LAST GASPS FOR THE TIMES PICAYUNE?

 

James Gill, who has been lampooning Louisiana politicians for more than a quarter of a century, will join The Advocate this week.

Gill’s column will appear on The Advocate’s opinion pages on Thursday and Sunday, beginning this week.

He had been appearing in The Times-Picayune.

“We’re looking forward to having James appear in our newspaper,” said Peter Kovacs, the Advocate’s editor.

“I was privileged to be James’ editor at The Times-Picayune, and the best part of the job was being the first person in Louisiana to read his column.”

“Louisiana has always been fertile ground for a newspaperman, but these are particularly exciting times,” Gill said. “Few other places have the benefit of competing dailies.”

James, the TP is no longer what most people would call a daily.

Today’s announcement marks the second time in a week that prominent journalists from The Times-Picayune signed on with The Advocate.
 
Last week, two Pulitzer prize-winning editors and two reporters left The Times-Picayune to join The Advocate’s growing New Orleans bureau only days after the newspaper was purchased by businessman John Georges.

A number of subscribers stayed with the TP for Gill's columns, so now what?  The Advocate's New Orleans edition has a way to go to before it becomes a real New Orleans daily, since it lacks its own op-ed page and coverage of arts, entertainment, weddings, and obituaries, but they're moving in the right direction.

The photo below the article about Gill shows a screen shot of the alleged shooter from a mounted video camera at the site of the Mother's Day parade.  As soon as the picture was made public, calls came in identifying the 19 year old Akein Scott, who has not yet been arrested.