Times are tough in newsrooms across the nation. How tough? According to a memo sent to Jim Romenesko at poynter.org, it almost came to this for election-night reporters at the News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C.:
From: “Susan Spring”
Date: November 3, 2008 11:46:07 AM EST
To: [Raleigh News & Observer staff]
Subject: Pizza etiquetteI want to remind you that pizza will be provided tomorrow night ONLY for
those working on elections. Please be polite. If you are working elections, you may have up to TWO slices. Thank you in advance for being considerate.Susan Spring
Director of Newsroom Operations
The News & Observer
(919) 829-4860
John Drescher, the paper’s executive editor, later clarified the two-slice rule:
There will be no two-slice limit Tuesday night (although if Susan Spring chases you with a knife in her hand, you are on your own). And anyone who is here can partake.