Monday, April 20, 2009
Monday | April 20 | Your News & Comments
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77 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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Just finsihed a 2600 mile trip through 7 states. Saw 9 different Gannett newspamplets. Between the web and cutoff reductions, the section consolidations and page reductions they aren't big enough to be called newspapers anymore. The Rochester paper was about the size that used to be seen in Binghampton. I don't know how long subscribers will continue to pay for three day old news that has nothing to do with their daily communities and lives. Especially distressing to see the incredible shrinking sports pages. Production quality was way off from what I saw during my previous trips(except for Elmira which is much improved on the new Binghampton Presses). Most of what I saw wasn't worth the cost of the paper or the paper it was printed on.
ReplyDeletenumero uno!
ReplyDeleteDubow now rules USAT directly for the first workday, today. What does that mean for our favorite pampered USAT employees with their subsidized cafeteria, free parking and subsidized gym?
ReplyDeleteJim,
ReplyDeleteGreat job with the blog. $25 coming your way.
Thanks!
8:44 -- Sounds like you hit the East coast. Things aren't much better in the West. It's really a shame. I no longer subscribe to my Gannett paper, and I rarely miss not having it. It trained me long ago that I can find all the news I want free on television and online ... and often from sources run by other companies.
ReplyDeleteThings are no better in the midwest, either. Those Ohio community papers are now eight pages on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and people in the towns are howling.
ReplyDeleteIndiana papers fare a bit better, but of course the real disaster is in Michigan, where the papers are being wrecked worse than the ones in Ohio - and I thought NOTHING could be worse than those Gannett small community papers in Ohio.
you must have been really freaking bored 8:44
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteOnce "I realized" Gannett was "In the buisness" to steal from me as an employee, I cancelled my subscription and will never renew it. They are crooks and thieves to their own employees, what makes you think they would treat thier customers any different?
ReplyDeletei haven't seen alot on here about the Paper carriers.
ReplyDeleteI work with about 100 in a given week and these poor chaps are suffering.
Reduce subsidies, Increased rates shrinking routes and profit.
How long has Louisville had that 531 word disclaimer on its Web site about not being responsible for anything sent in by readers and posted in web forums etc.?
ReplyDeleteYes, legally it is not responsible, but I think most of us who work in news can agree that we are responsible for what is published on our Web sites. Our credibility plummets every time a readers sees some stupid or racist comment that would never make it on our editorial pages.
After reading that disclaimer, I got the feeling Louisville was passing the buck on that one. I am sure advertisers and the public will feel the same way. It is any wonder why we can't sell ads on the Web?
I think 8:44 has USAT envy. Not to worry! Work hard, get better at what you do, learn to write something that people want to read, and maybe you can work here, too!
ReplyDeleteDumbass.
They screw you on your medical coverage! Premiums and also if you get in a car accident they come after you if the other person is at fault and recoup the costs of your medical costs threw your insurance or lawyer and settlement. They charge you MORE or equivelant of your medical co-pay premium! And life insurance you pay full amount they contribute zilch! They are in the convience buisness to bill you! They wil hire third party firms to evalute your medical history and call you on the phone to reveal medical stuff to find out how they can save money to screw you. They will hire third partys , Like CHAPMAN KELLY< firms to have you PROVE your own kids are your own including your wife with your last name?! This is starting to sound like "NAZI" germany! They will investigate when you are out sick and second guess with another company hired doctor and determine when you should return to work, regardless when your "certified" doctor has given you a return notice.They will this way cheat you out of allocated "sick pay". And diminish the need for future people to go out sick when they know they will get cheated!! Beautiful, sign me up I am out of high school and need to invest 20 to 30 years in a company like this!!!!!!!! SCUMFUCKERS!
ReplyDeleteI missed seven weeks of work due to an illness about six years ago, went on short term disability, and GCI treated me very fairly and never questioned my doctor's evaluation. I have since left so I do not know if things have changed.
ReplyDeleteThe carriers have take a big hit May 1 ,2009. 1.5 cents per copy increase on home delivery. We do not think much about the carriers but service is part of the way to stay in buiness. there is still a lot of customers that take the newspaper because of the carriers service. You loose the carriers and you losse customers. example is to see if an editor can sale a nespaper compared to a carrier. Who would you bet on ? The increase will cost the carriers at least $45 per 100 customers which of course goes to the company. Lets see you throw 300 customer and make $900 per month you just got your pay lowered to $765 per month not counting losses from price increases. We must have circulation people involved in decisions before hand not just pencil pushers.
ReplyDeleteWhy is everyone all over 8:44? He makes accurate observations. The papers are shrinking, the color quality is horrible, the lack of timely news and page reductions. Get off his case and get yourselves ready for disappearance of all Monday and Tuesday print editions.
ReplyDeleteDouble-digit loss in GCI as I write this. I think this confirms that the recent gains had more to do with short-sellers adjusting their books before options expiration week last week than any underlying fundamentals pointing to better times for GCI. My prediction is that GCI will gyrate wildly for months to come because there are so many stocks out there for short sellers and others to manipulate. Thanks, corporate, for that, although they will feel the impact more than me because they have options that will never hit their marks.
ReplyDeleteNEWS: Moody's may downgrade GCI rating further into junk status:
ReplyDeletehttp://finance.yahoo.com/news/Moodys-may-downgrade-Gannett-apf-14971077.html
Our local paper just cut another inch off it's web width today.
ReplyDeleteIf it gets any narrower, it will be able to hide behind a pica pole!
11:25 is the early leader for Gannettblog Dumbfuck of the Week. Reduced web width by an inch, did they? Reminds me of the Michael Keaton line in Mr. Mom, when asked if wiring work he was doing was 220. "220, 221, whatever it takes."
ReplyDelete7:17 carriers are the bottom of the barrel. It's been my experience that any decision involving circulation is done by people who most likely never delivered a paper in their lives. from what i understand, home delivery is being hit with all kinds of stuff, higher costs, less papers, higher penalties for missed or redelivered, etc. Single copy is being literally swept off the street by removing racks and eyeing smaller stores to cut. How does that help sales?
ReplyDeleteCarriers are always the last to know and if asked anything, it's usually after decisions have been made so as to make an opinion moot.
7:17, that is because the majority of the posters on this blog are newsies (newsroom). They believe that the sun rises and sets on correct spelling and that they are all indispensible. I see very few common sense posters from the business side of the operations (Circulation, Pressrooms, Mailrooms, Etc.) the folks who really put the papers out.
ReplyDeleteWow. AP says the Moody downgrade because analysts don't think GCI can avoid violating its agreements with banks over its debt. Shows how badly managed this operation is. GCI used to have sterling credit ratings before Dubow and Martore screwed things up. Shows how fraudulent that rosy telephone conference with analysts was last week.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, note how the stock slide began even before Moody made its announcement. Shows how much the market is manipulated by insider information, IMO
ReplyDelete2:16 A default is a BIG deal.
ReplyDeleteJeez people - all the indexes and a ton of individual stocks are down 13-20% today. Gannett's right in there with them.
ReplyDelete10:31 -- I think you're exactly right. We'll continue to see weird swings in Gannett stock, in part because it's no longer something that many big investors will consider. Clearly Ariel is an exception, but that company's motives are still hazy.
ReplyDeleteNobody is building their portfolios around newspaper stock. In the business or not, it would be plain silly.
Truth told there were only a handful of decades where newspapers were seeing double digit profit margins. In the early days it was a highly competitive business with low profit margins. Most people posting today don't remember that.
Seems to me we're rapidly sliding back to the profit margins of the early 1900s. Wall Street doesn't like that, but it doesn't mean newspapers aren't viable businesses.
12:16 p.m. said: I see very few common sense posters from the business side of the operations (Circulation, Pressrooms, Mailrooms, Etc.) the folks who really put the papers out.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the belly laugh!
12:36 pm: Which indexes are you talking about?
ReplyDelete12:16 -- I'm from the newsroom and don't discount ideas just because of spelling.
ReplyDeleteBut it's not fair to say that business, press and circulation folks "really put the paper out."
Can't we all agree that every job at the paper is important?
Without journalists, there wouldn't be news for the press people to print. Without press people there would be no paper for the circ folks to deliver. Without circ people, the paper wouldn't get to readers. And without advertising sales people, none of us would get paid.
We don't really need to renew this discussion, do we? I see no reason for a battle between the people working in different parts of a paper. All are needed and all are similarly mistreated by Gannett.
Hey 8:44 PM - where's Binghampton? Somewhere in the Hamptons downstate?
ReplyDeleteSHOULDN'T BE SAYING THIS
ReplyDeleteI work in corporate and decided to warn you guys. Due to the certain upcoming downgrade GCI is moving forward with layoffs they had planned for in May if the situation worsened. We will be laying off over 4,000 people by the end of April. Thought you had the right to know. I cannot say more and this is my last time doing this. (I've let you know stuff before.) Good luck everybody and not all of us in corporate are cold-hearted.
OK, 1:31 clinches the Dumbfuck of the Week Award with his fabrication of a persona working at corporate. Tell me, Dumbfuck, how will layoffs impact a credit downgrade at all? This is far and away the worst part of this blog, lying scumbags like 1:31 who come on with these sorts of posts just so they can cause anguish and maybe draw a little attention to their imaginary selves. Douchebag.
ReplyDeleteREALLY SHOULDN'T BE SAYING THIS
ReplyDeleteI work in corporate, too, and what I've heard (in fact, know), is totally different.
Because of the small uptick in advertising and signs the stock has bottomed out, even at a low level, the prospect of layoffs remains very much in the discussion stages and nothing has been determined.
I have only posted here in the past when I had rock solid information. Do not believe these bogus "corporate" postings. This is the real story.
All: I have no idea whether these corporate guys are real or not.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in response to 1:35 pm: Moody's specifically cited "cost reduction efforts" as a way Gannett could avoid a default, according to the AP story.
Also, 1:31 pm: 4,000 is about 10% of the total workforce.
ReplyDeleteAre you sure you don't mean a 10% cut in payroll, which could be accomplished with fewer than 4,000 -- as was the case in the December round?
Jeez, that's all we need, more cost-reduction efforts.
ReplyDelete1:49 GCI's payroll last year was 42,000 and it is 41,500 this year, according to the annual report. That is a reduction of 500, not 4,000.
ReplyDeleteI, too, work in corporate.
ReplyDeleteI expect there to be hundreds of aggregate layoffs during the next 12-18 months at the Gannett properties.
Sorry, but that is as specific as I dare to get.
I don't work in corporate, but I know there will be legions of layoffs in coming months. When you have information about my particular job, would you please then inform me. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteJim, Moody's didn't say Gannett could avoid default by additional cost cutting. The AP story specifically said, "Moody's said the company's free cash flow and cost reduction efforts should help it obtain an amendment to its loans."
ReplyDeleteThat's clearly referring to current cash flow and cost cutting, and it clearly said "should," not "could."
Here's the direct quote from the Moody's review on default: "Moody's believes Gannett's positive free cash flow generation, cost reduction efforts, and its local content infrastructure, brand recognition and advertiser relationships increase the likelihood that it would obtain a covenant amendment and will focus on the effect that an amendment, if necessary, might have on the company's borrowing costs and priority of debt claims."
ReplyDeleteWhile we can all speculate on the numbers, it doesn't take an "insider" to recognize that further cost reductions will be necessary. While I don't work at HQ or in an individual property (I'm former Gannett employee), it's clear that to me that the businesses we depend on for advertising revenue are struggling and will probably continue to struggle through at least the end of 2009--so no near term rebound ahead. Cutting costs to align with revenue drops will be necessary - whether through additional furloughs, FTE reductions and less newsprint consumption... or all of the above.
ReplyDeleteAs an earlier poster noted, name just about any company in or outside of the industry and you'll see similar action focused on rapidly reducing costs. It's the world we're in at the moment.
While it's easy to blame GCI or local management, the reality is we're facing economic conditions that none of have seen before (the closest was probably the early 80's and early 90's but neither had the liquidity squeeze of the current recession). Blaming someone is part of the grieving process, I guess.
IMHO, the two things Gannett needs to focus on right now are tight cost management and, like the experiment in Detroit and some of the web initiatives going on right now, begin testing major changes to the traditional business model that will hopefully pay off when the economy begins to improve. The first will bring little solace to those who may face job loss but the second will offer hope for the future.
I personally think that traditional media will begin to rebound sometime next year. But he business model for the survivors, whether it be GCI's, NYT's, Hearst's, Clear Channel's, ABC's or name any traditional media company, will be leaner, more collaborative, more adaptive and quicker to market with customer solutions.
I'd be interested in what others think about building the business model of the future.
I work at corporate too, and here's the truth, we sit around reading this blog!
ReplyDelete8:44 - It's not just Gannett that is guilty of this though. Ever see the Gloucester County Times in South Jersey? It looks like something high school freshmen in a desktop publishing class would put out. "Newspamphlet" is really a great word to use to describe what's happened to many U.S. newspapers.
ReplyDelete8:18 AM.... I have endured many injustices and unfair actions from Gannett, but medical coverage has not been one of them. I have had HIV for the past ten years and it has not impacted on my insurance coverage. While I don't really believe that the suits don't know about my condition, it's been good coverage.
ReplyDeleteThat is the one and only good thing I can say about the tyrants running Gannett!
The Gloucester County Times in Southern NJ has been like a news pamphlet forever. It has not changed but many of the locals keep getting it because it is so cheap and it is like a tradition to have it in your home from time to time or in some cases on a daily basis. Nothing new here.
ReplyDeleteReally shouldn't be saying this:
ReplyDeleteI'm the suit who posted 4,000 layoffs earlier, and sorry about that, I really screwed up. I'm so incredibly sorry, Jim is absolutely correct. It is another round just like December. As a matter of fact, that is exactly how I heard it and I somehow translated that to 4,000 layoffs. I apologize, but it has been nuts around here. I should have been more accurate. This is totally tied in to the Moody's report. You all may not believe this, but we have had MANY meeting on how NOT to do layoffs. We are closely monitoring the Detroit model and hope it succeeds. However, this Moody's report is forcing us to take action WE HAVE NO CHOICE.
2:54 No difference between could and should in this case. It is not up to AP to determine whether or not GCI will be held in default, but the banks. Should I point out that these are not normal times and banks are adverse to handing out money for operations that have questionable futures. In the event of a default, it will be GCI in breach of the covenants, not the banks, and there is no guarantee they won't just enforce the current terms of the loans. I think this a very dangerous turn of events, and something for which Dubow and Co. could have prepared.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone heard anything on the possibility of getting rid of photo editors if another round of layoffs happen?
ReplyDeleteSo much for all those silly asses who over the last six months have said Gannett could never go bankrupt because it is such a profit-making company.
ReplyDeleteRE: 12:48
ReplyDeleteDow, Nasdaq, S+P 500.
3:09 I'd be interested in what others think about building the business model of the future.
ReplyDeleteCopy Google. Get computers to run everything, lifting from other businesses. Use algorythms to sort out important items from less important. Then then collect the revenue from ads when money just rolls in. Made billions for Google.
I don't work for Gannett any longer, nor do I work for a newspaper.
ReplyDeleteBut I can assure you that more layoffs will be coming. Some will look like Pensacola, where jobs are consolidated and moved to other locations.
Gannett has made it clear that it wants out of the production and distribution businesses of news. It wants to be in the information provider role.
3:09 I'd be interested in what others think about building the business model of the future.
ReplyDeleteGCI spent $7 billion last year with 41,500 employees collecting, packaging and selling news. Then corporate turned around and gave it all away on the Internet for free. FOR FREE.
Solution: Stop giving away the content, delink from the Internet, and go back to the days of print and ink, which used to make tons of money.
FUCK the JERKOFF bunch @ MOODY'S
ReplyDeleteDear 3:40---Pray to God Gannett, who has been so good to you, doesn't lay you off, because you will see the beginning of nightmare scenarios in terms of health care. Because nothing, and I mean NOTHING of one's personal situation is taken into account when the decision is made to lay that person off. Single, married, dying or super healthy, suicidal or happy as a clam, no savings but not poor enough for Medicaid etc., close to getting Social Security but not quite yet, maybe in 3-4 years. Good worker, bad worker, nice person, snotnose. Slacker or ass-kisser or quiet unassuming professional who gets the job done.
ReplyDeleteNONE OF THIS MATTERS when the big shots decide who goes, except personal opinions. I pray for you and everyone else still at a Gannett newspaper.
It's dumb to put everything on the Internet. You are not going to make any money with web advertising.
ReplyDeleteIf these Corporate guys are right about more layoffs coming, Corporate needs to make its own cuts. Too much fat is still clogging up Crystal Palace's GCI tower.
ReplyDelete7:00pm
ReplyDeleteYou're right newspapers will never make the dollars on the web that they have in print, advertisers are interested in advertising in web-only based news sites. Newspaper on-line or in print are a considered a losing product by advertisers.
Jim, do you have any word concerning the closing of the Tucson Citizen? How much can those people take under those conditions. It must be like a bad dream. Over and over on a daily basis. I worked with those people until I was told my job had been elimated last Dec. My supervisor had to "asorb" my job as I later found out. And she is salaried, so you can imagine the hours she is now working. It's a sad situation, moral is at an all time rock bottom low.
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ReplyDelete4:01 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteHas anyone heard anything on the possibility of getting rid of photo editors if another round of layoffs happen?
Gets my vote. Overpaid under performing sector of most newspapers.
To 6:36's point: Paul Giblin, who just won a Pulitzer, was laid off from that paper (Arizona's East Valley Tribune) several months ago! Think they're sorry they let him go?
ReplyDeleteAnd again I say -
ReplyDeleteThis blog is dead, and has no hope of revival. The information being spewed about layoffs, etc., is bogus and everyone knows it.
Jim will NEVER again get the inside scoop on any layoff - and other than the body count on the next layoff round (did I say that? maybe I should start making up predictions and fake memos!) what good does it offer?
"This blog is dead, and has no hope of revival. The information being spewed about layoffs, etc., is bogus and everyone knows it."
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, many of the people here are dumb enough to believe whatever is spoonfed to them.
That's why they should have been shown the door a long, long time ago.
8:29pm - Mike? Is that you? Get over it, man.
ReplyDelete6:36 PM is soooo right! It may sound like a ranting diatribe to some, but it is all true! If Gannett hasn't done it to you yet, remember that most of your days are numbered. You'll "get" what this writer is saying when it happens to you!
ReplyDeleteNews tomorrow Jim. Not huge, but I'm sure it will get a few people worked up.
ReplyDelete4000 more layoffs, well, well that sounds like quite a high number...you management aren't even capable of making the working environment so miserable that everyone wants to quit on their own...man your are all so freaking stupid....ofcourse they are going to lay off 4000 more, they are going to keep consolidating shit like they did in Elmira, Ithaca and Binghamton..they know they could get away with the shit up there because the management is inept and egotistical. They actually think they are doing the right thing by being "company" men or women. when in fact they are just brain dead morons. get that Binghamton you are BRAIN DEAD MORONS. You are the example they are using everywhere else to justify their actions. Are you too stupid to see that? Dumbo Dubow knows that and Bodner is raking in the bucks to do it. All you douche bags are going to drown in the corporate kool aid....you suck, kiss my ass and you suck. and 844 way to go to tell everyone what we all know, your a douche bag too...
ReplyDeleteInteresting story on CareerBuilder mentioning Gannett and furloughs, Pay close attention to the last line of article
ReplyDeletehttp://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-1826-Workplace-Issues-More-Companies-Force-Workers-to-Take-Time-Off/?sc_extcmp=JS_1826_msnbc&SiteId=cbmsnbc41826&ArticleID=1826>1=23000&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=bed29cd87bcd410eb75df65ef7df9d82-293580343-VQ-4
As the old saying goes, "never ask for something for you just might get it". Which newspaper, er, um media company, wanted to monopolize the market? Well, they succeeded in that and look where it got them. I'll make up my own little buzzword for the day "Media Implosion". They knocked off all competition, then charged whatever the hell they wanted for advertising. Look where it got them. Was their business plan based on short term or long term progress? It would take millions to restructure a company as huge as this. Millions no one has to spare. Oh how I miss my newspaper; the one where the stories were worth reading and not copied from the competition's prior day news. Where advertising was affordable, and circulation numbers were something to be proud of. But no, what I see now is a modern day Titanic, sinking ever so fast and for one reason - carelessness. So, fine company, the public has spoken, the presses have been dismantled and soon the lone intern journalist will be writing the final obituary of a fine newspaper that was.
ReplyDelete8:29 p.m. is totally righteously spot on.
ReplyDeleteA Career Builder article about furloughs quotes an unnamed Gannett journalist as calling furloughs "banishment."
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/cvqqxu
8:29: With all due respect, STFU since I'm pretty damn sure you have no idea what all of Gannett's photo editors do during the course of their jobs. The same can be said of any position within any organization - some work hard, others slack off and coast by. So, again, unless you have some super powers not had by us mere mortals that allows you to make such a blanket statement, STFU.
ReplyDeleteOn this blog we seem to interdepartmentaly undercut each other and think that we are the upper mental crust of spelling or talent in presswork or so forth. One thing , especially with the younger gannetteers that haven't gave their soul and heart for twenty or more years has realized,That the company is the same soul robber and bottom line thriving heartless company that will lead you on for twenty to thirty years and make you believe you have as future. That was 10 years ago, and I think younger peeps know that that the newspaper biz is only out to use them and discard them as rags!Thats alright when it is a single family no kids but Gannett is actually becoming anti-family with large co-pays and depleted benefits so that the "Pharoahs" have their "La CReme of wages". When will the right wing and american people wake up. Corporate america is treating employees like dogs ..................no raises and freezing pensions and stealing anything they can. Time for the flag to raise again and stop this tearing apart of "We the people's" rights of depleting our newspapers coverage with the monopolized and sanitized coverage of news! I want my old investigative reporters! I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!!!! So now we will have Gannett doing what they know best of how to do away with your job and make your co-worker do your work for the same pay and mentally treat them like an indentured slave like they are lucky to have a job. I can't wait till the powers that be and this whole ass-backwards company goes bankrupt because they never deserved to own all the conglomarate of newspapers that they have!!!!!!Greed and Upper crust self deserving people have fucked this and drove this company to the ground! The sooner the fractured bankrupsty the better. All you num-nutts keep buying the stock and hope for your rainbow when the powers that be furlough you and treat you like animals plowing the field of thier profits! They will N_E_V_E_R share on the the upswing "YOU" don't deserve it!
ReplyDelete