Thread by @trevlenz

Since it’s out there, next week will be my last at the Post-Gazette. It’s been a privilege to work with talented journalists who have covered intensely challenging stories (the Tree of Life massacre, local fallout from Catholic clergy sex abuse, Antwon Rose) with humanity. (1/)

https://twitter.com/trevlenz/status/1155174641905950720

The challenge of making a newspaper is its own beast, and outside of those big stories, I’m impressed daily by the work of our reporters, editors, designers, social folks, our INCREDIBLE visuals dept., etc. Y’all do incredible work day in and day out. (2/)

And I’m incredibly grateful for all I’ve learned here. I came to Pittsburgh last June with no page design experience, no digital production experience, not a ton of web experience. I’m leaving a more well-rounded journalist and I’ll appreciate that for my entire career. (3/)

THIS THREAD WILL NOW (4/)

It sucks going to work every day knowing the owner despises his ungrateful working-class employees. I know JR Block feels this way because I heard him say so in a drunken rant to the newsroom in January, just before he screamed in his crying daughter’s face & violently shook her.

For background, the PG newsroom hasn’t had a raise in 13 years. No contract in about two years; been in negotiations since. We’re suing the company for violating federal labor law, too. More on the guild’s fight here:

pghguild.com/2019/06/01/fre…

Since I joined last June, Block has:

- Fired @Rob_Rogers over cartoons critical of President Trump. His replacement’s marquee moment was a trio of misogynistic cartoons that I will not post
- Pushed out David Shribman after our Pulitzer-winning Tree of Life coverage

- Installed Keith Burris, author of “Reason as Racism,” a racist editorial, as head of the newsroom and editorial board, an obvious middle finger to objectivity
- Ordered a story about his time in a helicopter with the Doublemint Twins on Millionaire’s Row at the Kentucky Derby

- After his famous meltdown, the company denied that it was rant, but rather an expression of his concern for the legacy of the company. I saw this little bow-tied man make his daughter cry and knock over several bottles of hot sauce in rage, fam, it was a breakdown.

...they also called us liars. You know, the reporters that he was screaming at. I GOT NOTES!

Carrying on

JR Block has also:

- Recently decided that he dislikes four-column photos on the front page. Truly, a bizarre request. Until you look at the front that spurred the change

- Finally, went ahead with the choice to cut two print days in our effort to become a “digital news outlet.” Thing is, people here love their physical paper, and if we want to be a digital org, maybe fill the vacancies of our top two digital editors 🧐

Point being, the @PGNewsGuild DESERVES SO MUCH BETTER! And folks will continue to leave until things get better. I have loved the beautiful, frustrating challenge of working at a newspaper. I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped me learn. Too many talented folks to mention...

...but I love you all and will be fighting the fight with y’all from a distance. I don’t know what my next move is. But I know my worth. According to Block/BCI, it’s nothing. Less than nothing. They’d rather spend millions on a union-busting lawyer than to pay a living wage.

And with that, I’M OUT! Damn man I feel like Drake at an awards show sipping whatever rich person liquor Drake drinks. I’ll be in Pittsburgh for a couple weeks so let’s hang out before then. I LOVE YOU DAD I’M SO SORRY @TyBatiste. @angolds you’re the man. @StephChambers76 = GOAT

None of my work moms have twitter but S/O Karen, Patrice and Susan!!! All hail queen of News Slide @LRosenblatt_ and Podcast Czar @mttmoret y’all deserve more credit than you get. The sports department is CRAZY talented but special S/O @BrianBatko I’mma be sleeping on his couch!!

Libercus wizard @PiratesThings, the bad boys of sports production (FINK 🤟🏼, Carl, Joe, Randy, Rob, Brent, all my fathers), all-around great dude @BREAL412, my girl Kathy the stringer, MY GIRL SHARON THE CLEANING LADY, I’m gonna miss you all so much. This choice was very difficult

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL UNION! IT’S REALLY WILD OUT HERE!

AND HIRE ME!

AND ALSO

- THE PITTSBURGH LEFT IS MAD DANGEROUS & DRIVING HERE IS A JOKE, FIX IT
- PICKLESBURGH IS WILD OVERRATED, NOBODY CAN MOVE ON THAT BRIDGE
- SIDNEY CROSBY IS A CRYBABY
- AB84 IS MY FAVORITE 412 ATHLETE

One of the few 100% positive aspects of moving back to Raleigh is that I’ll be returning to a REAL #HockeyTown