Dead End Job, Corrosive Work Environment and Worst Newsroom in Which I Have Ever Worked.
Pros
Salary was not terrible, but not inline with the current job market, and you lose out once you consider benefits and the cost of commuting and toll the job takes on your family.
Cons
No drive to win or break news. Editors who are too afraid to be first and happy to follow others on major scoops. They champion lack of competition and love to talk about how they are the only game in town, which are not winning qualities in the news business. Stories that sits for weeks, months or do not run at all. Too focused on the newspaper versus new media. Corrosive newsroom culture which leads to low morale and infectious level of unhappiness. Problematic level of racism. It's a culture where people are trying to cover their own but and will throw you under the bus, leading to a day-to-day environment in which you do not know who to trust. Employees who feel like they are trapped, especially those who are raising families on Long Island. Expectation to be at your desk with vindictive editors who want you there because they have to be there. Company policy during a blizzards where there is a state-wide warning to avoid the roads: non-essential employees are expected to come to the office or forfeit personal days instead of being allowed to work from home. Lots of unimportant meetings. Cheap when it comes to sourcing and expense accounts. Always about five-10 years behind the rest of the industry when it comes to being on the cutting edge. Poor mentorship. Don't listen to employees, and a culture in which people employees are reprimanded for lodging constructive criticism. Lots of talk but no action, or action that is not substantive. Lots of attrition. Terrible benefits, with multiple employees have complained of going into debt because of high high deductible health care plan. No leave for parents to be. People joke that this is a place you go to pasture. Sadly, it's true. Newsday = Dead end.