How Outsourcing Will Hurt Albany

The Times Union employees’ contract prevents jobs from being outsourced. But the Times Union recently took the unprecedented move of canceling that contract. The paper is putting the finishing touches on a system that will allow work – editing and layout of your local paper – to be done by people in Houston, Texas.

That means editors who don’t know how to spell Rensselaer or Schaghticoke, or even who our local elected officials are. That means you’ll be getting bill collection calls from Houston. When your paper’s not delivered, you might be calling a Texan. Already, advertisers who have even $50 outstanding on their credit have been denied from taking out a $5,000 ad. Imagine a full feature page of generic national fluff, with a tiny local story stuck in just for effect.

No, it doesn’t make sense for business. It doesn’t make sense for readers. And it doesn’t make sense for the local economy. Those are good-paying jobs being shipped out of the area, leaving fewer people able to buy a new car or dine out at a local restaurant.

Canceling your subscription may hurt the paper in the short run, but we’re hoping those at the Hearst corporate headquarters will see firsthand that the Capital Region says, "Hands off our local newspaper!"