A few thoughts on the corporate machine

So, as many of you know... my paper's mother company has just been bought out. Knight Ridder bought my paper just about 2 years ago in an attempt to gobble up the competition in the area. They bought other papers in the area along with mine, making it basically a "one paper town." The only thing separating them is the writers. We are all doing what we can to cover unique and useful stories in our individual communities. The business side of the papers... well that's just an incestuous cross selling mess. A very greedy, bottom line hunting situation.
To make things worse (or better depending on who you're talking to) the MILLIONAIRE stock holders at the tip-top of the company didn't think they were rich enough... so they staged (basically) a take-over and forced the company to sell company that bought Knight Ridder is half our size, which means to tame the beast, they must do some serious down sizing.
Now, all of the little papers (who were swallowed by this monster to begin with) and now totally uncertain of what will become of them.
I am not as concerned about the buy-out as many. In fact, if I came to work tomorrow and the locks were changed, I would just pick up and find a new job.... one of the many benefits to being young and agile.
But my boss? He's at the end of his career... but not so far that he could just take his retirement. How is a 50-60 yr old supposed to start their career over or simply compete with the up and coming generation?
It breaks my heart to think of him being laid off and then having to work at a retail store or as a handy man or something for the last few years of his working life. He was in the newspaper business back in the day when you had to lay out the printing press like ink blocks (think about that people... every little letter in a stamp!)
Boo.
Best case scenario.... since our group of papers is still up for sale... the writers guild (union) will make a bid for the papers and then it will be employee owned. Better than the top of the corporate ladder (Gannett) buying us... I don't even want to think about their business tactics.
YIKES! GET ME OUT!!!