Following the unceremonious dismissal of Daily Progress editorialist, Jim “Lefty” Spencer, mere months ago, the newspaper seemingly has eliminated two other key positions.
Editor Lynne Anderson, who was named to her position in June 2021 has been erased from the paper’s masthead, and presumably, has been dismissed. Anderson’s biggest claim to fame was the hiring of Spencer—whose leftist, pro-Democrat tripe probably decimated the Progress’ subscription roll.
Joining her, in oblivion, is Eric Mayberry, now-former president and publisher of the Daily Progress, whose name and title also has been eradicated from the printed paper.
The short tenures (barely two years) of Spencer, Anderson, and Mayberry reflect universally tough times for the print-news business. But they also clearly exhibit the pitfalls of introducing wokonomics into news delivery. These deliberately “progressive” hires undoubtedly hastened the Daily Progress’ impending demise.
Left to pick up the paper’s shredded pieces is “City Editor” Reynolds Hutchins, who ultimately may best be remembered as the final name to appear on the print edition’s masthead.
The DP “NEWS”paper should just tell its readers/subscribers what’s going on, if it really wants to be trusted as a local news purveyor. The DP should also stop identifying press releases as “Staff Reports.” The one positive hope for the DP’s survival is veteran, trustworthy, accurate, enterprising reporter Hawes Spencer from The Hook weekly. A town/city like Charlottesville and its surrounding urbanizing County of Albemarle deserves and could support, I would hope, a Hook-type daily, but that will take a lot of work, honesty, original local journalism especially on city, county, and university government, as well as renewed trust building along with collaboration with other local independent news providers and local radio and TV news outlets. Day late national and world news needs to be reduced and timely local sports needs to be increased. It may all be too late and what a sad state of affairs that will be if a Charlottesville-Albemarle daily newspaper indeed dies and is buried after more than a century.
“GET WOKE, GO BROKE” For many years now DP has declined to report crimes, or give suspect descriptions, disallowed dissenting opinions of their stories online, so they shouldn’t be surprised when their paper is relegated to the bottom of the birdcage, to line the garbage pail, wrap fish or to supply the outhouse!
Can’t they just report the news without the spin?
I noticed after Mr. Spencer became the Opinion Editor the entire newspaper turned to a Leftist propaganda machine. I wrote them complaining of it (and posted comments periodically pointing out their lack of diversity of view, and arguing with various assertions in what was written), then noticed an occasional middle of the road or Right leaning opinion piece, which kept me going back and keeping my subscription. I ran into Mr. Spencer at an event where he was presenting, and he said they were bringing in some conservative opinion pieces periodically, which was accurate (but still a vast minority). It was not long after I heard his presentation that he left.
What I really notice now is the multiple online articles with no comments. Recognizing some people read only the hard print, or a PDF of it, I would think there would still be SOME readers online who would comment. I have often wondered that since they are owned by the same company who owns Richmond Times Dispatch, Roanoke times, Lynchburg, Waynesboro and others, if the would just get absorbed or merged into other Lee Enterprises publications, but pure speculation.