480967 Sat Jan 19 08:57:10 -0800 2008 10 33 Food Media and News 0 3311524 Apparently, the Union-Tribune's food writer and restaurant critic, Maria C. Hunt, is gone. The U-T published a story by her in last Thursday's Night & Day section on the new Fresh & Easy Market in Chula Vista. At the end it said Maria C. Hunt is the former restaurant critic for the paper. She had been there for four years. Also gone is the architecture critic, as well as some 15 to 20 other features writers and staff according to an report (not confirmed by the U-T) that was posted in another forum I read. Sat Jan 19 08:57:10 -0800 2008 109506 JeffSD 1 3311720 Yes, the food editor is also gone - they had a huge housecleaning and offered a buyout to many of their staff to retire early. I guess it's because the paper is suffering in terms of sales. They're talking about how the internet is the future, but I don't know who they think is going to write their online content. I guess we'll all be reading the LA or NY Times soon! Sat Jan 19 10:14:03 -0800 2008 3311524 11803 Alice Q 2 3312676 we're already reading the LA and NYT! :-) Sat Jan 19 16:31:34 -0800 2008 3311720 10853 daantaat 3 3312911 Same here, haven't subscribed to the U-T for years, although I do read it online now and then. Usually I can scan it for items of interest in, maybe, 3-4 minutes. Sat Jan 19 18:19:07 -0800 2008 3312676 109506 JeffSD 4 3313155 ...and those items were usually printed in the LAT the day before... I used to get both, but so often the UT was an entire day behind on so many articles. You would never think we lived in the 7th largest City in the Nation. The other day I picked up the business section- it was 4 pages. No joke. Not a Saturday. Sat Jan 19 20:36:46 -0800 2008 3312911 12123 Cathy 2 3315600 they are trying to cut costs in order to be more profitable. there has been a fair amount of reporting in a number of places regarding the Copley Press' efforts to sell off assets. in the Copley Press case, it seems to be related to estate tax issues. there is a current and related issue though regarding the LA Times firing their chief editor... Sun Jan 20 20:00:10 -0800 2008 3311720 31795 ibstatguy 1 3311849 The Union-Tribune is the amazing shrinking newspaper. Think how many trees are saved! Sat Jan 19 11:04:05 -0800 2008 3311524 65763 Encinitan 1 3313170 She revealed herself in a picture for a most eligible bachlor story. I do think that UTs Mexico coverage is probably among the best in the country. Sat Jan 19 20:43:51 -0800 2008 3311524 14086 kare_raisu 1 3315634 The U-T is a weak paper and their editorials are normally extremely biased right wing hit pieces while their "news" tends to be AP articles off of the wire. They're not offering anything of local interest now either. Why would anyone bother buying their over priced paper? Sun Jan 20 20:12:25 -0800 2008 3311524 101252 oerdin 1 3317579 Is anyone out there watching "The Wire"? It's focusing on the newspapers and how they're being encouraged to "do more with less". Sounds a lot like what's happening here. Mon Jan 21 13:11:08 -0800 2008 3311524 10784 Scrapironchef 2 3317746 I wish I could get The Wire, but can't afford HBO in addition to Showtime. I see reruns on BET and it's perhaps the best show ever on TV. Since the creators of the show are former reporters for The Baltimore Sun, this season, sadly the last, looks very compelling. As for the UT, it sounds exactly like what most people predicted when its new publisher took over. Mon Jan 21 13:52:28 -0800 2008 3317579 104864 Pete Oldtown