Gannett overlords fire the Journal News’ best columnist

ROCKLAND COUNTY TIMES STAFF EDITORIAL

They fired who?

Phil Reisman, the best of the remaining columnists at the The Journal News (White Plains), has been unceremoniously axed by the vampire coven of headshrinkers who rule the Gannett Corporation.

A 38-year-veteran, Reisman was one of the White Plains newspaper’s most established and popular voices, known for enlightening the masses and insiders alike with his stories of local politics. He wielded a witty, sharp pen with a knack for boiling complex matters into digestible pablum. Despite showing no signs of rust or obsolescence, the superior craftsman was deemed “expendable” by inferior spirits.

Indeed, a talentless cadre of bean counters have been sucking the lifeblood out of the once formidable formerly Rockland-based daily newspaper for decades.

In the vacuum created by the death of the Journal News the Rockland County Times and other community media have gained traction.

Rockland County Times Publisher Dylan Skriloff stated, “If the Journal News continues to cannibalize itself, the Rockland County Times will in turn rededicate ourselves to filling in the gaps left in the marketplace.”

Reisman served mostly the Westchester-side of the river, but was known to one and all.

Reisman announced his forced retirement bluntly on social media this week, “FRIENDS,” he said. “Many years ago, an editor gave me some good writing advice: Get to the damn point. So I will. Today is my last day at The Journal News and lohud.com. Late this morning, I was called out of a meeting and told my job was being eliminated. I’ve been at it for 38 years– as a reporter, editor and “know-it-all” columnist. And while this comes as a hard kick in the ass, the silver lining is that I can finally begin to break my caffeine habit and pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a brain surgeon. (ha ha) To my loyal readers, I can’t begin to thank you. You were the reason I kept at it all these years. Collectively, you were the best boss I ever had.”