Those hoping for the Spec site to return will be happy to hear that, according to editor-in-chief Melissa Repko, “the website should be back up again in the next 24 hours.” In the meantime, though, tipsters have provided a more complete picture of what brought the site down.
According to sources, a group of managing board members, including now-former online editor Ryan Bubinski, have expressed unhappiness with the leadership of Repko and managing editor Elizabeth Simins, and have been meeting to discuss changes to the managing and corporate board structures. These sources say that, when Repko and Simins refused to allow discussion of the proposals at a tomorrow night’s staff meeting, (several editors planned to bring the ideas up anyway), Bubinski decided to take the website down until the demands put forward by the managing board members were met. Spectator editors did not respond to requests for comment yet have declined to comment on advice of counsel. More to follow shortly.
UPDATE (6:15 PM): The following is Bubinski’s resignation letter from Friday afternoon.
“Dear members of the 133 Managing Board,
This has been a trying year for the newspaper, and moral [sic] is low across the staff. Such circumstances require a serious evaluation of the problems facing the publication. As you are most likely aware, a recent proposal to create an MB-wide forum to critically assess the role of existing management positions, to more strictly define position responsibilities, and entertain proposed structural adjustments has been interpreted as a conspiracy against the current Corporate Board, who invoked executive privilege and the threat of dismissal in an attempt to quash all effort to create such a forum. I am insulted by their reaction, and embarrassed to serve under such management. I do not wish for my name or my work to be associated with an organization that does not respect the experience and insight of its staff, punishes innovative thought, and discourages innovation. I hereby resign from my position as Online Editor.
Read more…
After almost forty-eight hours of capital-d Drama, the Spectator‘s website is back up. No noticeable changes, and both sides are still not commenting for legal reasons.
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