John Kessler: no longer a food writer, and other news
April 14, 2009 at 6:17 pm by Scott Henry in News
Jon Kessler
Today was the day the AJC’s writers and editors found out what their new jobs will be — sort of. I’m still trying to get a copy of the reorg list, but I’ve heard that many longtime journalists don’t understand what some of it means. I’m told the list includes no cops reporters, but common sense dictates that someone’s gotta cover crime. Will it fall to general-assignment reporters? I’ve yet to talk to anyone who knows.
There are several people with the title “breaking news reporter.” Again, what does that mean? And I’m told the county government reporters seem to have had the local school boards added to their beats — but then there are other reporters who will be covering K-8 education. On the face of it, that division of labor would seem to make no sense.
The reorg also seems to have divided reporters into two groups: daily and Sunday. James Salzer, for instance, is listed as “Sunday state government reporter.” Does that mean if the governor says something stupid on a Tuesday, someone else writes about it?
Perhaps we’ll have answers to all of these questions and more Thursday, when reporters are scheduled to meet with editors about their new duties.
It’s no surprise that the new assignments have taken some employees aback. John Kessler, the one-time restaurant critic and longtime food writer, posted this notice on his Facebook page:
John Kessler is no longer a food writer at the AJC. Zowie.
Instead, the always entertaining Kessler is now a “Sunday profile writer.” Let’s hope he enjoys it.
April 14th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Thoughts on Kessler’s reassignment from an old Loafer: http://bit.ly/5QMx
April 14th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
I enjoy the use of Zowie.
April 14th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
what in the hell is going on over there? i give them 18 months, then the printed product will stop; they’ll be web-only (if they’re lucky…)
April 14th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Oh to be the person who designs the reorg charts. They’ll always have a job.
April 14th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
Zowie. What’s the big deal about Kessler? The AJC has a terrific dining critic: Her name is Meridith Ford. But it no longer has an art critic, a classical music critic, a theater critic or a movie critic. Say goodbye to Catherine Fox, Pierre Ruhe and Wendell Brock. And while we are at it: Bye-bye Drew Jubera, Jim Auchmutey, Phil Kloer and Moni Basu. Excellent writers, all. Zowie, indeed.
April 15th, 2009 at 7:33 am
Ford is terrific?
April 15th, 2009 at 9:41 am
Damn — I’ve really been enjoying Kessler’s food writing. I wonder if there’s a chance he could continue the great food blog he’s had on the AJC site?
April 16th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
That sort of reorg will have us reorganizing our priorities about reading the AJC. John Kessler is one of the best food writers in the country. Your story shows the level of intelligence running the AJC. With so many layoffs, all the institutional memory is gone.