I’m not sure which of the following pieces of news is worse for the Newton TAB:
1. Swing reporter Ashley Studley is leaving for the communications department at the American Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts;
or
2. Because of #1 above, the reporter position above that is split between Newton and Brookline is now vacant and is unlikely to be filled.
Ashley’s departure will be a loss for both Newton and Brookline. Shifting back and forth between two communities is hard work and Ashley’s good at it. Most reporters get overwhelmed in that position but Ashley takes it all in stride. She’s a great breaking news reporter and is a ton of fun to have around.
When I became editor of the Newton TAB, I had two full-time reporters. At one time, I believe my predecessor, Don Seiffert, had as many as four reporters.
I don’t see GateHouse filling that position. Just a few months ago, their papers in Cambridge and Somerville also shared a reporter but that position has been eliminated and it’s unlikely that Newton and Brookline will keep that extra slot. Which would mean that one reporter would be covering 85,000 people in Newton — in a municipal election year.
Please note: I’m speculating and I’d love to see GateHouse prove me wrong. This community needs a newspaper that will hold its leaders accountable, and the Newton and Brookline editors are already far too stretched.
I always thought Ashley Studley was the perfect name for a newspaper reporter; one the creators of Superman easily could have selected instead of Lois Lane.
Turned out, Ashley was the perfect reporter to cover two different, yet similar communities. Always positive, organized (OK, not her desk), curious and (like so many young reporters willing to slog their way through municipal meetings) a superhero in her own right.
The Red Cross is lucky to have her.
Gonna miss her. Ashley, best of luck.
This is a huge loss for the Tab and for the City, but how excellent that the ARC is getting such a great person?
Good luck Ashley, and best wishes going forward!
Maybe great-granddad wrote for Bullwinkle? Snidely Whiplash, Dudley Do-Right, Boris Badenov, & Ashley Studley…
Thank you all for the kind words! I’m going to really miss Newton and all of the people I’ve gotten to know here. It’s been a fun, busy ride and I’ve learned a lot.
I’m looking forward to working at the Red Cross but I’ll still be keeping tabs on the Garden City. It’s been one of the most interesting communities I’ve ever covered, to say the least.
Leaving a job is never easy, so if someone out there would like to lighten the load and clean my desk on or before Sept. 14… let’s just say I wouldn’t hate it.
Ashley –
Do what I did — dump it all on Chloe’s desk!
Just kidding. 🙂
Between her desk and [Brookline reporter] Teddy Applebaum’s, I should be able to get away with it if I dump a little each day. I’ll keep ya posted.
Best of luck, Ashley!
@Ashley. You will be missed by me and by many others here in Newton. Will you stay close enough to make it to our next bloggers’ get together sometime in October??? Hope so.
@Wendy – Thank you!
@Bob – An opportunity to drink with bloggers and not have to show my face in Newton the next day? Count me in!;-)
Thanks for your service Ashley. After covering the local beat (two local beats!), everything else will be easy. 🙂
As a PR person I’m fascinated that no one from GateHouse has commented on this. I don’t expect them to, but often the first piece of advice we give clients is to get involved in conversations about them. While it has to be done carefully, it shows that you’re not a passive part of the community, but truly involved. I’m sure people in GateHouse read this blog and I’m sure they’re nervous about commenting on Gail’s criticism, but in my opinion it’s bad policy to ignore a post like this.
Oh, and best of luck Ashley 🙂
Chuck –
I don’t think I was criticizing. I was merely stating the obvious. The newspaper business is bad; when companies — especially big ones like GateHouse who don’t worry about individual newspapers like the Newton or Brookline TABS (OK, now maybe I’m criticizing a little!) can downsize without laying off, they do so.
Like I said, I’d love to see GateHouse prove me wrong. There’s too much going on in Newton — and Brookline — for one reporter to cover.
Same goes for Cambridge and Somerville by the way. Each of those communities should have its own crime reporter alone. But I digress…
The Tab has had huge staff turnover. This is a fact. In my opinion, the quality of the paper has dropped precipitously–even before Ashley left, Newton was under reported. This makes it worse. Not only has reporting suffered, but so has the editorial pages. I foresee a spiral downward. Why would anyone write an editorial for a paper that no one reads?
It looks like there is a larger issuer of Gatehouse naively cutting expenses with the hope that this increases profit. I can’t imagine that this is a good decision. At some point, readership will fall, and thus, so will advertising revenue. I hope Gatehouse or a competitor figures it out soon.
I only read online because I’m allergic to something in the ink the Tab uses. It has become so annoying to read it online because of the pop-ups that I only go to the site if someone points to an article here.
‘and not have to show my face in Newton the next day? Count me in!;-)’
now you’re talking! take me for example…
best of luck and success in your future ventures.
Thanks, guys!
Wishing you all the very best Ashley!