A Picture Worth a Thousand Bylines
Since launch in 2009, TheWrap has proven to be a fertile training ground for entertainment journalists. Among the earliest examples of reporters who worked under Sharon Waxman before moving on to other outlets are Amy Kaufman (now with the LA Times), Josef Adalian (Vulture), Hunter Walker (New York Observer), Josh Dickey (Variety), Jeff Sneider (Variety) and Dominic Patten (Deadline).
Still, with the recent departure of Jason Scoggins, Cindy Kaplan and Joshua L. Weinstein for Film Funds LLC, the following photo now stands as a rather graphic representation of the kind of turnover Waxman (and others in the space like The Hollywood Reporter and the LA Times) must sometimes deal with. Of the ten people flanking Waxman in this April 1, 2011 birthday celebration snapshot obtained by FishbowlLA, only one person remains employed with the start-up company today.
That would be TV reporter Tim Kenneally, third from right, peeking out from the back with a healthy dose of red-eye. The nine other staffers pictured are all gone. From left to right: Jay Burnley (head of marketing, It’s On The Grid); Diane Garrett (news editor); Kaplan (It’s On The Grid); Shannon Robb (account executive); Angela Silak (personal assistant to Waxman); Scoggins (chief product officer); Sheri Jennings (vp, media strategy and ad sales); Kenneally; Frank Anderson (IT); Weinstein (film writer).
To be fair, a number of people with the TheWrap – then and now – are not shown in the photo, including stalwart pros Lew Harris and Steve Pond. However, also missing are several more since-departed TheWrap personnel: reporter-at-large Johnnie L. Roberts; ad sales rep Barry Yudess; film writer Kurt Orzeck; news editor Daniel Frankel.
We alluded above to the LA Times, which at one point was dealing with a similar level of turnover at its Calendar section. Although that one-time crazy flow has since stabilized, Waxman has still managed to poach several high-profile LAT-ers including Lisa Fung, who now oversees TheWrap’s newsroom as executive editor, and Stacey Farish, recently installed as publisher. TheWrap’s director of sales Caren Gibbens was also previously with LAT.
Ultimately, file the above photo under “As the Entertainment Journalism World Churns.”
