Posted by:
Brother Of Jerry
(
)
Date: May 19, 2018 01:31PM
Paul Rolly has been as the SLTrib for 45 years, the last 25 as a columnist/reporter, who wrote mostly about state government. When a third of the staff was laid off earlier this week, he retired so that someone else could keep their job (IMHO - he didn't actually say that, but I am sure he could have stayed on had he chosen to).
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/bagley/2018/05/15/bagley-cartoon-always-in-our-hearts/He had a popular column for years called "Rolly and Wells" with Joanne Jacobson Wells.
His farewell interview/podcast covered the last half century in Utah politics, especially the transition in the 1960s and 70s from a two party state to a solid R state. He talked about the power of LDS Inc - whatever it wants, it gets, with very few exceptions. And of course he talked about what's happening to newspapers.
From the end of the podcast:
Wood: Last question, Paul, what do you think you’ll miss the most?
Rolly: I’m going to miss my colleagues. I’ve gotten used to losing colleagues because people have retired. I’ve gone through two or three generations of Tribune staffs now. And so I’m always going to miss my colleagues.
I’m going to miss the excitement of the scoop, of the story, of getting the story. I’m going to miss the excitement of being able to dig something out that powerful people don’t want anybody to know about and exposing it. That always was fun for me.
I’m going to have to get used to not having some kind of story like that to look forward to. Reading the paper this morning, already, I started thinking “Goll, I’d sure like to opine on that, or opine on this.” I’m going to have to get used to being out of that game.
Wood: Paul Rolly, thank you for your years of service, and for joining us today.
Rolly: Hey, thank you very much.
Wood: In addition to Paul Rolly, the Tribune staff laid off include: Anna Cekola, Steve Hunt, Pamela Manson, Gordon Harman, Ellen Weist, Al Hartmann, Emma Penrod, Bob Mims, Chris Smart, Mariah Noble, Mike Gorrell, Mark Hansen, Lillian Reed, Frances Moody, Curt Gresseth, Jay Drew, Scott Sommerdorf, Isabel Dobrin, Lynn Worthy, Ed Oberbeck, Nick Parker, Michelle Quist, Bill Dentzer, Tiffany Caldwell, Steve Griffin, Luke Ramseth, Ty Cobb, Francisco Arrieta, Rich Kane, Aubrey Wieber, Phil Lewis, Kevin Morriss and Daniella Birch.
I thought including the names of all those laid off was a deeply respectful touch, as was Pat Bagley's editorial cartoon. This was an immensely sad week at the Tribune. Perhaps I am biased because my dad worked for a newspaper, and I got to play with Linotype machines (the original image of steampunk decades before steampunk was cool) and I could fold those square newsprint hats the printers used to keep the ink spray out of their hair. For all of you who have no compunctions about stealing from the Trip and similar institutions, and even showing others how to circumvent their paywalls, think about those people above who have had their lives turned upside down, and the newspaper whose survival is by no means a sure thing.
Actions have consequences. A month's access to the Trib is the cost of a single fast food combo meal.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/2018 01:36PM by Brother Of Jerry.