Monday, September 01, 2008
Monday | Sept. 1 | Got news, or a question?
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16 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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ReplyDeleteFinally, I have some time to comment on the Donovan Disaster (as I and others are referring to his presentation earlier this week).
ReplyDeleteIt seems that no one could predict the poor economy (except a majority of economists) and there are no plans.
Our non-dailies (Community Reporters and 40/74) are "amazing" and "strong" but the Community Reporters are shrinking in page count because they are losing ads and 40/74 needs "four more pages" just to reach the baseline of where they want ads to be.
Huh?
The "core product" is down more than 20% but online is up more than 14%. Which sounds good until you figure or that that means more than 20% of millions and slight more than 14% of tens of thousands.
Double Huh?
And Donovan has no plan, apparently except to wait and see if the economy improves.
What was really incredible came later when I overheard a conversation involving one of our vice presidents who was being asked why some competent people in one of his departments were let go while someone who no one trusts to do the job right was kept?
Answer: "I had nothing to do with the decisions about who was laid off."
Now which is sadder?
That Gannett would not consult with their own vice president about the layoffs?
Or that this toadie was too cowardly to stand up and say "Hey, I know my department, let me have a say in these decisions"?
You forgot to mention that Donovan told us we were all on a big ship! Boy did that get the standing room only crowd laughing!
ReplyDeleteHow about the comment that "We are not cutting our way to profit We are reducing our cost's"?
ReplyDeleteBut that is not going to happen until there is a change in the operating Mentality of the place.Maybe Donavan should sit down with what workers are left and ask them "Do you have any ideas that might help" Because it seems that the middle to upper managment don't listen ,They only seem to have there own agenda's. With each one thinking that they are going to single handily save the company and visions of sighning the paychecks.
I find it hard to believe the VP had no say in the lay off decision. Sounds like he/she is covering their ass - they don't have a spine to cover. The bigger the ship the faster it sinks.
ReplyDeleteAnd who was that guy who thought that after hearing how the Press is bleeding and hurting so bad, but that the Star-Ledger is also hurting thought it would be a good idea to go after the "wounded animal"?
ReplyDeleteGood Lord, talk about someone who knows a couple of corporate buzz phrases and tosses them out to try and sound knowledgable without grasping the situation. You could hear the eyes roll in the room.
Would you tel a wounded mountain lion to go after a wounded Bengal tiger?
Uh-oh, I better watch it. With business acumen like his, they'll probably make him a vice-president in a week.
I'm afraid to go to work tomorrow
ReplyDeleteWhy, 6:34 pm?
ReplyDeleteThe Republic is pretty much like the Titanic. My job at this moment is rearranging the deck chairs.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that.
ReplyDelete6:34 I hear you. But not in that I'm afraid..but in that sinking heart feeling that I plain and simple "Don't Wanna."
ReplyDeleteThat fire that once drove me to really enjoy going to work in the morning has been forcably extinguished, and the stench of the foam residue is giving me a headache.
Good story here...
ReplyDeletehttp://iowaindependent.com/4758/dark-cloud-hangs-over-the-register
Star-Trib tells AP to go pound sand. Can a Gannett shop be far behind in cutting costs this way?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.minnpost.com/davidbrauer/2008/08/26/3130/strib_tells_ap_were_canceling
I find it interesting that so many at Gannett compare their company to a sinking ship. Over these last few layoffs my coworkers and I said we felt like the orchestra on the Titanic, just playing our best until the ship sinks.
ReplyDeleteGanett is going into "bankruptcy" it is writeen on the wall and people refuse to see it because they are in denial.............I shit you not! The higher ups are grabbing their keep pions!!
ReplyDeleteOne thing after me being a "Gannett" employee, I do not believe that they care about you as an employee! So all of these people that "love their jobs" I personally applaude them but don't think "gannet" thinks the same of you! After so many years maybe it is time to just close the whole newspaper buisness before your city news without investigative reporters turns into a pennysaver or tabloid trash!! When the time is up it is time to turn out the lights!!! Gannett turns to the cheap and deserves it!!
ReplyDelete