Disorganized, hostile work environment with no accountability for toxic management
Pros
Creative ideas with some news teams are welcomed, depending on the editor. Good reporting gets republished in other local media. Majority of co-workers are fantastic, smart people who care about the work they do. Real sense of community among those who produce local journalism.
Cons
Heavily siloed teams. News staff should be able to collaborate with digital studios producers, yet it seems there's internal competition/strife. Cross-collaboration across news desks is difficult to achieve with micromanagement. Little to no onboarding or training on how to use equipment, software and programs. Newsroom workers wear multiple hats without the proper direction and support, again dependent on who the supervisor and/or editor is. Solid reporters and producers lack qualified, trained editors. Unequal distribution of support, which contributes to overworking and overwhelm. There are cliques. Don't get on certain managers' bad sides or you are targeted. Mistreatment of employees is rampant, but most people decide to leave so the new hires are unaware of the trend. This contributes to burnout and lowers team morale. Lack of trust across the board: managers distrust their staff, micromanage and expectations are unclear or always a moving target. Lack of care for staff well-being, in particular people who are neurodivergent and who have mental health conditions. Lack of accountability for bad managers with troubling track records. High, and consistent staff turnover can be directly linked to the aforementioned issues. Unhealthy work environment.
