WaPo’s David Broder istaking a buyout from the paper…
Broder, reached by phone this afternoon, explained reasons for
taking the buyout this year, as opposed to the last time it was
offered, in 2006.“It’s two things really,” Broder said. “First of all, the paper is
like every other paper–feeling the squeeze. And this does get me off
the newsroom budget. That is one reason. The other reason is that it’s
a generous buyout offer.”
He’ll still be a contract employee though.
just in time? or will it be worse?
So nothing, it appears, actually changes except that the Post gains a little plausible deniability and loses a few new articles (the column remains the same). And if Broder really wants to write in the news hole, I expect they wouldn’t stop him. But I guess it does mean they can replace him in the budget with a couple of young stringers…
The Washington Post just bought out Tony Kornheiser (an old sports columnist) too. It must be an across the board offer for long-time employees.