Asheville Citizen-Times axes Mountain News product and at least two reporters, two copy editors

The Asheville Citizen-Times today announced that it was ceasing publication of the weekly Mountain News and cutting the jobs of reporters Julie Ball and Andre Rodriguez, as well as two unnamed copy editors. No further details.

Comments

[Lena]

Damn. Julie is certainly one of the best they had!!!!!!!

[Bulldog]

What a shame for Julie. Known her since our days together on the Blue Banner at UNCA. Good journalist.

[Dtown fan]

That sucks for Julie. She has been there for more than 15 years and was probably doing the paper a favor by taking that Mountain News gig. She deserves better than that. I'm curious who got nailed from the copy desk. Don't worry, Julie. It may be tough tonight, but the light is much brighter away from the paper.

[actobserver]

any news on publisher randy hammer? he is the one person who is responsible for so many of the recent problems and turmoil in what's left of this newspaper. perhaps "the hammer" has bought himself some time due to the lawsuits and hr actions taken against him. in time he's also gone because of all this mess.

and what about phil hernandez? is he still in hiding? maybe he should be given his lack of leadership and the quality of the product that remains.

a sad ending for the asheville citizen-times.

[Lightnin']

Julie was always nice to me and always helpful when I needed work as a freelancer. One of the real good folks in a business of sometimes gruff people. Tough break, but I know she'll wind up somewhere better.

Jonathan Rich

[Martha]

I hope this leads for something better for Julie. Totally class act.

[used to be in news]

Actoberver's observation is correct. The quality of reporting is at an all time low. Circulation is at an all time low. In the mid 90s circulation hovered in the 85,000 thousand range. The recent audit shows daily circulation is under 50,000. The economy and the internet play into the decline of newspapers yet those two factors are not entirely to blame. Reporting 101 - write about what people want to read about.

[Lena]

My thoughts are with Julie, Andre and Coby; damn good employees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Such a shame they let 3 superior people like them go!!