Metro Pulse proves the only universal constant is change
by Scott McNutt
Plus ca change, plus c'est la même chose. I was going to begin this column by noting that, 12 autumns past, President Bush was pondering war against belligerent Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Meanwhile, Metro Pulse was being published in Knoxville. Then I was going to note that now, 12 autumns later...President Bush is pondering war against belligerent Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein...and Metro Pulse is being published in Knoxville. This was meant to symbolize the meaning of the nifty, foreign-language-type quote above. Then I was going to kick back and tell myself how cool I am.
But Metro Pulse began publication in the fall of 1991, pointed out our systems manager, Ian Blackburn (who was actually there at the time; he must know what he's talking about).
So my introductory paragraph is ruined. I hate sticklers for historical accuracy. More precisely, I hate Ian.
But that's beside the point. The point is that this column isn't going to be your usual run-of-the-mill satirical, funny- as-heck "Snarls."
Some of you will be disappointed. Some of you will be relieved. Some of you will say, "It's supposed to be funny?"
This time it's about serious stuff. It's about change—about the shifts and slants, the surge-aheads and shove-backs, the sacrifices and satisfactions, and the sometimes-giant sucking sounds of life in the alternative newsweekly biz.
You see, a few months back, Joe Sullivan wrote a column about the rash of comings and goings at our scruffy little paper. He concluded by hoping it was the last time he'd have to make such announcements for "a good long time to come." Well, we've had another spate o' changes, but Joe doesn't want to write about them. I will.
First up, after a brief maternity leave, A&E editor Adrienne Martini has rejoined us part-time. We're sure baby Madeline misses momma, and all we can say is, tough luck, kid. We had first dibs.
Speaking of babies, production manager Jill Knight decided she wanted to be a full-time mom to her baby, Mary. While we're sad to lose Jill, having Rick Baldwin step into the production manager role ensures a definite sense of continuity. After all, Rick's been cartooning for the 'Pulse since '92 (winner of several SPJ Golden Press Card first place awards for editorial cartoons), and he's been a designer with us for a while now.
We have several newbies, too: Jennifer White, who will graduate from UT in December, is described by Rick Baldwin as "sort of our new 'chief designer.'" Another new hire, Klair Kimmey, operates her own design company, K.Kimmey Design, in Loudon (alliterative appellations simply lilt off the lips, don't you think?), and our newest designer, Hao Chov, recently moved here from Chattanooga ("The air quality just wasn't bad enough," explains Chov) where she did ad agency design work. Account executive Donna Mingie joins us after a stint with the News Sentinel. Donna brings to Metro Pulse a big smile and lots of positive energy. But she only shares 'em with clients. John Simmons shares the account executive title, a big cubicle, and the occasional rubber band war with Donna. A 27-year-old UT graduate from Memphis, John loves "comedies, dogs, and cold beverages."
Beth Tran left the security of a government accounting position to become Metro Pulse's accounting manager. Many of her friends now question her sanity. We do, too.
Okay, combine all that with all our other departures and slightly less-new arrivals (including yours truly), and you're talking major upheaval, folks.
But that's a strength of this rag; we've been transmogrifying all along. (If you don't believe me, check out "The History of Metro Pulse" on our website.) So even if we, the MP people, aren't used to change, Metro Pulse, the institution, is.
It sounds corny (how can it not?), but the 'Pulse has a solid organizational foundation to build upon, and a strong journalistic tradition to draw from. The tools are there. We newbies just have to take them and make an old cliché—"the more things change, the more they stay the same"—better.
So we can be here 12 autumns hence. Along with Bush and Hussein, probably.
(Title with apologies to Scott Adams.)
October 17, 2002 * Vol. 12, No. 42
© 2002 Metro Pulse
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