Sun Executive Editor Steve Silberman (left) was appointed publisher of the Salem paper. (I don't know Silberman's age; the Salem paper's story doesn't say.) He replaces Brian Priester, made publisher of the Lansing (Mich.) State Journal on Tuesday.In Palm Springs, Managing Editor Rick Green replaces Silberman, according to Publisher Richard Ramhoff. Green, 43, will oversee the daily newspaper, five weeklies, the website, and three niche magazines, the Sun says.
Ramhoff and then Priester were shuffled in the Friday Afternoon Massacre. Ramhoff had been publisher at Lansing. In addition to Palm Springs publisher, he's now a vice president in the newly created West region.
Daily circulation data
- Lansing: 61,990
- Salem: 47,961
- Palm Springs: 49,304
[Photo, from when Gannett named Silberman the Sun's top editor; circulation data, 2007 Annual Report]
Can't wait to hear the comments from all the bafoons out there. I'll take the high road and say congratulations. Since this is a new position for Silberman no one knows what kind of publisher he will be. Any comments will be pure speculation. Lets give the guy a fair chance.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is, I'm in Florida and I can hear the Desert Sun's celebration from here! Oh, yeah, congrats, I guess to him too......but whoopee! for Palm Springs.
ReplyDeleteThese are the types of comments Corporate should pay attention to and hear the outcry. These comments are worth looking into. There was absolutely nothing negative said about Terry Eberle, so those are the people Corporate should be looking to retain. There are more managers like him out there, that are liked by all who come into contact with him, Corporate just needs to open their eyes and ears and find out who they are. Only people like that will ever gain the respect the company so badly needs right now. If morale were good, the numbers might be better.
ReplyDeleteThey don't come any better than Rick Green. Palm Springs is lucky to have him.
ReplyDeleteRick Green is a little too bought into the Information Center concept, which to me is little more than a de-emphasis of news and promoting an idea that anybody can create content like reporters do. But Green is also someone who values and goes after breaking news, watchdog and enterprise, as evidenced by all of the Best of Gannetts that The Desert Sun has been winning lately. I'm sure the folks in the desert will be well-served by him. As for Silberman, he understands good journalism too, but is a different kind of duck. You'll hear some say he's passive-aggressive and drove them mad. If you can figure him out -- and I'm not saying that's an easy task -- he can be worked for.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Salem. You're gonna need it.
ReplyDeleteAs for Rick Green, congratulations are in order. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more energetic, hard-working editor who truly cares about his employees.
Those were the daily circulation figures five years ago ...
ReplyDeleteRick is a real mensch and was screwed by Callinan, who waltzed into Cincinnati and treated Rick like dirt. Worse than dirt. And it's not like Cincinnati's local news report has improved since Rick left. Glad to see a guy who lives and breathes newspapering succeed despite obstacles put in his way.
ReplyDeleteRick Green is the best thing that has happened to The Desert Sun since Randy Lovely was named editor. Green is a passionate journalist that, even though he buys into the company line, can do great work and understands immediacy -- something his predecessor knew NOTHING about. Go Green, go Green!! :)
ReplyDelete... And, about Silberman: He has never been a publisher, but he overall is a terrible manager. He lacks people skills, is extremely passive-agressive and can't make a decision to save his life. So, unless he got a complete personality overhaul in a few days, he's bound to be that same kind of manager in Salem!
Palm Springs' gain is Salem's loss. I give staffers there 6 months and there will be a mass exodus just like there is and has been in Palm Springs in Silberman's 6 years there. Anyone in Salem is welcome to call The Desert Sun's information center -- they'll hear the same thing from 99 percent of the staff.
Oh, yeah, congrats Steve. Palm Springs is celebrating in a major big way right now!
Salem: Watch out. Silberman has already told two fibs and he's only been there a day. The man has never mentioned that he wanted to work in Salem -- only Florida or the northeast. It was publisher in Salem or stuck in Palm Springs as executive editor.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you take a look at the man, he's white as a ghost. To say that he loves the outdoors is quite a stretch. He may like the outdoors, but he's never out there -- and he lived in Palm Springs for 6 years.
Only one of Silberman's great qualities: fibber.
Damn, my spf 50 sunscreen has branded me a liar. Have to go get a spray-on tan quick so the old-timers in Salem can trust me more.
ReplyDeleteSeriously. We're going to start trusting people based on the color of their skin? Why not wait another week and get some experience with him that actually means something?
People why don't you all give up name calling and put downs. Start giving helpful solutions to try and get Gannett back on a winning track. Your only hurting yourself. Your 401k matching funds are with Gannett stock and the next round of layoffs could include you. It does not make sense to beat up on the company you work for and aid in demoralizing other employees.
ReplyDeleteProof that its who you know not what you know. I can't believe that OC members in Reno and Palm Springs were that much smarter then others but they seem to be getting all the good jobs. Caring about the folks that work for them does not seem to be a core competency of any of the Reno or Palm Springs executives that have been promoted. They seem to have a way of communicating that is unique to themselves and they are the only people that understand what they want.
ReplyDeleteTo Anon 10:52 AM
ReplyDeletePlease check your assumptions. Seems this site is attracting a wider audience than just Gannett employees. Also, if you want positive fluff stuff about your company, I'd suggest you focus on the official Gannett website, a place where pensions are still a benefit for new hires and a wonderfully deep and rich transformation is taking place. That crap, not the information posted here, demoralizes me.
To Anon 9:10 PM
ReplyDeleteAmen!
A reader sent the following to me in an e-mail; I'm copying it below:
ReplyDelete"salem folks,
you've got an extraordinary thinking machine in silberman. from concepting stories in print to feeding the info center, online and beyond– the man's mind never goes idle. silberman has also gotta knack for bouncing in and out of revenue trails on the ad side. hes been fabulous with his client interactions and leaves behind a notable footprint for ae's to easily follow up and close with. that said, silberman while brilliant at throwing out possibilities, falls short on final delivery and lacks the charisma to rally his troops. he throws perhaps too many ingredients in the stew and rather than end up with a harmoniously blended melting pot of success; we are left hovering over the stove asking ourselves, "wtf is in that?" he will be a great facilitator, but never a great leader."
A thinking machine, huh. Just wondering if he or anyone else in Gannett is brilliant enough to move out the way and let sources tell their stories to news professionals so the information centers can get back to what news organizations do best---and that's report the news.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Rick Green is too focused on digital media and use of a cadre of amateur bloggers he meets with monthly at lounges. Using amateurs also offers plausibility deniability that they are agents for the Desert Sun, so his people can make outrageous comments using an alias/avatar.
ReplyDeleteNo actual journalism, the reporting is that of a High School paper.
My favorite thing about reading TDS and its sister publications is finding the in-your-face typos that seem to be riddled uniformly throughout. It's a fun, easy scavenger hunt for anyone who has basic grammar skills.
ReplyDeleteI once found more than 50 typos while casually reading ONE issue. Here's a sampling of the elementary errors:
* "...the women who cheats..."
* "...the members says..." (twice in the same article)
* "...despite administrators pleas not to."
* "...shows him reel's of..."
* "...on the site former occupied by..."
* "En Vogue says its back with a new member..."
* "...because you're lazy, fat ass..."
* "...a hike and bite to and a bite to eat..."
* "...hauling nature-lovers and tourists..."
* 'Picatta' spelled different ways on the same page.
* An article that ended mid-sentence.
* A photo captioned "Studio 60 and the Sunset Strip" accompanying an article that referred to "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and later "Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip."
If TDS has been winning awards, I'd hate to see the condition of other Gannett publications.
Salem totally needs help guys it's so sad I grew up here and this paper now has a horrible name now what can be done? I hope eyes in McLean open unless its already too late.
ReplyDelete