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Bill Garner cut from the Washington Times

Alan Gardner141 mins

I was tipped off that Bill Garner, editorial cartoonist for the Washington Times, has been let go. Another source has confirmed it, but details are sketchy. Apparently the whole editorial page and commentary employees were required to re-apply for their own jobs back in January.

I’ll post details as they’re reported.

UPDATE: Rob Tornoe has some details over on his blog.

UPDATE #2: Rob talks gets a hold of Bill to talk about the lay-off.

14 thoughts on “Bill Garner cut from the Washington Times”

  1. “Apparently the whole editorial page and commentary employees were required to re-apply for their own jobs back in January.”

    Re-apply? I’m eager to hear just what that means.

  2. Them: “Go out the door, come back in again and pretend this is the first time you’ve ever met me and you’re here to apply for a job.”

    You: “Hi. I’m _________ and I’m here to apply for a job at the newspaper.”

    Them: “Are you kidding me? Having you heard what’s happening to newspapers in this economy?!? Get out of here, you silly goose!”

    The End.

  3. Richard Amberg, the associate publisher and general manager, and acting interim editorial page editor, told this to E&P:

    ?We want fresh content, timely content, lively content. Things syndicated offer appear on the Web before they are syndicated.?

    He also said the Times will use less syndicated material and more of its own content both in print and online.

    I don’t know how “less syndicated material” and “cutting your staff cartoonist” meld.

  4. Richard Amberg, the associate publisher and general manager, and acting interim editorial page editor, told this to E&P:

    ?We want fresh content, timely content, lively content. Things syndicated offer appear on the Web before they are syndicated.?

    Hmmm…. Seems that the WT recognizes the stale nature of “conservative” editorials, and is yearning for more edgy material than the maggot ridden corpses of syndication.

    Just a guess.

    KRANKY

  6. ?We want fresh content, timely content, lively content. Things syndicated offer appear on the Web before they are syndicated.?

    He also said the Times will use less syndicated material and more of its own content both in print and online.

    That’s duplicitous, disingenuous, and downright dishonest. And that’s just the “d” words.

    I hope Garner can continue to ply his trade elsewhere. I also hope Amberg is on the street selling pencils within a week. I don’t EXPECT that to happen before the end of the year though.

  7. “I hope Garner can continue to ply his trade elsewhere.”

    Well, not as an editorial cartoonist for a newspaper. There’s a long line of them ahead of him in the unemployment line.

  8. nothing but double speak, reapply could mean if you want to keep your job, take a paycut or lose your job, nice either way.

  9. I’ve been a Washington Star/Times reader for decades. Bill Garner’s cartoons were always something I always looked forward to reading — so much more professional than the Other Paper’s current and previous “cartoonists”.

    Bill, with your talent, you should have no trouble getting syndicated. Best of luck from a Garner fan.

  10. The Bill Garner cartoons were the highlight of reading the Washington Times Editorial pages. I am truly sorry he was let go.

  11. Mr. Amberg,

    You mad a HUGE mistake in firing Bill Garner, although you will not admit to his firing. Bill Garner made the editorial page ,Fresh, lively and timely content !!! You must be crazy. Bill Garner had all of those qualities and you forced him out. Bill Garner is a talented person and I find that you do not understand that. Sorry, Mr. Amberg, you forced a good man off of the Washington Times. The present cartoonist just cannot cut it.

  12. Bill Garner was the only reason that I looked at the times.

    so long times, sorry but you had to re apply for your job and guess what, you got cut.

  13. As one of the Washington Times employees who was cut (I was in the Sports Dept., which was totally shut down) I predict that the Times will go the way of its predecessor, the Washington Star. It will die and rightly so. Anybody who will give the wonderfully talented Bill Garner the pink slip is a buffoon and a total idiot.

  14. To the Washington Times:

    I, being a gentleman, will not say what I think of the
    “Times” for letting Bill Garner go. My secretary being
    a lady can not type it, but you being neither should get
    the idea.

    M. M. Shoaf

    PS: Your new format stinks.

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