Everett Herald Journalists Denounce Bosses Proposal to Tie Their Wages to Grueling Story Quotas

Journalists at the Daily Herald in Everett, WA, are denouncing management's proposal to link their wages to stringent story quotas, which they believe compromises the integrity of journalism. The Everett NewsGuild has mobilized community support, urging residents to send letters to the editor in opposition to this proposal as contract negotiations approach. The management's wage offer of $20. 50 per hour is alarmingly low compared to the estimated living wage of $29. 59 per hour in Snohomish County, raising serious concerns about the viability of local journalism.

This situation follows a significant reduction in newsroom staff, with Carpenter Media Group laying off half of the Herald's journalists earlier this year. As a result, the remaining reporters are pushed to generate more stories under increasingly difficult conditions, which critics argue will lead to a decline in quality journalism. The urgency of the matter is underscored by the broader trend of shrinking news outlets across Washington, with a 20% decline in newspapers since 2004. Local reporters are emphasizing the need for meaningful coverage rather than a flood of low-quality content driven by arbitrary quotas. The public is being encouraged to advocate for fair wages and the preservation of ethical journalism by sending their letters to letters@heraldnet.

com before the December 11 bargaining session.