The Miami Herald’s Martha Brannigan tells us the horrible story of hedge fund man John Devaney, whose United Capital Markets has lost a half billion dollars of investors’ money (including his own and some neighbors and friends). This is the kind of thing that caused Fort Lauderdale pioneer Frank…
Nightclub owner Michael Goelz says he received an unusual request from Riviera Beach Commissioner Cedrick Thomas when he requested a meeting about his plan to take over the city marina’s popular tiki bar. It involved nudity, the businessman says. “He asked me, ‘How much do you want to spend on…
Off-the-wall “Internet columnist/performance artist” Andy Martin, who splits time between Chicago and South Florida, is doing his part to help the cash-strapped folks at Sun-Sentinel sister paper Chicago Tribune. It’s not altogether pleasant, but then nothing that Martin does ever is — and we might be thankful for that, whether…
This just-sent press release tells us of an honor for Fort Lauderdale Commissioner and Broward County Commission candidate Carlton Moore: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 10, 2008 Contact: Gerri Washington Commissioner Moore Receives National Recognition for Leadership Fort Lauderdale, Florida- July 10, 2008 –.The prestigious National Forum of Black Public Administrators…
Well, they’re baaa-aaack. The Drudgians have come swarming back to the Pulp, this time on the Herald farewell post. I feel like apologizing for them. Just remember, they can’t help themselves. Many of them were obviously dropped on their heads as small children. In lieu of this, I’m offering some…
Well, they finally did it: The Sun-Sentinel managed to have only one story on the front page this Sunday. And, of course, it wasn’t an end-of-the-worlder; just something about unpermitted construction work. I don’t know how the Tribune company plans to get back on its feet this way. One byline…
Who is this guy Charlie Crist? During the past few weeks, he’s made headlines for all the wrong reasons. He flip-flopped on his anti-offshore drilling stance to prove he was vice presidential material. He’s buying out U.S. Sugar for a whopping $1.75 billion. This is a horrible business deal that…
Today is the last day for a lot of long-time folks at the Miami Herald who have taken the buyouts that were announced on June 16. I was cobbling together a list from sources, when one was kind of enough to forward this email sent out today by Miami Herald…
There’s only thing driving up the price of oil at this moment and it’s not supply and demand (anymore). It’s speculation that George W. Bush is going to give Israel the go-ahead to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities — which will spike the price of oil well above the much ballyhooed…
UPDATED: [Since this was posted, the Miami Herald and Sun-Sentinel have done their reporting. Tonya Alanez’s article is here and you can read Todd Wright’s work on the matter here.] A little breaking news from the Pulp: Former Broward County Judge Jay Spechler, who resigned in April after he was…
It’s finally gotten to the point that the comments on this thing are often better than the posts themselves. The ones still coming in on the Palm Beach Post layoffs post are getting better and better (ever since the boorish Drudgians locusted themselves off to another foraging spot). And the…
To all those who haven’t gotten returned phone calls or emails from me this past week: I’m back and slowly getting back on the work horse. I basically missed an interesting time for the Pulp, what with the biggest media story in South Florida of the year breaking Wednesday. But…
Miami Herald political writer Gary Fineout was driving to his office at the Tallahassee bureau last Monday morning when he got word: An editor was in town to meet with the staff. It quickly dawned on Fineout what was happening: The job cuts everybody had been expecting and dreading were…
It’s been a long time coming, but Palm Beach Post publisher Doug Franklin handed down the bad news today (thanks to Pulp readers for posting it). Bottom line: — 300 jobs will be cut company-wide. — 130 newsroom jobs will be cut. — Buyouts are being offered to employees with…
From the “Where Are They Now” file: I told you back November that Channel 4 reporter Brian Andrews was leaving his job to embark on a freelancing adventure in Colombia. Well, he’s landed a gig as an Internet anchor for RCN’s first English broadcast. The first broadcast comes on June…
The deadline for employees who want to accept the voluntary buyouts at the Miami Herald comes today, according to sources. Then comes the “involuntary” buyouts. In either case, the deal amounts to little more than layoffs with small severance packages. And in terms of package size, the Herald’s is smaller…
