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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRob Rogers: I Was Fired for Making Fun of Trump
I Was Fired for Making Fun of Trump
By Rob Rogers
Mr. Rogers joined The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as an editorial cartoonist in 1993. He worked there until this week. In 1999, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
June 15, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/15/opinion/cartoonist-rob-rogers-trump-fired.html
I shouldve seen it coming. When I had lunch with my new boss a few months ago, he informed me that the papers publisher believed that the editorial cartoonist was akin to an editorial writer, and that his views should reflect the philosophy of the newspaper.
I was trained in a tradition in which editorial cartoonists are the live wires of a publication as one former colleague put it, the constant irritant. Our job is to provoke readers in a way words alone cant. Cartoonists are not illustrators for a publishers politics.
When I was hired in 1993, The Post-Gazette was the liberal newspaper in town, but it always prided itself on being a forum for a lot of divergent ideas. The change in the paper did not happen overnight. From what I remember, it started in 2011, with the endorsement of the Republican candidate for Pennsylvania governor, which shocked a majority of our readership. The next big moment happened in late 2015, when my longtime boss, the editorial page editor, took a buyout after the publisher indicated that the paper might endorse Mr. Trump. Then, early this year, we published openly racist editorials.
Things really changed for me in March, when management decided that my cartoons about the president were too angry and said I was obsessed with Trump. This about a president who has declared the free press one of the greatest threats to our country.
By Rob Rogers
Mr. Rogers joined The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as an editorial cartoonist in 1993. He worked there until this week. In 1999, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
June 15, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/15/opinion/cartoonist-rob-rogers-trump-fired.html
I shouldve seen it coming. When I had lunch with my new boss a few months ago, he informed me that the papers publisher believed that the editorial cartoonist was akin to an editorial writer, and that his views should reflect the philosophy of the newspaper.
I was trained in a tradition in which editorial cartoonists are the live wires of a publication as one former colleague put it, the constant irritant. Our job is to provoke readers in a way words alone cant. Cartoonists are not illustrators for a publishers politics.
When I was hired in 1993, The Post-Gazette was the liberal newspaper in town, but it always prided itself on being a forum for a lot of divergent ideas. The change in the paper did not happen overnight. From what I remember, it started in 2011, with the endorsement of the Republican candidate for Pennsylvania governor, which shocked a majority of our readership. The next big moment happened in late 2015, when my longtime boss, the editorial page editor, took a buyout after the publisher indicated that the paper might endorse Mr. Trump. Then, early this year, we published openly racist editorials.
Things really changed for me in March, when management decided that my cartoons about the president were too angry and said I was obsessed with Trump. This about a president who has declared the free press one of the greatest threats to our country.
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Rob Rogers: I Was Fired for Making Fun of Trump (Original Post)
Miles Archer
Jun 2018
OP
A political cartoonist drawing political cartoons?? Since when is this a firing offense?!
Rhiannon12866
Jun 2018
#4
DeminPennswoods
(15,290 posts)1. John Jr and Allan Block
have completely wrecked the PG's editorial page. It now reflects the extreme rw ideology of both. Their father, John Block, Sr, must be rolling in his grave.
lunasun
(21,646 posts)2. Censored . Must respect leader !! Hail trumpo
scarletwoman
(31,893 posts)3. This is NOT acceptable!
Free speech? Free Press? Free country? Do we just stand by and let the Deplorables take over everything?
question everything
(47,535 posts)6. Some newspaers "compromise" keep the biting in-house one
who won a Pulitzer some years back, but on a once or twice a week they use the nasty Ramirez, or Lisa Benson..
Rhiannon12866
(206,016 posts)4. A political cartoonist drawing political cartoons?? Since when is this a firing offense?!
syringis
(5,101 posts)7. Hi Rhiannon, how are you ?
Since we live in Trump era...
This is the sole acceptable standard :
Rhiannon12866
(206,016 posts)8. Hello, my friend! At least this interminable week is over!
And I knew that woman looked familiar! She was just on with Stephen Colbert on Wednesday!
How North Korea Is Reporting The Summit
Here's how North Korea's state-sponsored media is reporting the historic summit.
murielm99
(30,761 posts)5. Long time readers should write angry letters.
If they don't get published in that paper, find another outlet. Cancel subscriptions and make sure they know why.
babydollhead
(2,231 posts)9. Kick