Commenting on my post about a new set of confidential recommendations on managing print newspapers, a reader writes: "it worries me that someone leaked a confidential and proprietary company work product to this blog. our competitors are reading this and we are feeding them free info. if you do not like working at gannett, leave. there are many of us at this company who are working hard to do the right thing to make a living here. leaking proprietary company info is not right. jim, if you received digital copies of confidential reports, market research data, internal personnel matters, memos from strategic brainstorming meetings about the new product ideas the company is developing, etc., would you make it all available for people to download? the answer [is] yes . . . because, that's what 'journalists' do . . . "Join the debate, in the original post, or in the comments section, below.
Pathetic answer Jim- I will no longer support this blog.
ReplyDeleteHighlighting this comment was the first part of my response; I think it's important to underscore areas where people disagree with me, so readers know everyone is welcome on this blog.
ReplyDeleteHere's the second part: Yes, this is what journalists do -- report the news. I'm sorry you disagree. But I *do* value your input; it's a reminder that we have many people working for Gannett who don't always agree on the role of a journalist -- inside, or outside, the company. Please reconsider abandoning Gannett Blog; we need lots of different viewpoints from lots of different employees.
There are bigger items to debate. Nothing is confidential in an open society.
ReplyDeleteWhy aren't you commenting on the loss of key editors and newsroom execs in San Jose, Boston, and countless others? Or is that now old news?
Gannett, Media News, and the like...reap what you sow!
Gannett's notorious for keeping its front-line employees in the dark. Thus the cynicism when a newsroom meeting is called every six months and a new initiative from out of the blue is announced. I was once privileged enough to sit in on a high-level meeting as part of a training program and was appalled at the lack of professionalism and flip way ad directors, publishers, editors, etc., tossed around six-figure numbers while my fellow employees and I were literally told to tear Post-It notes in half to save on office expenses.
ReplyDeleteGannett execs live in the true ivory tower, and they don't want the peasants to know it.
You use “we” a lot in your posts. It is my understanding that you no longer work for Gannett so it’s hard to understand how “we” really works for you any more. I really do question why you want to be the gadfly of Gannett. It’s almost as if Gannett has its own personal Gawker site. Where are you going with this? Why do you feel it is important, sensible or OK for you to provide internal Gannett confidential information? I guess you’ll keep going until you get bored – I give you another six months.
ReplyDeleteGet real. I was a Gannettoid and drank ALL of the Kool-Aid. I even might have made it to the glass towers. The annual report won't put employees in touch with reality. Dubow or Delores Pinto need to do an employee attitude survey.
ReplyDeleteSurvey says...profit at all expense.
Get out of the swamp or kill all of the alligators. Yes, I respect there are 47,000 employees to honor with a brighter future.
Jim provides a great service, communicating to the Gannett masses because internal "conversation" is lacking. Employees often are on a need-to-know platform instead of being embraced and included in the entire process / vision / direction, which is necessary to move the company forward.
ReplyDeleteMuch like the political climate in the United States, apathy toward our leaders and their (poor) decisions (i.e. faltering economy, sinking GCI stock price) is evolving into a revolution of the front-liners ... the proletariat once again rising up against the bourgeoisie.
Long overdue in my opinion.
Keep blogging Jim for however long you please.
Thank you for permission to blog another six months!
ReplyDeleteMy work status is as follows: I am classified as an "inactive employee." So, that's partly where the "we" comes from.
Also, I plan to blog about Gannett as long as there's still a Gannett to write about -- and as long as readers keep flocking (in growing numbers!) to this blog.
Keep going. Yes, Obama has likewise risen above the fray.
ReplyDeleteA suggestion, as a former employee.
Make lots of contacts, allies, and friends outside of Gannett. My family was Gannett; worked too hard, was myopic, stunted by my own self-perception and self-value.
Prepare yourself for life outside of Gannett. But be honest, no Rolodex, no life...sad but true.
Unless you want a career in selling life insurance. Pass.
Gannett, in the larger sense, is NOT family. Lessons learned.
To the Gannettoid that gave Jim six more months with his blog. I give you six more months until I buy a new set of tires from you at Sears.
ReplyDeleteTo those readers presumptively in the news bidness who are offended by seeing an internal document published for all to see, my advice would be to dutifully read and believe all Gannett corporate missives and do not visit here. Must be the Chiquita editors chiming in.
ReplyDeleteOh no, super top secret info about baby boomers being the target demo was leaked! Seriously, why the hell would anyone care about this memo seeing the light of day?
ReplyDeleteAnd the bit about proprietary company info is a load of crap.
This is a publicly-traded company. Our job as journalists (Jim included) is to inform the public. As a shareholder and member of the public, I want to know about GCI's plans for the future.
It's kind of a no-brainer.
Oh, but wait, maybe I should just quit and stop my whining. As if.
I'm not a Gannett employee but this site is a lot of fun to read. Here's a newsflash for Gannett: MSM is dead. And in other news, Sears profits slump due to lack luster tire sales.
ReplyDeleteScrew Sears. If all else fails, blame Neuharth...big hat, lots of cattle. I think that he used to have the corporate jet transport firewood to friends out west. Could be that Sue Clark Johnson got some of that firewood too. Probably fits in with that softball field in the back of McClean.
ReplyDeleteUse the new recommendations to start the fire.
I am waiting until Jim releases the report. I am sure the lawyers will be all over him to identify his sources and than we will see who would have ballz to talk.
ReplyDeleteI hope whomever sent you the report is not looking to keep his job.
Oh no! the Gannett lawyers. Release it Jim, a judge would laugh at these idiots who want to bring forward the person that leaked out the all important and top secret "What Baby Boomers Want" report.
ReplyDeleteListen to this idiot "we will see who has the ballz to talk" I'm sure his intimidation method is a great way to manage people.
"WE WILL SEE WHO HAS THE BALLZ TO TALK" please make this statement the headline of your next post. I'm sure many Gannett employees will tell you about the intimidation style of managers.
ReplyDeleteThis style of management is their hallmark, signature, reputation, and namesake. And I bet that most within the industry would agree...which accounts for most of the lock-step mentality of key executives. Produce or else. It is not the Peter Principal...it is the Gannett Principal.
ReplyDeleteMemo
ReplyDeleteTo: "WE WILL SEE WHO HAS THE BALLZ TO TALK"
From: Gannett front-line employees
re: BALLZ are growing
In case you missed it, WWSWHTBTT, we are in the business of protecting free speech - even when it's free speech that might not suit our fancy. You have no bully pulpit here.
Additionally, employees do have rights. Yes, some employees do whine and complain about almost everything. But there is valid reason for many Gannett employees to complain and if someone in the ivory/glass towers would listen, the ship might right itself. Cutting is never going to lead to prosperity. Real journalism could save our ship. Slick names of stupid ideas will not.
So if you have ballz, right your names and speak your mind too. You are full of you know what.
ReplyDeleteYou show me yours, and I'll show you mine.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm the only one, but does anyone else find it odd that in a business that has (at least the major players do it more publicly) published leaked memos, reports and what not from other companies, government sources and what have you; that we get upset when someone does the same to us?
ReplyDeleteJust more ammo for that whole "ego" argument used against journos.
There's a difference between journalists and managers.
ReplyDelete