Friday, February 20, 2009
Friday | Feb. 20 | Your News & Comments
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85 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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Uno!
ReplyDeletei'm first? whoop-ti-do!
ReplyDeleteTGIF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete5% paycut??? B*ll S**t!!!
How about managers, EE's ME's, publishers, VP's etc, take 5% or more cut and leave us already grossly underpaid worker bees alone? Give us a break for G*d's sake! We are working hard enough without vacation time and these lousy furlow days. Please.....
Just for the record--- NJ PAPERS SUCK!
ReplyDeleteI'm tired of covering for the mess that is Cherry Hill. Walt, EJ, Tom and Joan let the TRUTH be told.
ReplyDeleteThey don't know what TRUTH is. One lies the other swears to it.
ReplyDeleteCraig - Please quit for the good of us all.
ReplyDeleteSupposing this rumored 5% pay cut goes through, I don't imagine there will be an option to take a buyout instead.
ReplyDeleteI would much rather take the severance pay and move on than stumble along with the pay cut. Add this to the furlough and we'll all be taking about a 7% pay cut this year, only now we won't get to do freelance work or take temp jobs during the free time.
Nice.
I sure hope these are just rumors and that the company will do something like stop matching 401k payments before they force pay cuts.
11:35
ReplyDeleteIf they stop matching your 5% 401(k) contribution that's still a 5% pay cut. So i guess we're down to "pick your poison."
what's this I hear about a reorg announced Thursday in Cincinnati? Anybody?
ReplyDelete" NEW JERSEY PAPERS ROCK "
ReplyDeleteSaridakis to be named CEO next week. Dubow kicked upstairs to Chairman-only role.
ReplyDeleteYou heard it here first.
12:13 -- You're right that stopping a 401k match would be a pay cut, but it wouldn't put people in an immediate financial crunch. In fact, many folks might stop contributing and take a little extra money home.
ReplyDeleteAn actual pay cut is more painful because it means less money in the pocket each month, and 5% might be enough to make people fall behind on bills.
The journalism is suffering. That makes all this suck even harder. If that's possible.
ReplyDelete- Capt. Obvious
1:45 pm: Are you saying you know this, or are you making an educated guess? Also, how much operational experience does Saridakis have? Couple years at Pointroll? Maybe 300 employees.
ReplyDeleteI hope the board takes a cue from the last month of Obama - Wall Street hated when a plan was announced with not enough details, but responded favorably when there were plenty of details... about a plan they didn't even like.
ReplyDeleteWhatever rabbit you folks pull out of a hat next week, make it comprehensive, detailed, and workable. Even if you just tell the stockholders we are going to hold the line on costs, hold the dividend to conserve cash and wait out the recession, it's some sort of plan.
Perhaps that will be enough to keep them from forcing the company to be broken up and selling all the papers for the real estate under them.
Jim:
ReplyDeleteWould you consider a separate storybar concerning the extra 2% that was suppose to be deposited a week ago today into those employees 401K accounts that were either 45 & older with 15 years service or 50 and 10 years or more of service?
The actual amount I received was 1.5%. My fellow employees were short-changed too.
The pension packet we received last August promised 2% of our 2008 pay.
Just another example of how deceitful Dubow & team are towards it's employees.
Ok....mark March 27th on your calendar, this could be the biggest day this year for hourly employees within Gannett.... If you would like to make history stay tuned to Gannett Blog
ReplyDelete4/1/09 Is coming fast big three coming back to New Jersey.Cat is out of the bag.
ReplyDeleteKnowing my number was coming up in the great layoff lottery, I left my Gannett paper in September after 15 years.
ReplyDeleteIn October, I received an invoice from Gannett requesting 44 cents for an underpayment of my benefits for September. I ignored it.
Another bill for 44 cents arrived in November. Not knowing what the implications might be for claims filed under my old insurance and all that, we sent in a check for 44 cents.
In January, I received a bill from Gannett for $0.00. That's right, a payment coupon asking me to remit $0.00 for underpayment (?) of benefits.
Not knowing what else to do, I ignored it.
Yesterday, I received a check from Gannett for 44 cents for overpayment for benefits.
Each letter had first class postage. Four letters from them at 42 cents, plus the stamp I put on my payment to them, comes to $2.10. That, added to the loose change in my pocket, is enough to buy a share of this lousy company.
Well, if Saridickless was to become CEO, he certainly has a head start on the role: Enriching himself at the expense of the company. Perhaps he has a couple more worthless businesses that he can sell to Gannett?
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:08:
ReplyDeleteYou're clueless.
"Well, if Saridickless was to become CEO"
More class shown with that phrase.
Hey 8:20: How about shedding a little light along with your scorn for 8:08's comments about the 44 cents. I'm curious to know what that was all about.
ReplyDeleteNo one is coming back to NJ. Come up with a new April Fools joke already.
ReplyDelete7:24 wrote (regarding the supplement to the 401-k for older workers):
ReplyDelete"The actual amount I received was 1.5%. My fellow employees were short-changed too. The pension packet we received last August promised 2% of our 2008 pay."
The reason you got 1.5 percent (as did I) is that the supplement was not in effect for the full calendar year.
Assuming there is a Gannett in 2010, we should get the full 2 percent then.
Wow.
ReplyDeleteLots of rumors in the mill today.
I still believe all this is being done to downsize the holdings. In other words, sell off the former Thomson papers, which never fit the GCI mold anyway.
Dump the smaller ones to someone else and focus on the 5-8 largest ones including USAT. Also, put more money into the Web (I hear that's the future of the Information Centers).
Word is more jobs are being elminated in St Cloud Minnesota. Will be done before the end of the Month.
ReplyDeleteWord in St Cloud MN Classified Manager is now the Online special projects manager, Online manager is now the prepress manager, Wright way shopper manager is now the classified manager. Retail manager is in the same spot. Maybe ready to unseat her possibly??
ReplyDeleteAl adds "cheerleader" to his impressive resume in today's column!
ReplyDeletecrayons elaborate please?
ReplyDeleteWhat is this talk about a five percent pay cut?
Anyone know?
From MediaDaily:
ReplyDeleteBy Joan Voight , February 20, 2009
'New York Times' Suspends Dividend
All Things Digital
The New York Times Co. said Thursday it is suspending its quarterly dividend in a move to preserve cash, as ad spending continues to decline. The suspension of the payout comes after the company slashed its dividend to 6 cents from 23 cents in November.
"The decision provides the company with additional financial flexibility given the uncertain business outlook," says Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., chairman. That's tough news for the Sulzberger clan, which has been living quite well off the Times' dividend for a long time. And it is a sign that the paper's cash crunch hasn't been eased just because it was able to secure a high-interest loan from Carlos Slim last month.
at corporate, a number of lower levels in the garage have been blocked so that the lights can be turned off to save money
ReplyDeleteWow... $3.78 a share this morning?
ReplyDeletePathetic.
Can anyone start the chant: "$2 a share, $2 a share?"
It is coming, don't laugh. I am so glad I have 0 stock in this company now.
"I'm tired of covering for the mess that is Cherry Hill. Walt, EJ, Tom and Joan let the TRUTH be told." This posted on the blog today. Can the person who posted this at Cherry Hill please tell us what is meant by "covering the mess...." is all about. We all know that the place is a mess.
ReplyDeleteWaiting to hear more!
Here's the note we got yesterday in Cincinnati. Nothing huge here. Biggest would be that the reviled LeeAnn Hamilton isn't the Enterprise editor anymore. That alone will spur a desire to do enterprise again. As to Callinan's claim that "all that matters is the journalism," we know he meant to say all that matters is that he got to keep his job a little longer.
ReplyDeleteFrom: Callinan, Tom
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 2:08 PM
To: CIN-News Users
Cc: CIN-Operating Committee
Subject: Restructuring
You’ve noticed a few people moving into new workspaces. In the next several weeks we will be announcing a series of moves and assignments to set the stage for the future.
The restructuring will better integrate print and online teams and refocus our digital efforts with a “channel” approach to reach different audiences with various strategies and print and digital products.
As the plan comes together, your patience and flexibility is appreciated. Please keep in mind this is a restructuring based on the work we need to do going forward, leaving the past behind. Many positions, including top managers, will be affected. While reporting structures change there are no demotions in my view. We are entering a stage that will call for extreme collaboration and, at times, ambiguity. This is a time to check our egos at the door, roll up our sleeves and get to work saving our jobs for now and building our business for the future.
To borrow Springstein's words: “All that Matters"…
All that matters is the journalism. And this positions us to produce better work in print and online.
Here is the first of several announcements you will be seeing as the restructuring comes into place. There may be more moves within departments:
My direct reports will be:
Julie Engebrecht, Local News Director
Ken Amos, News/Operations Director
Ben Boggess, Administrative Manager
Michael McCarter, Visuals Director
Brian Butts, Digital Director
David Wells, Editorial Page Editor
Susan McHugh, GM Community Press
Julie Engebrecht will oversee the Local News operation, with these direct reports:
Metro Editor Joe Fenton.
Sports Editor Josh Pichler
Business Editor Lee Ann Hamilton
Life and Magazines Editor Michael Perry, who will bring with him the 14th floor CiN Weekly and magazines operation. Internally, some reporting teams will be reassigned.
Bill Cieslewicz will move to Local News as Enterprise/Education/Social Services editor. Krista Ramsey will move to be an analytical/projects writer on Bill’s team. More details to come.
While Julie will be responsible for all Local News, including Sports, Business and Life, she will be focusing intensely on the urgency, depth and sophistication of Local News online and in print.
Brian Butts will be communicating structural changes in Digital, including new roles of existing digital and development staff – and the introduction of several “channel coordinators” into the operation.
Most significant immediate moves will include NKY GM Dennis Hetzel joining Brian’s digital group to turn his focus to building NKY.com. Digital producers will move to Ken’s area, where we will move toward a media-neutral environment that will call for more digital and print collaboration and skills. Ken has worked with Life, Local, Digital and Sports to develop a new “producers” structure that will inherit designers and copy editors into a 24/7 digital and print production operation. He will follow with details as that develops.
I’ve worked closely with my direct reports on these changes and will continue in the coming weeks. We’ve thought long and hard about what people’s strengths are, and where they’ll be in the best position to succeed – and to help the organization succeed. If you have any thoughts or comments on any of this so far, I’d like to hear from you, or you can talk with your manager. We value your ideas to make our operation stronger.
TC
Ya NJ let me guess,Bob Collins,Mike,Joe?
ReplyDeleteNot much longer and they can start to print the newspaper on gannett stock to save money.
ReplyDelete/Burn baby burn. This company deserves to go down the toilet.
Have to comment on that memo.
ReplyDeleteFirst, here is one more example of Gannett's inability to define "success." For gosh sakes, isn't there anyone who can set measureable goals and then explain how staffing patterns will lead to success?
Also, I think any organization that lets leaders call people direct reports is doomed to failure.
Just my opinions.
Citizen likely to close March 21; no buyer stepping up
ReplyDeleteThe deadline for bids on the Tucson Citizen has passed - apparently with no offers - which means the paper likely will cease publication March 21 after 138 years in business.
Callihan's memo - Wow.... how pitiful.
ReplyDeleteBUT what I want to know is, here is a direct quote:
"While reporting structures change there are no demotions in my view. We are entering a stage that will call for extreme collaboration and, at times, ambiguity."
"Ambiguity"? What does he mean by that? I know what the word means... but what is he actually saying here? What is "Ambiguity" a code word for here?
And you KNOW it is a code word for something unpleasant... like perhaps far more "advertorial" content?
10:41 a.m. is right on.
ReplyDeleteAlso, was he quoting Bruce Springsteen? And spelled his name wrong? And anyone is supposed to take him seriously then?
10:41
ReplyDeleteI guess we are doomed as a nation because the president's cabinet reports directly to him. They are direct reports and he often uses the phrase " this person will report directly to me."
For gosh sakes, isn't there anyone who can set measureable goals and then explain how staffing patterns will lead to success?
ReplyDeleteThat's my No. 1 question.
Nobody here can answer that question. Not my editor. Not his editor. Not the publisher.
Nobody here ... meaning at my office. Sorry for the confusion.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping someone on Gannett Blog can answer that at some point.
At about 11 am ET stock falls to $3.64 and wait until they reduce the dividend...look out below!
ReplyDeleteA number of reporters at our newspaper are unproductive and just aren't that good. Major stories go whizzing by their heads. It may be due to inexperience, or laziness, or apathy. It may be due to the complete lack of coaching and direction from editors, who are always just scrambling to find anything for the website and the next day's paper. Or maybe it's just that the editors aren't that good themselves. It definitely has to do with the lack of bodies, and the lack of bodies makes it far less easy to cover over. Incredibly, the editors' solution to incompetence is to simply stop steering stories to those reporters and to take what they can get from them. With these bare-bones staffs, to make that your solution is just incredible to me. The result is the few competent reporters left standing are being overloaded and worked into the ground. Somehow I don't see a newspaper with far less information, and that information being gathered poorly, as a long-term solution.
ReplyDelete11:08 AM
ReplyDeleteIt's 10:41 back.
Are you saying that Gannett's leadership would flourish if it only more closely imitated the words and practices of the beauracrats rather than successful private sector leaders?
Actually, I think the company does a great job already of throwing out hollow words like execute, roll out, deploy, direct report, innovate, deep, rich and transform.
Gannett is making this way too difficult. The company needs to get a vision, set some goals in support of the vision and then staff---once and for all---in a way that will best guarantee success or goal attainment.
Callinan conveniently forgot to say that the reorg by itself won't assure him another President's Ring this year. He won't get one unless he can get at least three subordinates to agree to be his friend on Facebook. Here's his pitch again:
ReplyDelete25 Things About Me
25. I really miss Minnesota and that feeling of my mustache freezing up.
24. I miss my pool in Florida and sleeping outside under the stars in Arizona.
23. I am a weather schizophreniac.
22. And so am I.
21. I miss living in small towns.
20. I miss living in big towns.
19. I love Cincinnati because it is in the middle of all of above
18. I work too much.
17. But I dream of taking time with buddies and going on a golf junket.
16. But while I try I don't really like golf.
15. And I really don't like to get off my ass and travel.
14. And, with due deference to my pals, I'm such an introvert I really don't like being with people that much.
13. Unless it's my job, which I get paid for.
12. That's why one of my best friends ever was Morris in New York.
11. He had a hearing problem and couldn't hear a damn thing.
10. But he liked to play craps.
9. So we'd drive the hour to the casino and have a great time.
8. He couldn't hear. I didn't want to to talk anyway. What a friend.
7. I always bet on 7. Mickey Mantle, Hedge of 8. Yogi Berra.
6. I am very proud to be a Vietnam veteran.
5. I love Maureen and my family. I got very lucky in life.
4. I am a newspaper guy trying to remain relevant in the new media world.
3. Some people may think I am trying too hard.
2. OK, I am obsessive. I love this stuff.
1. It's cool to connect with friends from long ago and make new ones. I really, really love social media. I may even tweet or Facebook my friend Morris. Just don't ask us to talk, OK.
Some companies are reducing payroll by having their hourly workers work 32 hours a week.
ReplyDeleteA little good news goes a long way. Take Lee Enterprises for example.
ReplyDeleteThey announced a re-financing arrangement yesterday, and their stock price is up 50% today.
Say you had $50,000 in your 401k account. You could buy roughly 13,000 shares of GCI. A buck increase (25%)in stock price would yield an easy $13,000.
This is not for the faint-hearted, but there is likely to be some upside in the stock price eventually.
Of course it could continue to go down by 25% or more.
Its called risk.
8:27 I was short-changed too, but I looked at the email sent to me in August and on page 4 it simply says eligible employees will receive 2% of their 2008 pay. It doesn't say anything about pro-ration.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't 2% simply mean 2%?
What source are you referring to that mentions the supplemental?
Follow the money....
ReplyDeleteThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution is getting rid of agate in its sports section.
ReplyDeleteI can't see how other papers in this copycat industry won't follow its lead.
http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/index.php/topic,67063.0.html
ReplyDelete12:34 -- 8:27 here.
ReplyDeleteThat's the explanation one of my colleagues got from HR when he questioned the supposed shortfall. They're basing it on your pay from the date the new policies went into effect
SHUSH! THEY DON'T KNOW THEY ARE BEING OBSERVED! Almost the entire Somerville CN is asleep. Finance Lady has been on furlough- assistant editor is preparing a scintillating column about Nay Nay and Babbles and Catholicism and Black the Cat for tomorrow- Managing Editor is having less constipated photo taken for Sunday's edition and is writing whatever he thinks Corporate will suck up to. Retail ad manager is poking staff to get corrected Ad2Pro specs to India. Lunch orders are being delivered as real boss lady awakens people are to eat. Those who haven't taken furloughs are worried. Will anyone know they are gone? Secret memo found stating that rental arrangement on offices is day to day and not month to month as assumed.
ReplyDeleteOkay. I agree. Would some of you newspaper type folks please explain to me why you have not formed a HUGE MASS OF VOICE and DEMANDED A FREE PRESS BAILOUT???
ReplyDeleteC'mon, people, show some skills and learn how to use an anchor tag!
ReplyDeleteIs it just me.... or ....
ReplyDeleteEvery time I see that stupid "About Me" list of Callinan's on FaceBook it really CREEPS ME OUT!
Something about it... something so... creepy.
That's all. Is it just me?
1:58, You mean that is for real?? I thought someone was just spoofing. Please, tell me isn't.
ReplyDeleteNo, it's not you. I think that's some strange stuff.
ReplyDeleteThis will sink the Gannett NJ papers
ReplyDeletehttp://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003943432
I think Saridakis has some pretty strong operational experience. He also founded other companies that were successful prior to even getting caught up with Gannett.
ReplyDeleteHe is smart enough not to even entertain a CEO position here. Why would anyone want that role?
I think the Board will probably not give Dubow a bonus (thank God!), but I am sure they will start looking for their next CEO. History will show that the most turnover in the executive ranks, like CEO, occurs when a company starts to plan for a post-recession growth.
ReplyDeleteI am would think that Craig Moon would be an obvious choice (no I do NOT work for USAT) as he was passed up last time when McCorkindale chose Dubow as his successor.
I do not see Saridakis fitting the bill. I think the big concern for the board is that if Saridakis decides that he wants out of Gannett and leaves to start a new venture. That would be a problem for this company.
I actually change my mind. I have more sympathy for Craig Dubow. I think Jim and the rest of these losers on this blog are mean and full of shit.
ReplyDeleteYOu all need to change your attitude toward this company. If you do not like it, then get the F- out of here and find a job as a lowly news reporter for your local penny saver.
Crayons...
ReplyDeleteAmen sister! Screw all these loser newspaper rats on this blog.
I love Dubow and Martore. Jim, you can suck it!
Just for the record...
ReplyDeleteAngela Phillips to the Rescue!!!
I actually heard rumors that Saridakis was leaving Gannett. Did anyone else hear that?
ReplyDelete4:07 p.m. -- It wasn't Craig Moon who was passed over when McCorkindale reached down and tapped Dubow as his successor. It was Gary Watson who was the presumptive CEO-in-waiting. And he promptly picked up his marbles and left the game in a snit when he wasn't chosen.
ReplyDelete1:09
ReplyDeleteReally? Day to day? That is scary!
1:09
ReplyDeleteNo business rents space on a day to day or even month to month basis. HNT has a 5 year lease.
And here I thought it was Curley that got passed over.
ReplyDeleteThe 5% pay cut may just be that we are to take more furlough time. That would probably add up to a 5% cut.If they do decide to take a pay cut for all employees it should be based on income. Similar to the way they charge us for our health insurance. The higher the pay, the bigger the cut. It seems only fair.
ReplyDeleteGeez. It's so sad to see a company I once was proud to work for go down the tubes. I really don't want the company to fail, but there is an evil part of me that wants the positive kool aid drinking people to see the true reality of this company. Right now they have stars in their eyes and post metromix links and think since they are buds with the VP, that they will keep their jobs forever. The sad reality is their VP can't save them any longer. Even if Gannett does go all digital, they will find a way to either outsource that function to India or they will only need a small group of people to run the online division. In Craig's words “We are becoming nimble”.
ReplyDeleteWhy does Craig have a facebook page? Did he not read how unsecure the site is. Why the hell would a CEO have a freaking facebook page? Honestly, it makes absolutely no sense to me at all.
yo 7:24 wake up and smell the roses. The program was introduced mid year, so you get half of the 2%. You didn't get 1.7% get a caculator. Next year you will get 2%. Read the material you didn't read last year you dufus. I love it when you lemmings complain about something you didn't bother to read.
ReplyDeletePositive KoolAid-drinking people. That's an interesting set of words. Maybe some people are just positive because they are trying to make the best of a bad situation. Maybe they just don't want to be downers. You know, I read this blog about twice a month because it's interesting sometimes and Jim breaks news sometimes. But, I gotta say, it seems like so many people who engage here are just miserable. Just because you try to look on the bright side doesn't mean you're a corporate geek. And, many of these people you're referring to probably don't sleep much at night either. So don't be so cruel.
ReplyDeleteAre Bill Albrecht and Graig Dubow Brothers does anyone know. They are both losers.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much BULLSHIT posted on here that my hip-boots are starting to over flow....
ReplyDeleteCan't there be any up-beat postings!!!!!!
vox populi - why would government want to bail out a free press? they don't want a free press digging into there criminality and stupidity.
ReplyDeleteOkay, the rude poster with a similar blogger name is not me. Most likely the same nasty person from last fall. You do have issues don't you? Please, fellow bloggers take note on how my blogger name is written and how the other person's is. Two different individuals.
ReplyDelete11:20...got ya....
ReplyDelete6:39 p.m. "It seems only fair."
ReplyDeleteSeriously?
Bill Albrect to the rescue!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteRe: Faux Crayon 4:19
ReplyDeleteOur local Gannett paper has devolved into a penny saver (keyword penny). So we're already there.
Craig Dubow obviously has no idea what he's doing. It's time for a change.
ReplyDeleteGannett sucks, and he's largely to blame.