Image via WikipediaThe Record of Woodland Park is looking for a new food editor. The successful candidate would replace Bill Pitcher, who has been in the job for only four years and one month.
The job posting -- on the Web site of the University of Miami School of Communication -- reads almost exactly like the one the newspaper ran after Patricia Mack was forced to retire in 2006.
But the address for cover letters and resumes is now 1 Garret Mountain Plaza in Woodland Park, not 150 River St., Hackensack, former home of the newspaper and North Jersey Media Group. Here is one line from the July 20 posting:
"This editor must have a boundless enthusiasm for and a vast knowledge of food, dining, nutrition, fitness, diet and health issues."Pitcher, who is being paid more than $71,000 a year, never put his stamp on food coverage. He took over the job in June 2006 -- several months before the Food section was folded by Publisher Stephen A. Borg -- and has been little more than a recipe editor. In the past six months, he has reviewed restaurants while Elisa Ung is on leave.
The brash, young publisher promised "every day" food news in the Better Living features section that Pitcher never was able to deliver, despite the assistance of Ung and other young staffers.
The successful candidate likely will be in their early 30s -- in keeping with Features Director Barbara Jaeger's desire to work with young people who won't challenge her authority.
To read the full posting, go to the university Web site and click on "Career Connection" in the header, then "Jobs":
com.miami.edu
We were wondering how long it would take for news of Pitcher's departure to reach you. It's been common knowledge in the Woodland Park newsroom for more than a month now, and official word was sent out two weeks ago. Did Eye on The Record blink, or is it that your newsroom sources are drying up? You should ask them why they didn't keep you in the loop on this one.
ReplyDeleteYou are aware that the position has been filled (though not yet officially announced), aren't you.
OK, Big Shot, why don't you tell us who the lucky guy or gal is? Is the new food editor from inside or outside? Unfortunately, the entire staff has been warned about talking to me or maybe threatened is a better word.
ReplyDeleteLike what difference does it make who the new food editor is. I hope they took someone from inside, but with all the layoffs in the newspaper industry they were probably flooded with "exceptionally qualified" candidates.
ReplyDelete"Exceptionally qualified" candidates would contrast with Bill Pitcher, who was unqualified for the job, but those people would probably be over 40 and won't be eligible to work with Features Director Barbara Jaeger, who got rid of most of her older workers -- Trudy Walz, Pat Mack, John Zeaman, etc. Let's just hope the new food editor isn't paid $70,000 to start, as Pitcher was.
ReplyDelete