Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Thursday | Aug. 21 | Real Time Comments
Got news -- but can't find an appropriate Gannett Blog post for your comment? Write it in the comments section, below, on this post. Real Time Comments appears here daily; past editions will be archived.
37 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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What do you think of this idea?
ReplyDeleteToo many different topics and too many different locations/cities/states for this to be an efficient way to exchange information. ie: Being from NJ, I'm mostly interested in what's locally happening to my papers. When I see something happening elsewhere at a another Gannett property or a topic that interests me, I click on it. And maybe blog, maybe not. However, love love love this website!
ReplyDeleteGannett Central Wisconsin to close press facility
ReplyDeleteSTEVENS POINT — Gannett Central Wisconsin Media Group cited an economic shift in announcing today the elimination of 11 full-time positions next month when the Stevens Point production facility will be closed.
Gannett, which owns the Stevens Point Journal, Marshfield News-Herald, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune and the Wausau Daily Herald in Central Wisconsin, will move the printing, inserting and labeling work to its Wausau facility effective Sept. 19, said Mike Beck, president of Central Wisconsin Media, in a memorandum to employees this morning.
Several employees will have the opportunity to transfer to the Wausau facility, Beck said. Surplus equipment not used in Wausau will be sold.
“I understand how difficult these changes are,” Beck said. “But I must stress my sincere belief in our mission, that if we focus on providing local information in the way people want it, we will successfully navigate this tough industry transition.”
I'm hearing you, @7:24 p.m. Just to repeat, this would be a place where people could post and look for breaking news that DOESN'T NATURALLY FIT anywhere else on the blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm experimenting with the idea because there's more and more Gannett news, but I can't be online 24/7 to get it up fast enough. Real Time Comments is my way of letting you guys beat me to the punch.
For example, suppose you heard USA Today had been sold to Rupert Murdoch. You come to Gannett Blog, but don't see a post. You want to REPORT it through a comment; where would you put it?
Conversely, say you're a reader coming to the blog to READ more about Murdoch's purchase. You don't see a post; where do you look?
In both examples, ideally, folks would go to the Real Time Comments post, always at the top of the page. (BTW: It won't always be that deep; I'm going to shave off two lines or so, once people are accustomed to seeing it.
Gannett is headed towards selling off properties. Inevitable. Or that heads will roll. Or a takeover.
ReplyDeleteThe crap of centralization of job functions has been performed many times before. I doubt that it will work with them.
They might fold Phoenix and Tucson together. Or sell off to Lee Enterprises.
And Ken Paulsen might get real honest and see the shit of a company that he is working for.
And Tara might answer an inquiry.
And then again the Republicans might finally give the Middle Class a tax break. Not.
Is there a button or something?
ReplyDeleteI was looking for a link ...
Here's a question: Why haven't we seen the July revenue report yet? It's usually out by the 15th or 16th of the next month.
ReplyDeleteGood question. Anyone got an idea?
ReplyDeleteSo Rupert Murdoch is buying USA TODAY. Were did you read that? In some HACK book, that someone who claimed to be an expert on USAT, PAID, a printing company to print for him. (I wonder how many thousands, of copies he has in his basement) Then called it a publish book. USAT, will never be sold. It would be in Gannett best interest, to put it under instead, because of the tax breaks. Inso far as this real time comment> Their will be a way, in a few weeks at the lateness, for GCI employee, to have their own I.M. So they can rap among themselves, about GCI. It has to do with an e-mail I sent you Jim. More on this later?
ReplyDeleteAs a for instance, would this be the place to mention that EMI and Gannett are launching the new Brian Wilson album with some streaming preview thing?
ReplyDeleteHow many of the Gannett papers are printed in the super skinny format now? A local non-Gannett paper reported recently that all of them are headed that way. Is that true?
ReplyDelete8:38 pm: Lame as that deal is, yes: this would be the place to post that -- if I haven't already created a post for it, of course. (Which, of course, I would not. Have.)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteHow many of the Gannett papers are printed in the super skinny format now? A local non-Gannett paper reported recently that all of them are headed that way. Is that true?
8/21/2008 8:47 PM
Yes it's true. The Asbury Park Press, Courier News & Homes News Tribune in NJ are going to a smaller size come October. All the retail and class ads will have to be resized that are currently running. Lots of work for a already, depleted and depressed ad staff. Oh fun..............
How would they mix USA Today and those skinny little papers? Would the skinny things become inserts or is USA Today going to that menu-like format too?
ReplyDeleteUSAT is the answer to all of Gannett's problems with its community newspaper. Perhaps, Neuharth was correct (OMG Jim will have a stroke!)
ReplyDeleteFYI: Jim actually is working for Tara! He has surprised all of us! How do you think he is paying for his trip on Ibitiza?
ReplyDeleteWhen you say skinny papers... What size are you talking about... We (louisville) just underwent a web reduction back a few months... We're at 44"... Please not another reduction.....
ReplyDeleteDes Moines Register is 44". This was changed in May, and all the graphic designers that were given buyouts at that time had to stay and finish the job before they could leave. This time in layoffs we did not lose any graphic designers, except 1 in marketing.
ReplyDeleteMy question to corporate big wigs is this....
ReplyDeleteHow, when you admit to a faltering national economy, can you realistically expect your Advertising sales reps to exceed the revenues of the previous year/s? Locally owned businesses are being replaced by the National chains, who's revenues are the bulk of the profits. But wait...National advertising revenue is declining rapidy. The peon local ad reps are busting asses all across this country to try to push the few remaining Mom and Pop's to increase their spending by 30%+. To cover the losses of national revenue? Certainly. The viscious cycle only helps these big boxer's move in, and then they cut their advertising after they are established in the small communities. Ressesion proof local businesses have no immediate need to advertise. The Mom and Pop's are doing all they can just to cover overhead.
I'd suggest that Gannett in VA take a raise freeze and bonus adjustments if they truely want to see the bottom line improve, and pay their peons what they are worth to keep them until this economic blight is weathered.
Just think, if the papers get any skinnier they will have to provide magnifying glasses to the readers.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought, in Cherry Hill they painted the outside of the building, put in new ceiling tiles, fixed the bathrooms, were talking about new carpeting. . . they closed Vinelands press down years ago, as well as Toms River, Home News, etc, but not Cherry Hill, could it be that we will soon see the demise of the Cherry Hill press room?? They are linked to 2adpro, detail was wiped out on Tuesday, in February the business office is gone . . . why not sell the building, make a couple more cuts and move into smaller quarters? Just wondering . . .
Gannett is on a 5-4-4 accounting cycle. Which means that period 1 of the fiscal year is 5 weeks long and periods 2 &3 are 4 weeks. Each quarter is 5-4-4. July is a 5 week period so the results will be a week later than normal. Also with all the cra going on with the consaolidation of AP and AR and cash functions in two centers if thats screwed up they can't close the books.
ReplyDeleteindy's been on 44 since spring. lafayette (in) uses berliner format (don't know dimensions). both are printed in indy.
ReplyDeleteMorale at Cincy is so low that the 50 buyout limit is now vastly over-subscribed because so many long-time staffers are looking to get out. People just dragging into the office, and gossip is so distracting it is hard to get anything done. Names detailed Friday. From 80 to 100 are rumored to have put in.
ReplyDeleteBack to your question, Jim: I LOVE the idea of a real-time place to add info. I was just thinking about how nice it would be to be able to post random stuff the other days as info was coming in. It got very confusing to follow all the like threads and comments and then go back and find the same things under another one. GREAT idea you have here! Once you are able to post an update on a particular tip, then the conversation should move there.
ReplyDeleteIn re Cincinnati: Names will NOT be revealed Friday, not by the company anyway. Friday is deadline for applying. They have said they will notify everyone who gets the buyout on Sept. 5. So we have another two weeks of this anxiety to slog through.
ReplyDeleteCherry Hill also had a large fuel tank removed from underground which is an expensive job that you usually do only if you're looking to sell.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget all of the new chairs that were delivered to our desks today to help us forget the woes of earlier this week.
Brian Wilson. Yay.
you got new chairs?!?!?!
ReplyDeleteLUCKY!!!
Indy prints the Indy Star, Muncie Star and the Fishers Topics/Ledger. Lafayette's new press is on it's second year of producing their berlinger style paper. Richmond Palladium is the other Gannett paper in IN, they run two smaller presses & print for USAToday.
ReplyDeleteAll the Wisconsin papers are 44".
ReplyDeleteHave we reached the tipping point - where more people are scared by the prospect of staying at Gannett than leaving the company??
ReplyDelete8:20 AM
ReplyDeleteSpeaking only for the Jersey group, I'd say that's a resounding YES! because to stay is to risk getting laid off with worse severance or none at all, to be suddenly shifted into weekend or night work or work you don't feel qualified to do well, to absorb all of the work of your friends who got the boot, and to find yourself unemployed anyway down the line, older and perhaps in even worse economic conditions. Of course, I haven't left yet, and that's because I'm still grappling with the idea that once I'm out, it will be nearly impossible to ever work at a newspaper again. I am past denial stage but still in mourning over that part.
How about this for a real-time posting?
ReplyDeleteGannett July revenue slides 12.3 percent
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080822/gannett_revenue.html?.v=1
Whoo-hoo, 9:56 am: EXACTLY what I hoped to see!
ReplyDeletedoes anybody know why they're laying people off most places instead of asking for volunteers as with last year's buyouts? i'd gladly leave, and they could keep two young people for what i cost them. is there some law-related reason that they gain by striking fear into everyone rather than being relatively humane as with last year's buyouts, or is being mean the whole point?
ReplyDeletedo they think we don't hate them enough yet or something? (if they think that, they're not reading gannettblog enough -- roflmao!) do they not understand that people who are thrown out are likely to convince others to get their news online instead of subscribe, while people who are bought out are likely to be friendlier to their former employer?
or do they just not care? is it that they have poison pill contracts and the hell with everyone and everything else? whatever it is, they sure take the fun out of disfunctional.
Can anyone tell me how Gannett has prepared for possible changes in behavioral targeting rules or guidelines?
ReplyDeleteIf I'm understanding this correctly, targeted marketing makes the company money. What happens if privacy advocates get their way and the government forces some changes.
10:34 am: Targeting marketing has been around as long as there have been cookies on computers. That's how it is done. So what makes you believe the government will be concerned about this issue, since they have shown no real concern in the past two decades of cookies? Don't hold your breath waiting for regulation. I do believe there will come a day when citizens rise up against all these invasions of privacy and demand opt-in, but people today either don't care or don't know what is going on.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ftc.gov/opa/2007/12/principles.shtm
ReplyDeleteI think some people are figuring it out.