Orlando Sentinel lays off Ellen Lynch, Autumn Heep
Casualties of recent layoffs at the Orlando Sentinel included two visual journalists: Ellen Lynch and Autumn Heep.
The two had a combined history of less than seven months with the Sentinel. Autumn tells me, in fact:
I’ve only been here 10 weeks. I *just* got my Florida license plates.
Sigh…
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ELLEN
Ellen and Sara Stewart of the Arizona
Daily Star at SND/Orlando, 2006.
Photo by Matt Erickson.
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A graduate of Marquette University, Ellen spent two years with the Albuquerque Journal, designing features and zoned editions. In 2005, she moved to The State in Columbia, S.C., designing Metro, Biz and A1. She started work at the Sentinel January 30.
A few samples of her work:
See more in her NewsPageDesigner gallery.
Ellen happened to be back in Milwaukee this weekend for a college reunion. She took the opportunity to make use of the facilities at her alma mater. She writes:
I’m feeling much better about my options after having a long talk with the MU Career Service counselor. It makes it seem a lot less scary then it was a few days ago.
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AUTUMN
A 2004 graduate of Syracuse University, Autumn worked a summer internship at the Post-Standard and then stuck around to work there full-time. She began work at the Sentinel May 19.
A few samples of her work:
See more in her NewsPageDesigner gallery. Find Autumn’s personal online portfolio here.
I can’t get over how chipper Autumn sounded in her e-mail response to me Monday:
Even though it’s awful news and it’s not a nice feeling to not have a job, I think it’ll be OK. My boyfriend lives in Australia, I can move there for a while. I can give to political campaigns now. And other things journalists “shouldn’t” do.
Feel free to mention me on the blog. Any job offers in Brisbane, Australia would be especially appreciated. ;)
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If you have positions to fill, dear reader, please think of Ellen and Autumn.
July 29th, 2008 at 3:05 am
Whaaaaaat?
Are you freakin’ kidding me? These are two girls who have incredible amounts of talent to spare, and the two of them JUST STARTED! Sigh.
July 29th, 2008 at 3:13 am
Oh, Ellen and Autumn, I’m so so sorry. If there’s anything I can do for either of you, please let me know.
July 29th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Sam Zell, world’s biggest douchebag.
July 29th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Nice planning by the people in charge of visuals.
Didn’t they hire someone a few weeks ago?
July 29th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Sorry to hear the news, Lynch Mob and Scrap Heep. Stay positive, or try to, even though I know it’s difficult. You’ll land on your feet before you know it.
July 29th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Seriously, Autumn is great, she always stayed up late on Visual Editors chat room with me last summer and has always offered good advice. Keep the chipper spirit and she’ll beat us all.
July 29th, 2008 at 11:42 am
Awful news. Sorry to hear that.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Thanks Charles and thanks for the kind responses.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
For all those working for Tribune Co. I wish you all well and get the hell out of there. Tribune is a freight train wreck waiting to happen. You both are probably better off. I am predicting Tribune will go backrupt next year. You have both been “Zell”-ed.
For Ellen and Autumn, I wish you both the best of luck in finding a new gig. For me, it’s been tough looking for a new job but you will manage. Keep the faith!
July 29th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
You both have the skills to succeed wherever it is that you choose to go. So I have complete faith that you all will bounce back better than ever. But, that doesn’t change the fact that the situation sucks. Hugs all the way around.
July 29th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
news of this made me wtf-ing with rage the other night. i want everyone and i mean EVERYONE to get out of newspapers. if not voluntarily, everyone will involuntarily eventually.
i’m so sorry ellen and autumn. good luck.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
I have to echo Autumn and thank Charles and everyone else for all the kind words. It really means a lot.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
But don’t worry, the Orlando redesign is going to save newspapers!
July 29th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
This is terrible … two great designers, who I’ve been friends with for years, getting axed before they can even get settled in. Sigh.
Good luck, you two, and I’ll echo Megs in offering whatever help I can.
July 29th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Oh NO!!!!
Autumn and Ellen. I’m so sorry!!!!
It is really tough out there, and I just want you two to know that thing will get better. You two have MAD skills. I wish you all the best, and I just know you two will land on your feet.
Hang in there. I’ll do what I can to help you out. Just let me know what I can do, and I’ll keep my ears open.
July 29th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
This is all a sad and diverting event to be sure.
It is staggering to see the far reaches of the disintegration.
It makes one begin to think of it all, in its massive and complex state.
The newspaper industry, once a huge ball of infinite possibility, now seemingly changing into a self-consuming, ever-collapsing monstrosity. Crushing under the weight of its incapacity to compensate.
We, the hopeful minions, stand and watch, wondering is this a natural downturn or is it beyond that.
Is it that we are merely viewing its own self propelled momentum into deeper turbulence, along with all its desperate flailing over what business model to take; where and how to move what capitol it has left; tossing redesigns in its path; throwing away people seeking buoyancy. Sadly, it is those people that constitute it’s biggest investment, its brain trust if you will, minds that may indeed fix this problem, if only asked.
What will be left may very well be a terribly weakened publication or worse, an inert form of media, something in the back row of relevance, a novelty act supported by nostalgia.
What encourages me is that most things are undying, especially ideas. Methinks there are enough balanced and well tempered journalists out there that are capable of making a simple idea that is a newspaper come alive once again. A regrowth of interest in a vibrant world illustrated on newsprint.
July 29th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
The industry is in full-on cannibal mode. It’s sickening to see bright sparks like Ellen and Autumn chewed up in this manner as a perfectly good newspaper cuts its way to ‘excellence.’
Fortunately, Ellen and Autumn, you’re talented, spirited and young, so you’ll end up OK. This is just a shitty little detour.
There are some newspaper execs and shareholders, however, who should go ahead, jump off the ledge and spare us any more reckless stupidity. You’re not going to convince me that hastening our industry’s destruction — by canning the talent — is going to make the nation or the world a better place.
July 29th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
What a damn shame. Count me in, Ellen and Autumn, if there’s anything I can do.
Every day, I’m happier that I got out of newspapers. God bless y’all who have stayed and managed to survive and even thrive.
My advice, for what it’s worth: Put your creative sparks to work on something else, guys - something you can enjoy. We all lived and breathed newspapers, but there’s a bigger world out there.
Fuck the penny-pinching, spare-changing suits in charge of journalism. They disgrace a craft they know nothing about, yet they try to run it anyway. What a joke.
July 31st, 2008 at 3:19 pm
This is a daily posting, good people losing jobs. What smacks the most is that a promotion was announced not too long after the ax fell. That, my friends, is what we call poor timing. If someone is going to gain another rung on the ladder it shouldn’t be shortly after other rungs were set ablaze. Or am I stupid?