Unhappy with my reporting on the Gannett Foundation, a reader posed a provocative question in a comment that I've been expecting for months: "Just who appointed you as the 'all seeing eye?'"
Indeed! Who died and made Jim Hopkins the arbiter of all things Gannett?
I think I have the answer! But I'd rather hear your thoughts first. Leave a note in the comments section, below. Or use this link to e-mail your reply; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the sidebar, upper right.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
11 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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For useful background reading on this question, consider my post on what happens when the help talks back. It's here: http://tinyurl.com/2x6oyu
ReplyDeleteNo one has to appoint him the all-seeing eye. He is grabbing that mantle.
ReplyDeleteRupert Murdoch thought CNN was leaving a vast, rich audience untapped. He started Fox News, which proved him right.
If you believe Jim has the wrong approach, start your own blog. Invest your time and money. Compete and win.
Oh! You work for Gannett, and that's not the Gannett way.
We need more watch dogs like you. We should be able to question authority and management. I think this site has proven its purpose (watch dog) and is providing the tool to do just that. I agree that we need to stay objective on how to track and point out these situations that sometimes we forget to monitor or think of. I still think we have a talented Executive group, but their problem is that they are not sharing the strategy and the road map and plans they have on the future of Gannett. This is what causing people to speculate.
ReplyDeleteWith the way you have been handling your site, I would recommend that you schedule a time to visit corporate and meet with the top management and ask all the questions. Ask about the future. Let's keep it positive. Gannett is a solid company, even with the down trend; we still have huge revenue. The industry and the society are changing, Gannett need to capitalize on this. I think Gannett should engage people like you in the conversation while building the New Gannett. We need someone to rally the teams on all levels. Our problem is that we have a lots of YES managers. We need some autonomy and we need people to be able to voice their opinions in a positive way, so we can keep moving in the right direction. My advice is to keep it positive and stay focus.
Hey Jim, I wonder if you inspired, a Gannett's pretend newspaper, to do an investigation, in to local foundations? http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080330/NEWS01/803300319
ReplyDeleteI’m so glad to have been able to feed you a question you’ve waited months for. You should have had plenty of time for a noteworthy response.
ReplyDeleteAs the whole topic was related to charitable donations, I'm glad that you could divert the subject to one of your own past experiences. Unfortunately it appears you had too little time to prepare a response for the other question, which was related to charitable giving, so I’ll repeat it:
Since you were once an employee, how much did you give to local charities utilizing the Gannett Matching program to aid them in a time of need?
I missed that question -- sorry, there've been too many comments! The answer is: I'm going to have to take a guess. In San Francisco, where I worked for USA Today, I gave money to a group that helps gay teenagers, often living on the street. I'm pretty sure it was $150, matched by the foundation.
ReplyDeleteOver the years, I've also given a couple thousand dollars to my alma mater, Brown University, in Providence, R.I., which is not -- by any stretch -- a Gannett community. The foundation matched those gifts, too.
Now, I'll point out what should be obvious: I gave these non-profits my own money, before the foundation kicked in any of its own. The executives who get to participate in this fake charity benefit do so without putting in a dime of their own. The $40,000 that Craig Dubow directed to the University of Texas at Austin was 100% foundation money; this was not a match. Plus, of course, Dubow made nearly 30x what I earned in 2007, my final year at USA Today.
I hope I've answered your question.
Who is going to do this, if not Jim?
ReplyDeleteGannett's reporters? In most cases, especially at smaller papers, Gannett has a terrible record of reporting on itself. When was the last time you saw a Gannett paper report on its own layoffs and buyouts? It'll report on other businesses in its towns, but not on itself. Never holds itself to the same standard.
Reporters outside Gannett? I've seen trying to cover Gannett described as peeling away the layers of an onion. So who better than someone who understands its culture?
Stockholders? If they had any clout, the stock wouldn't be under $30 today.
Investors with a big financial stake in Gannett? You really want Knight Ridder's fate to be yours?
I think Jim is more than qualified, but it doesn't really matter if anybody appointed him or not. I agree with the previous comment: the Internet is a big, free place. If you think you could or should do it better, go try!
ReplyDeleteI've loved reading this blog and will continue to do so - probably even after I cease my employment at the Gannett subsidiary I currently call home.
Jim said:
ReplyDeleteI missed that question -- sorry, there've been too many comments!
So much for "all-seeing".
Ain't THAT the truth!
ReplyDeleteJim,
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work. I have been with Gannett for sometime and I am one of the "few" highly paid senior managers in the company that appreciates what you are doing.
I also think it is important that you continue to keep this executive team on their toes. Especially the Dubow/Martore dictatorship that has been controlling the company and all of our retirement accounts (which are one-third the value now!!!).
Jim, maybe if you set-up Gannett Blog as a 501(c) we can all donate to your cause and we can have Gannett Match it! Ask Tara C if that is legit!
Keep up the good work Jim and take advantage of this medium and your audience's appetite for the truth.