• I got my break there in 1990 while still in school, I invested 20 hard years there, and I'll always be proud of all of that, as well as the collective work that we as a sports department produced over that time. Great times. Above all, some truly great people. It's close to impossible to process that it won't exist. It's personally saddening.
• Which is nothing next to what the current employees are feeling, I'm sure. And their families. There's still a good many people I know in that world.
• From the civic standpoint, too, it's a loss. Now more than ever, a free and fair-minded media's a must, at all levels of our country, including locally. Others will surely rise up to cover the real news, but it won't be with the same size, scope and authority that the old newspapers once had. Ed Gainey, Pittsburgh's now-former mayor, just got away with an entire six-year tenure in which he seldom spoke with the city's only remaining newspaper. That would've been unthinkable even a decade earlier. Imagine how much easier that'll be now when an outlet of a handful of people calls for comment.
• And never mind the lack of investigative work and other watchdog journalism that'll result. No newspaper's as proficient at this as once was the case, but something's better than nothing. I'll say it again: We need more, not less.
• I've shared here for many years that the PG was our main competition in the market, and that's held true throughout. But that doesn't mean this development alters what we do or where we're headed, and I'll cite three points to support this:
1. We're already first among Pittsburgh sports fans in online readership, viewership and listenership, and online's all that matters anymore. That's where the people are going, and that's where the dollars are going. We're always happy to have more come aboard, but we were doing well before the Athletic almost entirely fled town (only two reporters left here), and we were doing well before this development, as well. I've always believed that the best way to compete is to look in the mirror and figure out how to improve yourself.
2. The exhaustive plan we've been putting together for months toward a DKPS 2.0, one that we expect to have complete by late February, won't be affected by ... well, anything. We believe in it, and we're going to make it happen because it's the right thing to do for the business and our brand's community. (That's you.)
3. I'd hope this is obvious, but we're a profitable media company, that rarest of beasts in 2025. We were just profitable again this past year, with our second-highest run of revenues yet. We're proud of that. We don't spend more than we should spend. We don't cover what doesn't come with a real return. While at the same time, I'd like to think, we go to extraordinary lengths to get our brand's community (still you) the coverage they expect from us.
• Yes, we're hiring, but that also isn't new or related to the PG or anything else. We've been in that mode for a handful of months now. Just haven't found the right fit yet.
An aside to anyone applying: Big-league reporting/writing/multimedia experience is an absolute must. We aren't a training ground or a stepping stone.
• Repeating for emphasis: Our goal for the coming year and beyond already was to get better, deeper and more current with our coverage, and through more platforms than ever while still prioritizing our brand's community (yooooooooooou) throughout.
• Also repeating: Best wishes to the 180 PG employees affected.
• As ever, I'll be in comments if there are any questions.
THE ASYLUM
Grind: The Post-Gazette's closure
Good Thursday morning!
• The Post-Gazette, a Pittsburgh institution that traces to 1786, will cease operations May 3.
Many thoughts on this ...
• I got my break there in 1990 while still in school, I invested 20 hard years there, and I'll always be proud of all of that, as well as the collective work that we as a sports department produced over that time. Great times. Above all, some truly great people. It's close to impossible to process that it won't exist. It's personally saddening.
• Which is nothing next to what the current employees are feeling, I'm sure. And their families. There's still a good many people I know in that world.
• From the civic standpoint, too, it's a loss. Now more than ever, a free and fair-minded media's a must, at all levels of our country, including locally. Others will surely rise up to cover the real news, but it won't be with the same size, scope and authority that the old newspapers once had. Ed Gainey, Pittsburgh's now-former mayor, just got away with an entire six-year tenure in which he seldom spoke with the city's only remaining newspaper. That would've been unthinkable even a decade earlier. Imagine how much easier that'll be now when an outlet of a handful of people calls for comment.
• And never mind the lack of investigative work and other watchdog journalism that'll result. No newspaper's as proficient at this as once was the case, but something's better than nothing. I'll say it again: We need more, not less.
• I've shared here for many years that the PG was our main competition in the market, and that's held true throughout. But that doesn't mean this development alters what we do or where we're headed, and I'll cite three points to support this:
1. We're already first among Pittsburgh sports fans in online readership, viewership and listenership, and online's all that matters anymore. That's where the people are going, and that's where the dollars are going. We're always happy to have more come aboard, but we were doing well before the Athletic almost entirely fled town (only two reporters left here), and we were doing well before this development, as well. I've always believed that the best way to compete is to look in the mirror and figure out how to improve yourself.
2. The exhaustive plan we've been putting together for months toward a DKPS 2.0, one that we expect to have complete by late February, won't be affected by ... well, anything. We believe in it, and we're going to make it happen because it's the right thing to do for the business and our brand's community. (That's you.)
3. I'd hope this is obvious, but we're a profitable media company, that rarest of beasts in 2025. We were just profitable again this past year, with our second-highest run of revenues yet. We're proud of that. We don't spend more than we should spend. We don't cover what doesn't come with a real return. While at the same time, I'd like to think, we go to extraordinary lengths to get our brand's community (still you) the coverage they expect from us.
• Yes, we're hiring, but that also isn't new or related to the PG or anything else. We've been in that mode for a handful of months now. Just haven't found the right fit yet.
If qualified: Jobs@DKPittsburghSports.com
An aside to anyone applying: Big-league reporting/writing/multimedia experience is an absolute must. We aren't a training ground or a stepping stone.
• Repeating for emphasis: Our goal for the coming year and beyond already was to get better, deeper and more current with our coverage, and through more platforms than ever while still prioritizing our brand's community (yooooooooooou) throughout.
• Also repeating: Best wishes to the 180 PG employees affected.
• As ever, I'll be in comments if there are any questions.
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