Reasons For 2 AP Film Critics’ Resignations
UPDATE 6:45 PM: Film critics in print are already becoming extinct. Now Associated Press duo David Germain and Christy Lemire have quit their posts this week. Which means newspapers nationwide who rely on syndicated AP reviews can’t fill out their own anemic film sections. So why did Germain after 14 years of writing film criticism suddenly exit followed closely by Lemire days apart? No one in the LA bureau had any inkling this was coming. A former colleague says Germain just had enough. He took a 5-week vacation after the Oscars and started thinking how he wasn’t enjoying his job anymore. Managers had taken away things he really enjoyed doing, like his summer movie preview. He resigned on Monday. After that, the managers starting putting pressure on Lemire to take over more of Germain’s responsibilities, including weekend junkets and Sunday box office, and she didn’t want to do it. They also had cut back on her film reviews, her specialty, so she quit and Tweeted Friday: “Friends, wanted to tell you I’ve resigned from the AP after 15+ yrs, most as their film critic. It’s been an honor but it’s time to move on. I’ll continue to co-host What the Flick?! and will still see movies and enjoy the privilege of writing reviews. More soon, and thanks.”
Lou Ferrara, AP’s managing editor for entertainment and sports, said, “We wish Dave and Christy well. We plan to fill the positions, as the AP will continue to cover movies and all of entertainment”.
PREVIOUS 2:40 PM: Associated Press critics David Germain and Christy Lemire are the latest casualties in the ongoing demise of print film criticism. Both stepped down from their posts this week, with their last filings to publish within the month. Lemire, who co-hosted Ebert Presents at the Movies from 2011-2012, will continue to write reviews and co-host the online show What The Flick?!
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