The Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs (AOCDS) announced on Dec. 27 that they have hired former Orange County Register reporter Kimberly Edds. That is a great move for them as she is a terrific reporter and I am sure she will excel as their new Director of Communications.
Edds is just the latest of many fine Orange County news reporters who have quit the newspaper industry in the last few years. Jean Pasco, who covered political news for the L.A. Times, retired to go work for Orange County Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly. Jennifer Delson took an early retirement from the L.A. Times too and she now owns her own public relations firm. And Jennifer Muir, who wrote for the O.C. Register, now handles communications for the Orange County Employees Association (OCEA).
It is somewhat disturbing to local conservatives to see news reporters end up working for unions, but these reporters have to find a way to make a living – and the newspapers are slowly dying. The minute the newspaper hits your driveway, it is already old news. I can pick up my Kindle Fire or my cell phone and get more up to date news, for free. How can newspapers compete with that?
To make matters worse for the L.A. Times and the O.C. Register, they have had to cut back considerably due to budget constraints – as many of their advertising clients have gone out of business.
But it does give one pause now – every time you read an article you have to wonder, is the reporter really reporting, or is he or she pandering for a new job?