![The Onion’s Bumpy Ride to Chicago
The Onion is in the midst of the biggest upheaval in the newspaper’s 24-year history. This week, its editorial team in New York City begins the first phase of its move to Chicago, as staffers clean out their desks, put the writer’s room table up for sale on Craigslist, and move to a temporary office a few blocks away in preparation for the final move to the Windy City that’s slated for July. But as it stands, the beloved publication will lose the bulk of its comedy talent in the process. […]
But ever since the closing of the New York office was announced in September, the editorial staff of America’s funniest fake newspaper has been mounting a stiff resistance, using both the paper’s pages and even some behind-the-scenes dealmaking to find a new owner that would let them stay in Manhattan. And the surviving editorial team is preparing to do without the holdouts. “Losing those guys is tough,” head writer Seth Riess said. “Everyone who works at The Onion brings their own unique voice. But we do have the personnel to continue doing great stuff. I would not be going if I didn’t believe that.”
The holdouts are less confident that the editorial magic will survive the turnover of two-thirds of the staff. “Nothing against Chicago. I think it’s a great town. But we’re here in the center of everything and it’s still a challenge to find good people,” said one of the refuseniks, who worried that without “that core group … you don’t have anyone to carry the torch.”
Read more. [Image: AP]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1an1tbsR41qcokc4o1_1280.jpg)
The Onion’s Bumpy Ride to Chicago
The Onion is in the midst of the biggest upheaval in the newspaper’s 24-year history. This week, its editorial team in New York City begins the first phase of its move to Chicago, as staffers clean out their desks, put the writer’s room table up for sale on Craigslist, and move to a temporary office a few blocks away in preparation for the final move to the Windy City that’s slated for July. But as it stands, the beloved publication will lose the bulk of its comedy talent in the process. […]
But ever since the closing of the New York office was announced in September, the editorial staff of America’s funniest fake newspaper has been mounting a stiff resistance, using both the paper’s pages and even some behind-the-scenes dealmaking to find a new owner that would let them stay in Manhattan. And the surviving editorial team is preparing to do without the holdouts. “Losing those guys is tough,” head writer Seth Riess said. “Everyone who works at The Onion brings their own unique voice. But we do have the personnel to continue doing great stuff. I would not be going if I didn’t believe that.”
The holdouts are less confident that the editorial magic will survive the turnover of two-thirds of the staff. “Nothing against Chicago. I think it’s a great town. But we’re here in the center of everything and it’s still a challenge to find good people,” said one of the refuseniks, who worried that without “that core group … you don’t have anyone to carry the torch.”
Read more. [Image: AP]
