The nation's No. 1 newspaper publisher has cut back on employee training -- which, of course, makes
so much sense (not!) when you're in a life-or-death corporate retooling. So, to help out, I'm offering a one-day seminar on a vital
Web 2.0 skill: live commenting on news events. (You probably won't get USATU credit, though!) Details:
- When: 11 a.m. ET, Aug. 27 -- a week from today, during the high-stakes USA Today all-hands staff meeting.
- What: I'll create a live-commenting link that morning for those listening by phone, and those in the auditorium (assuming, of course, that management doesn't ban electronic devices again).
- Why: So employees coast-to-coast can learn what's going down at the company's flagship newspaper. (Besides, USAT's top editors want you blogging, remember?)
- Homework: In advance, please start posting questions, below, that you'd like publisher Craig Moon to answer; I'll highlight a selection here, the day before the meeting.
Earlier: As layoffs begin, spotlight shifts to
USA Today
The nation's No. 1 newspaper publisher has cut back on employee training -- which, of course, makes so much sense (not!) when you're in a life-or-death corporate retooling. So, to help out, I'm offering a one-day seminar on a vital Web 2.0 skill: live commenting on news events. (You probably won't get USATU credit, though!) Details:
All: I'm still looking for this figure: The total number of USA Today employees. Plus, the number working at the main office in McLean, Va.
ReplyDeleteThe answer...TOO MANY!
ReplyDeleteCraig Moon is going to talk about how they will have to layoff more people than the 1,000 that Community Newspaper just announced last week.
Get ready USAT people, we are about to have a sea of pick slips.
I want to know the truth about the rumor that Gannett will take five of its newspapers and turn them into de facto USA TODAYs, with only a page of local copy for news, sports, life and perhaps business, and that up to 90 percent of each paper's employees will be laid off. I want to know why Gannett would be doing this, where they would be doing this, the time frame for implementing this and if this is something to make its smaller papers more profitable than present, or if it's a trial run for Gannett to implement this concept at ALL of its newspapers.
ReplyDeleteALERT! There is a USAT newsroom staff meeting today that might preview what is to come next week. This is the regular monthly meeting held in the auditorium. Usually a useless meeting, but it might be a bit more interesting today. It better be. I am in no more mood for lies and denials. We need real info, not the usual song and dance we get at these staff meetings.
ReplyDeleteHey, Jim, most of us are glad the USAT U crap is gone. Those sessions, for the most part, were not educational, did not train us in anything, and were pretty much a farce that just pissed people off. Getting rid of them was the best thing USAT management has done in years!
Here's a question to ask:
ReplyDeleteMr. Moon: Can you discuss the long-standing rumor that Gannett will be taken private, and when do you see think this might happen?