University of Virginia Library

Emphasis Shifts Back

As the Progress stands now it
has made the shift back from its
emphasis on local news to the
original format of giving front page
space to state and national news.
However, it still fills much of its
space with syndicated columns and
wire stories which are less expensive
than running stories written by
Progress staffers.

And, although the staff is
composed of eager, often talented
young people, very few of the
reporters have lived in the
Charlottesville -Albemarle area any
length of time, thus do not have a
great deal of established contacts or
experience in the area. The news
staff is predominantly female, with
University student wives and
students making a sizable part of
the Progress writing force.

Why allow good, experienced
reporters to leave? Mr. Mount says
the reason is simple: "They get up
to where we can't afford them."
Many of the Progress reporters who
have departed are now working on
bigger and better-known papers,
such as the Washington Star and
The Cincinnati Post and Times Star.

Mr. Runser claimed "The old
management was trying to stabilize
the paper. It got good people and
paid them well."