A new contract reported between GCI and Chyron would allow the Broadcasting division to eliminate some artist jobs by putting graphics software tools right into the hands of producers. "News and content producers will now have the ability to generate state-of-the-art branded graphics directly, without having to pass the task to a graphic artist,'' Jeff Smith tells the Seeking Alpha investments website today.He compares Chryon's AXIS software to accountants who now use Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet to create their own pie charts -- rather than relying on an artist. "AXIS has essentially become the Excel of graphics creation,'' Smith says.
A Gannett Blog reader (hi, Jeff!), Smith teaches business at the University of South Carolina Upstate, at Spartanburg.
Could Gannett outsource graphics work at its 85 daily papers? Please leave a note, in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, use this link from a non-work computer; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green sidebar, upper right.
Comparing broadcast graphics, in an industry that relies on visual presentation quality, to making pie charts in Excel? OK, that's pretty ludicrous.
ReplyDeleteThis is the latest salvo fired at Gannett's graphic designers. We've worked hard and we've done our best to make Gannett's products look good. We are the ones who make people turn their heads when the televisions are on. We are the ones who make people glancing at the newspaper rack decide that they really do want a copy of that paper. We are the ones who make sure that the advertisers can get a far more eye-catching ad than they can at the local shopper publication. But who are the ones with the bullseyes on our backs when the numbers are down? Graphic designers aren't solely responsible for the success Gannett has had in the past, but where would the corporation be without us?
They have the nerve to send photo toning out of state, broadcast graphics to Denver, stories to a copy desk several counties away, and ad production to India, and then call themselves your town's "hometown newspaper." Then they wonder why people turn their backs on newspapers, as evidenced by major declines in circulation. If I'm going to get my news from out-of-state, I can get it online faster and in more detail. For local news, I'm getting more of it from local bloggers (in some cases journalists who once worked for the local papers) these days than I am from the local paper websites. There is a very intrinsic value to having your local news produced by those who know the community.
OK, rant over. I feel better.
They will cut into the bone marrow.
ReplyDeleteThese are those "low hanging" fruit that come so easy to lop off.
When you hear any of them speak to Local, you can gag. I dare any of them to show up and visit the local property and try to sell that kind of swill.
Most of you will not like the Gannett you see by year-end. The latest version of carpetbaggers.
anan 11:45,
ReplyDeleteWhat is going to happen by year end? Something different from what is already happening?
More buyouts, more consolidation, more centralization, possibly some sale of outlying properties, greater news sharing, and the online sales numbers bottom out. Wouldn't surprise me if the six ad directors positions in New Jersey get consolidated down to three. The same could be said of executive editors. And on, and on.
ReplyDeleteGannett is not in it for the quality of the product, I've seen them let the best employees walk right out the door without any attempt to get them to stay. They saw a dollar figure leaving, that is it! They figure that person was hear for 18 years, we can get three college grads for what that person was making. Gannett in 2008 is pretty sad. Gannett in 2009 will be down right pathetic.
ReplyDelete55 with Gannett. You are dead meat. Hung out in the freezer to dry. Except for those spoiled corporate types...who write the rules. Notice that Watson, Sherlock, Coleman, all retired...at the same time. Collins must have had a bigger beer tab to pay off.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter what kind of software they get or what kind of money they save. Software can't make the decision a good designer can. Design is in a person's blood as much as reporting is. You can't force a sales rep to do what an artist can. It's not going to happen and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteGannett can see dollar signs all they want. In the end when it's nobody but the executives and their bonuses it's going to be great seeing them get the product out.
Employees, their spouses, their children, and their very lives are getting screwed but that's perfectly fine. Turn it the other way and talk about rights and you're more than wrong...you're employee scum.
55 was last years magic number, it will be 50 in December 2008.
ReplyDeletei'm hoping they drop it to 35... then it will be christmas
ReplyDelete