Akron Beacon Journal editorial cartoonist Chip Bok has taken a buy-out after 22 years with the Akron Ohio paper. This was the third buy-out offer for his paper’s employees and Chip decided that now was the time to try something else.
“Everyone knows that the newspaper industry is grim right now. The rust belt is perhaps more grim than elsewhere,” he told me. He plans on continuing his syndication work with Creators and work on other projects. His last cartoon and day with the paper is next week on the 13th of October.
So how many professional editorial cartoonists are left?
There might as well be a little ticker somewhere on this blog counting down the number.
I’d say a lot more buyouts are going to follow but there aren’t many people left to axe.
If only editorial cartoonist were cute like pandas rather than being a bunch of wrinkly old men. Then maybe the public would get excited about saving them.
I have a great Chip Bok original hanging in my den from the years when I was covering the military for Knight-Ridder (remember them — they owned Chip’s paper?). Glad he will continue to draw!
Its a long long long time overdue.He is never funny,insightful or clever.Always biased.