Friday, December 05, 2008
Friday | Dec. 5 | Got news, or a question?
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94 comments:
Jim says: "Proceed with caution; this is a free-for-all comment zone. I try to correct or clarify incorrect information. But I can't catch everything. Please keep your posts focused on Gannett and media-related subjects. Note that I occasionally review comments in advance, to reject inappropriate ones. And I ignore hostile posters, and recommend you do, too."
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Hi!
ReplyDeleteYay. Yay, Yay. All laid off. I'm not commuting tomorrow!
ReplyDeletewith so many thousands of Americans suddenly sitting at home during the day, is the telemarketing industry shifting into gear to start ringing more home phones?
ReplyDeleteOr does anyone know if TV soap opera viewership has risen?
Jim:
ReplyDeleteCould you perhaps repost the Star Ledger comment for the benefit of any NJ folks not up late at night to see his call for applicants?
2:30 am: Can you refresh my memory on that Star Ledger comment?
ReplyDeleteMark Miller said...
ReplyDeleteFellow journalists, I feel your pain for I've been through layoffs myself.
Here's a possible lifeline for NJ folks: The Star-Ledger welcomes your resumes and we expect to have some opportunities available almost immediately. I'm particularly interested in copy editors, but there are other openings.
Please send your stuff to
Associate Editor Tom Curran
The Star-Ledger
1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102
With any luck we can get some folks working again before the holidays.
Mark
12/04/2008 11:52 PM
How is production fairing at your site?
ReplyDeleteThe Star Ledger comment was from a fellow who said the paper was looking for resumes, mainly for copy editors.
ReplyDeleteI would check that out, frankly. The SL just let go of a large percentage of its newsroom. Seems unlikely they'd be hiring so soon.
WHAS11 (Louisville) did a whole lot better than the C-J in reporting the lay-offs.
ReplyDeleteHere is the link for the story.
http://www.whas11.com/topstories/stories/WHAS11_081203_Top_Courier-LAYOFFS.2a5112c6.html
When I started 10 years ago, Mildred was the one who ran the office in the pressroom. I don't know if the TV folks have something like the Pulitzer, but the shot of her walking across Broadway is a winner.
Mike Heine
RE: Star Ledger (NJ) Comment from somebody named Mark Miller:
ReplyDeleteFellow journalists, I feel your pain for I've been through layoffs myself.
Here's a possible lifeline for NJ folks: The Star-Ledger welcomes your resumes and we expect to have some opportunities available almost immediately. I'm particularly interested in copy editors, but there are other openings.
Please send your stuff to
Associate Editor Tom Curran
The Star-Ledger
1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102
With any luck we can get some folks working again before the holidays.
Mark
Also...Are there any other positions available besides in the newsroom?
Mark Miller said...
ReplyDeleteFellow journalists, I feel your pain for I've been through layoffs myself.
Here's a possible lifeline for NJ folks: The Star-Ledger welcomes your resumes and we expect to have some opportunities available almost immediately. I'm particularly interested in copy editors, but there are other openings.
Please send your stuff to
Associate Editor Tom Curran
The Star-Ledger
1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102
With any luck we can get some folks working again before the holidays.
Mark
12/04/2008 11:52 PM
Here is the Star Ledger comment from sometime late yesterday:
ReplyDeleteFellow journalists, I feel your pain for I've been through layoffs myself.
Here's a possible lifeline for NJ folks: The Star-Ledger welcomes your resumes and we expect to have some opportunities available almost immediately. I'm particularly interested in copy editors, but there are other openings.
Please send your stuff to
Associate Editor Tom Curran
The Star-Ledger
1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102
With any luck we can get some folks working again before the holidays.
Mark
Wonderful compliments by Alan Mutter in his column today. Keep up the wonderful work!
ReplyDelete12/04/2008 11:37 PM
ReplyDeleteMark Miller said...
Fellow journalists, I feel your pain for I've been through layoffs myself.
Here's a possible lifeline for NJ folks: The Star-Ledger welcomes your resumes and we expect to have some opportunities available almost immediately. I'm particularly interested in copy editors, but there are other openings.
Please send your stuff to
Associate Editor Tom Curran
The Star-Ledger
1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102
With any luck we can get some folks working again before the holidays.
Mark
12/04/2008 11:52 PM
To all those complaining about Jim's blog (about 2 or 3 of you) please tell me in credible terms how this blog could possibly be making your situation worse?
ReplyDeleteAlso, it looks to me like there are way more than 100 folks commenting on this blog. Probably thousands.
I was the most loyal person I knew at my newspaper. Loyal to the newspaper, be aware. Not loyal to the corporate honchos at Gannett who are worshippers of corporate formula journalism and big talk, no action. The bean counters have always been such; they've never been on your side. They've been slashing and making our lives and jobs more difficult for years.
It's time to take over the fucking newsrooms from them, once and for all. And to the publishers without balls, march 'em to the guillotine.
how do you know if you blog went thru or not? i posted last nite and don't see it
ReplyDelete2:11 no marketer cares about reaching unemployed people. They want people with money to spend. Unfortunatley, most of america is not spending right now and more layoffs to come throughout the U.S. Not a good picture for anyone.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone seen if the Banks have had lay offs? How can they take all the government money and not lay off peopel?
ReplyDeleteWow! I never thought much of Gannett's "News Watch" from Phil Currie, but today's takes the cake!
ReplyDelete"Four Corporate Friends of Gannett Take Their Leave" is the "news" story from Currie this week, and it is about four old guys I've never heard of. Probably nice guys and all, and probably deserve some recognition... however....
Phil, ol' boy... aren't you aware that a couple thousand OTHER Gannett folks took their leave this week? Most of them not voluntarily???
Are you up on current events. Phil?
Is this worthless "News Watch" stuck any farther up coprorate's butt?
I find it inexcusable that Currie, the alleged head of news at Gannett -for the moment - doesn't even mention the layoffs.
Not even a "consoling and carrying on" message for the newsrooms?
Oh, but wait... of course not.... I forgot who we are dealing with here...
A co-worker said to me yesterday that he believes the layoffs aren't over here and that there might be more to come before the end of the month. This is just either A) idle speculation B) cynicism or B) remarkable insight. It seems to contradict what Tara said to E&P. Any thoughts on this? It seems unlikely to me that they would want another wave of layoff related bad publicity. This was at a NY paper.
ReplyDeleteRelated: I've seen these February rumors flying, too. Is this at all based on anything but one person's invention? Did someone on one of the comment threads just float the idea out of thin air, or is there some basis in fact or even rumor from higher-ups for this?
Fellow journalists, I feel your pain for I've been through layoffs myself.
ReplyDeleteHere's a possible lifeline for NJ folks: The Star-Ledger welcomes your resumes and we expect to have some opportunities available almost immediately. I'm particularly interested in copy editors, but there are other openings.
Please send your stuff to
Associate Editor Tom Curran
The Star-Ledger
1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102
With any luck we can get some folks working again before the holidays.
Mark
In my layoff meeting, HR said something about a Gannett pension. I thought the Gannett pension was discontinued before I joined Gannett. A former coworker "laid off" almost a year ago still hasn't heard anything from Gannett about a pension. Anyone know when the pension was discontinued or where to get the scoop?
ReplyDeletewell the first laid off person just left detroit. how many more are to come today I wonder??
ReplyDeleteREPOSTING FROM EARLIER
ReplyDeleteMark Miller said...
Fellow journalists, I feel your pain for I've been through layoffs myself.
Here's a possible lifeline for NJ folks: The Star-Ledger welcomes your resumes and we expect to have some opportunities available almost immediately. I'm particularly interested in copy editors, but there are other openings.
Please send your stuff to
Associate Editor Tom Curran
The Star-Ledger
1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102
With any luck we can get some folks working again before the holidays.
Mark
12/04/2008 11:52 PM
Just FYI for those starting to look for another job - as I have begun to post my resume all over God's green earth, I have found that I am receiving junk phone calls from all kinds of bogus "recruiters". Many of these are recorded messages offering some sales position in return for an application, then you have to pay for some training. Some will call you to tell you that they have "read between the lines" and think you would be great at...blank. I even had one phone call that tried to make it sound as if the federal government wanted me to come work for them - for a fee of course. Ugh - it's miserable.
ReplyDeleteJust be on the look out.
This is the Star Ledger comment - I know we have no way of knowing if its for real, but if it is, it might be of interest to the NJ folks:
ReplyDeleteMark Miller said...
Fellow journalists, I feel your pain for I've been through layoffs myself.
Here's a possible lifeline for NJ folks: The Star-Ledger welcomes your resumes and we expect to have some opportunities available almost immediately. I'm particularly interested in copy editors, but there are other openings.
Please send your stuff to
Associate Editor Tom Curran
The Star-Ledger
1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102
With any luck we can get some folks working again before the holidays.
Mark
Someone commented the other day regarding layoffs in January, that if you become a "valuable" employee, you don't have to worry. That's a load of crap. They're looking at the bottom line only, not what the employees they're laying off actually *do.* Trust me on this. You can do all the blogging, digging, everything else you want and in the end it won't matter worth a damn.
ReplyDeleteMark Miller said...
ReplyDeleteFellow journalists, I feel your pain for I've been through layoffs myself.
Here's a possible lifeline for NJ folks: The Star-Ledger welcomes your resumes and we expect to have some opportunities available almost immediately. I'm particularly interested in copy editors, but there are other openings.
Please send your stuff to
Associate Editor Tom Curran
The Star-Ledger
1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102
With any luck we can get some folks working again before the holidays.
Mark
12/04/2008 11:52 PM
On the pension plan: If you were vested before the plan closed, you have a claim to retire as early as age 55, at about a 50 percent discount, or 62 with full pension. You have no claims on the pension plan before you reach that age. In other words, you cannot draw on it for other purposes, as you can with a 401K. Those vested worked for GCI for more than 10 years. If you worked less than 10, you were not vested.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem unlikely that the Star Ledger is hiring so soon after their mass layoff - but worth checking out for NJ folks ... If anyone finds out it's a phony post, please add a comment to save others from the trouble of checking it out.
ReplyDeleteLaura @ 9:29 AM is very correct in mentioning the bogus calls and or emails from recruiters. Everything from Insurance annuity sales to "health coverage programs' for the self employed.
ReplyDeleteDo your research, some of these recruiters are relentless.
I left Gannett 18 months ago after 7 years. I received my pension in a lump sum...although they were very slow about it. At the time, you were vested at 5 years. Course, it may have changed, but I'd encourage people to ask their own questions about their situation with HR.
ReplyDeleteThis was on the earlier (Thursday) thread.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
@6:16 PM I am told that all online directors/managers at community papers will be gone soon. All being centralized at corporate.
12/05/2008 6:23 AM
Boring, slow to load, cookie cutter websites managed by corporate are the shining web based future of Gannett?
Can this really be true?
How crazy can they be?
Does anybody remember the delightful diversity, great photos and innovative layouts your newpapers had BEFORE the one-size-fits-all software was mandated?
That was what Gannett needed, turning the talented online folks loose and giving them a chance to do great work.
Doomed!
Seriously, does EVERYONE have to re-post the Star Ledger note now?!?
ReplyDeleteI know we're all trying to help, but jeez.
Hey...everyone...pension is vested after five years. Take your pension money and roll it over into your own account. Some companies rob the pension funds for operating cash. (The federal govt. has been taking money from social security for years.) If Gannett goes bankrupt, you might not get your pension.
ReplyDeleteTO: 12/05/2008 11:01 AM
ReplyDeleteI was one of the many posters.
Jim didn't remember the post and asked to be reminded. Then (just speculating here) he nodded off, forehead gently resting on the z key of his computer "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz" Because he was visiting the land of nod and not monitoring the blog for spammers, many of us eagerly tried to help.
Looks like a lot of us were reading. Imagine how many of us simply sent him an e-mail? His inbox likely is FULL.
Just use the "collapse messages" feature and ignore our best efforts.
February is most likely speculation - but probably realistic. Remember newspapers are notorious for basing corrections (staff reductions) on "how things are now" and feeling "this must be the bottom". Year end will not be completed until mid to late January and it will be worse than anyone projected - of course. Then January will be "worse than anticipated" - of course. Which will mean the quarter will be off and the bean counters will need to find savings quickly - hence February layoffs. Someone please argue with this logic - this has been our life now for years - god help us.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pensionrights.org/
ReplyDeleteI've had no reason to make contact with them, but found that group's site has lots of pension information on it.
How's Jim feeling today? Better, I hope.
ReplyDeleteMuch better! Thanks for asking!
ReplyDeleteDon't focus on unions. Use the GANNETT EMPLOYEE MANUAL and use it TO THE LETTER. That's how you can push back against TimeSheet Fraud, Unpaid Overtime (becasue they want more for nothing). Even Wendall "Bulldog Face" Van Lare can't counter that.
ReplyDeleteYou know what you do with a bully who thinks he can intimidate you and has power over you, you walk up to him and puch him in the face (figuratively) as hard as you can; He won't expect it and you will gain the advantage.
One poster over the last few weeks said the thing Gannett Corp fears is "Wage & Hour, Wage & Hour, Wage & Hour." DON'T FORGET THAT!!
What will they do....Fire Us?? They're going to to that anyway.
When Gannett was strong they could push people around....now it's weak. They need us to get what's left of this hollowed out media hulk out on the street.
Certain positions at USA TODAY, and I suspect other places, that were "eliminated," had nothing to do with there not being a profound need for that position or the quality of the person in that position. Certain cuts were simply petty payback. Those who didn't realize their managers - the ones responsible for picking the names -were capable of that low of an act, now do. In a just world, those managers would be outed and lose their jobs over abusing their power. They did the company and remain staff a significant disservice in not being more objective in their selections.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, my heart is heavy for all the victims, but particularly those lost for highly unprofessional reasons that are now becoming clearer. We're all going to pay the price for losing some folks so unfairly. It's a stain on the company and I am sure a living horror for those now out of work.
One position that was cut this week has already been filled internally. Is that even legal? They went to great lengths to say "positions were being eliminated," so how can those positions immediately be filled? Was this just another deception, this business about cutting the positions that were least needed rather than the folks in those positions? Were these layoffs more about managers having the freedom to get rid of their least favorite people, regardless of whether the job was needed and the person in it at the time was a good performer? Curious as to what folks feel about this.
ReplyDeleteI believe if any manager did that, played favorites, it will come back to haunt them in ways that they did not anticipate. Managers need to be objective, especially when making business and life-altering decisions. If even one person was unjustly let go, I hope it is brought to the attention of people in positions to do something about it. As much as we all knock GCI, I doubt the intent of these layoff was to let managers, editors or whomever shoot down innocent employees for no other reason than they didn't like the way they wore their hair. While people are going to defend the value of all of those who were lost, there probably are some highly questionable cuts that could point to a larger problem. Again, we can only hope that the rogue managers who did wrong are quickly discovered before the next round of cuts.
ReplyDeleteWho got the ax from the Tennessean in Nashville?
ReplyDeleteYou bet some managers picked their least favorite people to lay off! I work at USAT and have strong evidence of that occurring in at least one case I am somewhat familiar with, and know of another situation at another Gannett property that is causing a furor. Along with losing good people, the opportunity to remove longtime underperformers was lost because of the poor judgment of some of those in the position of being judge, jury and executioner. There wasn't enough oversight in these cuts. A little more leg work and additional review would have spared some very good people.
ReplyDelete12:49, I know who you are talking about at USAT, and couldn't agree more with your assessment. A very heartbreaking situation and just a terrible business decision that probably had nothing to do with business.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Layoff's have begun in Detroit. Please share any details. There has been no "warnings" at all, but that is never a surprise in Detroit. They probably won't even communicate it after it is done. shame
ReplyDeleteAs someone who does not work directly for a newspaper but does work in the industry it is possible that they are hiring. They had a voluntary buyout and not a forced one and perhaps more people took them up on the offer than they anticipated.
ReplyDeleteBut isn't is shady that they are hiring or moving other people into the vacant position, for the same exact position that was just lost? I mean some of these people were doing their jobs well, had good reviews, etc. The "eliminated" job was obviously somewhat critical if they can't even go a day without someone performing those tasks. It raises a lot of questions.
ReplyDeleteIn my layoff papers it says that we can apply for any future openings? Does that really ever happen? I mean does Gannett ever hire back folks they let go? I know people resign and later come back. But do laid off folks ever return? I had a pretty good reputation with almost everyone (except the manager who let me go) and would be open to returning. My pain is from that manager, not the company per se.
ReplyDelete1:16 - if you have great allies and those allies are in management (and they have spines) it is possible, I have seen it happen. The problem is there are not enough managers with spines. Most have either drank the kool aid or are too scared to push for such a non traditional idea or to push back onto another manager - again afraid of the political consequences. In my opinion this is one of the primary reasons for Gannetts demise. Too many people are afraid to cut against the grain - they are too afraid.
ReplyDeleteWasn't this round a layoff instead of a payroll reduction initiative like the last one?
ReplyDeleteAlso, just curious. Does the letter you got say you have recall rights?
Were there any cuts in Brevard's editorial dept or was it all sales and productions? They have some great guys over there, but if 30-odd were let go, it might have been across the board.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I was let go because I was not considered a favorite, but one thing is for sure, if those same managers remain at my old paper, they couldn't pay me jack to go back there.
ReplyDeleteI went to work, did my job, but I refused to kiss any body's behind. There was one specific manager, who loved to play favorites. She relished in that mess. Funny thing though, no one really likes her, even the people she considers her favorite. They all talk behind her back.
I don't know if this would be worth tracking like the layoffs list that links stories by the papers, and I know much has been written, but I'm curious if people will simply list the process for each site.
ReplyDeleteWho did the layoffs? Publisher, supervisor, HR person?
While many of the stories included publishers saying the papers are just as strong, blah, blah, bs, were any publishers at the meetings talking to the staff after?
Did people holding these meetings take questions? Any substantial info come out from the Q&A?
Did any paper run a story that was actually fair, or were 100 percent of them 100 percent propaganda (ha, sorry, that last one was rheotorical).
This was posted for Brevard the other day. The news story that ran cited 30 layoffs and 6 buyouts.
ReplyDelete13 News (2 voluntary)
3 Circulation
6 Ad traffic
1 HR
5 Advertising
2 IT (1 layoff, 1 transfer)
2 Marketing
1 Finance (voluntary)
1 Building Maintenace
1 Asst. Manager Pre-press
1 Ad Services
Ouch! So the MAJORITY of the cuts were in News in Brevard. See, that doesn't make sense to me. I would have thought the fluff was in advertising and ad services. Does anyone know who in news got it? Maybe they did away with their weeklies? Guess I need to make some phone calls.
ReplyDelete12:48 re Tennessean.
ReplyDeletedon't feel comfortable posting names, but 22 breathing bodies were asked to leave the newsroom(s) this week Among them:
1 Davidson AM editor
1 Williamson AM editor
feature writer
1 AME
2 Davidson AM reporters
1 librarian (the only one)
2 p/t clerks
1 editorial page assistant
1 biz section assistant/clerk
2 longtime copy editors
and more. politicalsalsa.blogspot.com has some local info.
1:55 My experience was the supervisor of my dept and the VP of my dept. HR was not present, I was told I could apply for a position in another dept that I had already worked in a few years ago, Um thanks but no thanks. They were so heartless..kept to the script and I did ask if the decision was based on seniority or payroll and was told they couldnt answer that question. I thought no need to ask anymore questions beacuse they were not going to answer them anyway, as usual.
ReplyDelete12:49 got it right. In an early-on meeting to discuss the layoffs at Wilmington, DE, an editor spoke up and said they would be received OK by the staff if the cuts focused on those who underproduced/underperformed. He stressed that they needed "to make sense." That editor was never asked to take part in another meeting related to the cuts. Management was just looking to target the folks who weren't favorites.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was offered an unsolicited buyout, it was just me, a top HR person and my immediate supervisor.
ReplyDeleteI had the good sense to be quiet and listen, because they covered information I needed to know pretty thoroughly. They answered all my questions, but I had few because it was a surprise. They wanted an answer in 48 hours. The supervising editor left the paper shortly after for a better job. HR has been helpful since I left.
Regarding your pension ... it was frozen at the end of July, meaning it would no longer grow. But if you were vested, then quit or are laid off, you can get the money out of Gannett's hands and into a rollover IRA account.
ReplyDeleteI left the Arizona Republic in late summer for a (thankfully) much better job. When the pension papers came, I filled them out and mailed it in, with instructions to wire the funds to an E-Trade account. I've been on edge the past few weeks waiting for it to fund. It finally did - yesterday. Thank God. I advise anyone else who leaves to not delay in rolling your pension money into an IRA far from the corporate hands.
- A former editor in Phoenix
are you choosing not to post some blogs in the detroit thread Jim? That would be very disappointing - will you choose not to post this as well?
ReplyDelete2:48 pm: As far as I know, every Detroit-related comment is right where readers originally posted them. Why do you ask?
ReplyDeleteRegarding the Star Ledger hiring: This has been the topic of conversation with many former and current reporters in New Jersey, and there are a lot of mixed feelings about it. A tremendous number of people will have left the Ledger by the end of the year. The business desk, for example, I think will shrink from a dozen people to two.
ReplyDeleteNow it's been said all along that the Ledger is going to be hiring to replace some of the people it's lost. But many are wondering if throwing their hats into that ring is a good idea. Why go to work for an organization that only months ago teetered on the brink of disaster? What are the salaries for new hires going to be like? What will the paper be like to work for now that so much talent has walked out the door?
I know in one case (Springfield) the longtime columnist was let go but can freelance for them doing the same with without benefits.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that's the case at others, too, where Gannett is trying to eliminate full-time salaries and benefits and hiring people back at $100-$150 a story.
What a scam!
Concerning WHAS coverage of the Courier-Journals layoffs... While it may have been a bit more dramatic, it was not entirely accurate.
ReplyDeleteIt said...
"Arnold, like 33 others laid off, was not offered a voluntary severance package after years in the pressroom and accounting department."
If I am not mistaken, they were all offered the voluntary severance, they just did not choose that option.
Maybe the story should have said, Arnold like 33 others did not volunteer to be laid off.
I left the company a year ago and immediately asked HR to begin the process of letting me roll my pension balance into my brokerage account, where the money would go into an IRA. HR forwarded my request to corporate, and corporate sent me the papers to sign to transfer the money. I filled them out, and the money moved about a month later (I imagine it's going to take longer today with so many people leaving.) This was a tax-free event. The pension is valued in $$$, not Gannett shares. Gannett never volunteered what you had accrued or mailed you a regular statement; you had/have to ask for it yourself. It's a nice nest egg to tap into if you're approaching retirement age. I got the money the hell out of Gannett's hands as quickly as I could before they decided to keep, spend or misinvest it. Suggest everyone else do the same.
ReplyDeleteI am one who was blindsided by the layoff Tuesday, but in hindsight am not surprised. See, I had passion and curiosity, questioned authority, offered untold story ideas to fellow writers and editors in all departments, had a sense of humor, and was well-respected in the community I covered (with tons of sources the paper will never get back). But the biggest thing going against me? I would not be bullied by the EE and for a long time kept thinking that if I keep working 50-60 and more hours a week, doing far more than asked, and working to fix injustices I saw within the company, I just might be able to make things better. And, maybe, just maybe, get an attaboy. Never happened, never will.
ReplyDeleteI have slept better the past three nights than I have in years. Funny thing, too: I haven't felt the need to drink 2-3 or more glasses of wine a night, or glare at my family when I got home. My dog seems to still love me.
Free at last, free at last. Thank you Gannett for saving my life.
Even wilder - the Glasgow Herald shut down by a company owned by Gannett:
ReplyDeletehere
"One of Scotland's national institutions was reeling last night after the entire staff of the Glasgow-based Herald newspaper group was made redundant and told to re-apply for a severely reduced number of jobs....
The union's Scottish organiser, Paul Holleran, said that the US media company Gannett, which owns Newsquest, had "lied through their teeth" when they bought the three titles in 2003."
3:23 PM
ReplyDeleteI've been following that interesting Scotland saga in The Guardian and on a site called allmediascotland. Fascinating stuff going on.
3:19 p.m. - I understand your feelings of relief.... but thanking Gannett for freeing you from their service is misplaced.
ReplyDeleteA slave doesn't thank the slaveowner for freeing him when he should never have been in such a position in the first place.
What is most sad is the waste of potential, the waste and misuse of fine talent - the abuse and ruining of too many careers.
No newspaper company should EVER have had such power to damage so many with so little regard to feelings, OR the community in which these newspapers were located.
Yes, you feel relieved at being gone from that hellhole. But it should NOT HAVE BEEN suich a place to begine with!
That is the real shame. And shame on gutless dweebs like Currie and Clark for letting it happen to further their own careers!
Jon Talton retrospect on GCI:
ReplyDeletehttp://roguecolumnist.typepad.com/rogue_columnist/2008/12/the-chickens-come-home-to-roost-at-gannett.html
Jim, it started with - an open letter to...
ReplyDelete2:36 in Wilmington: What is the first initial of that editor? P or J?
ReplyDeleteOther Wilmington news: The paper's award-winning investigative reporter, whose wife also worked there and was laid off this week, quit today.
Anon. 2:35: I felt the same way. For me, it was the HR director and the EE -- cold, cold fish.
ReplyDeleteAll I wanted to do was get out of there.
It's reality that more layoffs will come in 2009. Finance and Classified positions due to consolidations and classified downturn.
ReplyDeleteSomeone did me a kindness Thursday, realizing that even those who still had jobs were struggling. It saved me a bit of money, so I've just contributed that amount to Jim for the blog, in honor of a couple of departed colleagues whom I will miss a great deal.
ReplyDeleteI'm hearing the next round in February may be even worse.
1:55...I am amazed that goes on still. is this middle school? I thought people grew up eventually but obviously some people misuse power.
ReplyDeleteSome good people were let go at my site in the south. After two days of dealing with the fallout, I'm really wishing I had been shown the door. Bad economy or not, I'm searching for a new job. Mentally, I've already left the building.
ReplyDeleteSomeone asked earlier whether banks were laying off. My neighbor came home early yesterday - was a higher up at a bank. They laid him off and escorted him out the door and said they would pack up his desk and mail it to him. It's getting really bad out there. Mid-week, mid-day at stores I am seeing people I know that more than likely aren't just taking the day off.
ReplyDeleteThis cut is big, but the cuts have been going on at some papers for years. Get FTE numbers for 1999 newsrooms at the majority of papers and compare them to the 2009 newsroom numbers. Do just the newsrooms or do both that and the overall. Don't just do overall counts because it'll be misleading with how some papers shifted to new products and built their own online departments.
ReplyDeleteYes 7:11 it still goes on and 12:14 and 12:49 are right on the money. My boss was so insecure that she favored the brown nosers and weaker employees who wouldn't question her. I think there are more out there like her and as a result many talented and forward thinking individuals walked out the door for good. Gannett is going to be a weaker company as a result. I too am surprised that there was not more oversight on corporate's part but then again I was also amazed at some of the people they put in charge of their newspapers.
ReplyDeleteRegarding The Star-Ledger:
ReplyDeleteAs others have pointed out, we have gone through a buyout that took a lot of talent out of the newsroom. Deeper than we'd like, so we're going to fill out the staff a bit.
I understand the skepticism. I'm not promising a lifelong career, just a possibility for a soft landing and/or a transitional step. Right now I'm looking at college kids, and I know there are experienced editors out there who need a job. But feel free to be skeptical... that's why you're journalists!
If you doubt my sincerity, feel free to write me
mmiller@starledger.com
Put a shirt on, Jim.
ReplyDelete8:44 pm: Huh?
ReplyDeleteI went to the store tonight to get a bottle of wine to wash away this horrific week's bloodbath. I heard the gentleman in front of me state as he paid for his 2 bottles of whiskey that at least he still has a job after this week. I'd seen him around the office but we'd never spoken. He didn't recognise me.
ReplyDeleteHe still has his job. I do not. Part of me wanted to say I'm sorry, part of me wanted to slap him. But I stood silent and as I watched his eyes tear a bit, as this white haired man breathed a slight sigh of relief that he made it through this round.
jim, I think the comment is in reaction to your mug shot. kinda looks like you're not wearing a shirt.
ReplyDelete1:16 p.m., you've spoken truth to power. But I don't think it is so much that some managers drank the kool-aid. I think it is mostly that they are spineless. You are right. They are afraid.
ReplyDeleteOften at a party or gathering away from the office, you will hear these people talk freely about their disgust, especially about our EE, a hideously lazy fellow. But get back to the office, and the tune is totally different. It made it even worse for these guys when the talk about layoffs was first announced.
I really pity the folks left behind at my paper. They have some of the sorriest SOBs to work for.
Who was laid off in Bridgewater and East Brunswick? And at USAT?
ReplyDeleteRE: Nashville
ReplyDeleteI called a friend of mine that hadn't shown up to work on Wed to see what was up. He was simply ill. But then he asked, "What if I had been laid off?"
That would have been one awkward phone call...
So, you may not want to list names... How about just the positions? Many of us here at The Tennessean still do NOT know whom among our co-workers that have toiled in other facilities no longer work for Gannett.
In fact, of the 67 positions that had bodies occupying them, I only know of about 18 for sure (the list in the comment above), and those are only news room. I deal primarily with non-news room personnel. Most of us aren't at 1100 Broadway (and try to stay away from it like the plague). It seems that only people at 1100 Broadway know what is up and they were the only ones invited to the lay off meetings on Wed.
How about some help here? I really don't want to call someone for info just to find out they've been axed.
And no, no one is telling us anything at work. We're having to find out the hard way, that is, the hard way for the folks being reminded they we're unwanted by Gannett.
11:20, Is the Tennessean still doing niche pubs and Nashville Record at 1100 Broadway??
ReplyDeleteWell I made it thru buyouts, voluntary layoffs and involuntary layoffs.
ReplyDeleteLucky I guess, maybe.
Use to hate to come to work on Mondays but now Tuesdays scare the hell out of me.
Lost 2 good friends last week. It will never be the same.