With your contributions, I'm building another roster of newspaper-by-newspaper layoffs and job cuts, as publishers notify individual employees losing their jobs in the 10% layoff now underway.(Updated on Dec. 17.) We've now accounted for 72 of the 85 papers in this round. Total layoffs and other job cuts: 2,184.
We created a similar list in August, when Gannett eliminated 1,000 jobs through layoffs, attrition and buyouts. We also built a list of the approximately 100 newspaper managers laid off in September.
This time, it's more important than ever. Corporate has not said how many employees are to be shown the door. Creating a complete list here is one of our best shots at memorializing how many lost jobs. I'm betting the final number will make this the newspaper industry's single-biggest layoff.
The current round would reduce employment 10% in the 30,000-employee community newspaper division by early December. USA Today and (likely) the Detroit Free Press are subject to this layoff, too, for a total 86 dailies in the round.
Using the following format, please post your numbers -- plus links to any layoff stories -- in the comments section, below. A ??? means information is missing or incomplete. Note: Total employment is based on individual papers' Corporate pages; figures are often too high. To e-mail confidentially, write gannettblog[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green sidebar, upper right.
- Alexandria, La.: 14 jobs cut; 214 total employees (story link)
- Appleton, nine other Wisc. papers: 92 of ??? (story)
- Asbury Park, five other N.J. papers: 92 of ??? (story)
- Asheville, N.C.: 76 of 240 (includes 60 jobs from January press shutdown; story)
- Battle Creek, Mich.: 50 of 105 (story)
- Binghamton, Elmira and Ithaca, N.Y.: 40 of ???
- Brevard, Fla.: 36 of 460 (story)
- Bridgewater, N.J.: (see Asbury Park)
- Burlington, Vt.: 14 of 272 (story)
- Cherry Hill, N.J.: (see Asbury Park; story)
- Chillicothe and Lancaster, Ohio; plus other, smaller Ohio publications: ??? of about 150
- Cincinnati: 30 of 950 (story)
- Clarksville, Tenn.: 48 of ??? (includes 37 jobs in Nov. 30 press shutdown)
- Des Moines: 70 of 801 (story)
- Detroit: 220 of 2,100
- East Brunswick, N.J.: (see Asbury Park)
- Elmira, N.Y.: (see Binghamton)
- Fond du Lac, Wisc.: (see Appleton)
- Fort Collins, Colo.: 5 of 250
- Fort Myers, Fla.: 80 of 600
- Great Falls, Mont.: 6 of 165
- Green Bay, Wisc.: (see Appleton; story)
- Greenville, S.C.: 36 of 500
- Guam: 7 of 207
- Hattiesburg, Miss.: 38 of 175 (story)
- Honolulu: 51 of 697 (story)
- Indianapolis: 52 of 1,040 (story)
- Iowa City, Iowa: 11 of 85 (story)
- Ithaca, N.Y.: (see Binghamton)
- Jackson, Miss.: 33 of 400 (story)
- Jackson, Tenn.: 11 of 140
- Lafayette, Ind.: 13 of 200 (story)
- Lafayette and Opelousas, La.: 19 of 277
- Lansing, Mich.: 31 of 403 (story)
- Louisville, Ky.: 69 of 1,100 (story)
- Manitowoc, Wisc.: (see Appleton)
- Monroe, La.: ??? of 215
- Montgomery, Ala.: 31 of 264 (story)
- Morristown, N.J.: (see Asbury Park)
- Mountain Home, Ark.: ??? of 66
- Muncie, Ind.: 9 of 169
- Murfreesboro, Tenn.: 3 of ???
- Nashville: 92 of 1,000
- Opelousas, La.: (see Lafayette, La.)
- Oshkosh, Wisc.: (see Appleton)
- Palm Springs, Calif.: 15 of 350
- Pensacola, Fla.: 28 of 400
- Phoenix: 97 of 2,650
- Port Huron, Mich.: 11 of 180
- Poughkeepsie, N.Y.: 14 of 200 (story)
- Reno, Nev.: 61 of 400 (story)
- Richmond, Ind.: 68 (includes press shutdown in January) of 145
- Rochester, N.Y.: 59 of 739 (story)
- St. Cloud, Minn.: 23 of 217 (story)
- St. George, Utah: 12 of 137
- Salem, Ore.: 12 of 415
- Salinas, Calif.: 40 of 120
- Salisbury, Md.: 25 of 275
- Sheboygan, Wisc.: (see Appleton)
- Shreveport, La.: 21 of 289 (story)
- Sioux Falls, S.D.: 18 of 300 (story)
- Springfield, Mo.: 19 of 270 (story)
- Staunton, Va.: 15 of 100 (story)
- Tallahassee, Fla.: 25 of 285 (story)
- Tucson, Ariz.: 12 (at the Citizen; story) of 695 (at the Citizen and the JOA)
- USA Today, McLean, Va.: 20, newsroom alone; more cuts expected in other departments -- all from an estimated 1,500 to 2,000
- Vineland, N.J.: (see Asbury Park)
- Visalia, Calif.: 8 of 123
- Westchester, N.Y.: 43 of 850 (story)
- Wilmington, Del.: 44 of 600 total employees (story)
Do you suppose corporate has considered whether they should be concerned people they lay off and buy out will gather to create a viable competitive product?
ReplyDeleteThere are several areas in which I think Gannett has been short-sighted in understanding today's advertising and news media market and has not properly adapting. Do they want to lay off someone like me who might "build the better mouse trap"? The fact newspapers and news magazines industrywide are letting talent loose should be seen as a liability, a big liability, in long-term ability to deliver continuing dividends.
And the relatively low investment needed to succeed in an online newspaper, and the popularity of sites like this to gather talented troops, makes it all the more possible. Look how quickly the Huffington Post and Politico became major media players, robbing us of much of that news market.
I would jump at a chance to join an organized and high-quality online experiment. But where to begin? And who's the pointperson?
ReplyDelete8:49, Thats been going on for the past three years. Former Westchester employees that were laid off, bought out or fired have been contributing to quality non-Gannett weeklies in the surrounding communities. These small papers do a great job covering the communities and steal a lot of print advertising from The Journal News.
ReplyDeleteI hear there is a federal law that says companies must give 60 days notice for large layoffs. This was not 60 days. Does anyone know if the 60 days is law?
ReplyDeleteWell, in Asbury we've been told we're losing 10% of staff, not payroll. So, based on your figure, we're losing 149 people. Jesus Christ. Although that number seems a little high; we've taken a couple big hits over the summer.
ReplyDelete"A covered plant closing occurs when a facility or operating unit is shut down for more than six months, or when 50 or more employees lose their jobs during any 30‑day period at a single site of employment. A covered mass layoff occurs when a layoff of six months or longer affects either 500 or more workers or at least 33 percent of the employer's workforce when the layoff affects between 50 and 499 workers."
ReplyDelete...
"An employer who violates the WARN provisions is liable to each employee for an amount equal to back pay and benefits for the period of the violation, up to 60 days. This may be reduced by the period of any notice that was given, and any voluntary payments that the employer made to the employee."
http://www.dol.gov/compliance/guide/layoffs.htm
With us hearing about it on October 28, sixty days would be December 27. If the axe comes on Dec. 3, most likely you'll get paid the rest of that week, then at least two weeks severance, which takes you to Dec. 20.
To fit the letter of the law, you may see employees with two or fewer years of service get bumped an extra week of severance. Or the layoffs will be pushed off a week and done Dec. 10th or later.
I can't believe that Wendell and Roxanne would miss such an obvious issue - WARN protections are posted along with FMLA at every site.
Then again, who's going to sue or open a class action suit for one week of pay on people who have only been with us two years? It may be an acceptable risk to skimp on the notice.
Oops, sorry. The above emphasis was mine, and yes, the notice period is sixty days.
ReplyDeleteI need a copy editor.
jim, is there a way to put a list in the sidebar or some other "permanent" spot for easy posting?
ReplyDeleteThe requirements for laying off someone 40 and over are different. Please read up on what notices, along with what rights you have. Just google ADEA (Age Discrimination in Employment Act) layoff notices. Please someone----when you get the list of the laid off positions by age and job title---please post it here.
ReplyDeleteAs I see it, fighting back against possible age discrimination in employment now is a great legacy to leave for the next generation.
7:33am: While I appreciate your altruistic calling to fight age discrimination for our benefit, I'm not so sure I want the bosses to lay me off before you just to avoid the age discrimination lawsuit you're frothing at the mouth to file.
ReplyDeleteYou want to keep your job. Just say it. Don't pretend to be noble and spin that desire of yours as a desire to make my life better.
Who posted that extremely high Cherry Hill number yesterday, and was it meant as a joke or are you serious?
ReplyDelete8:19 AM
ReplyDeleteThanks.
I can dream of the day when workers will be judged not by the digits printed on their birth certificates, but by the content of their character and contributions to a company, can't I? I can dream of a truly diverse workforce. I can dream of a company that values---not buys out---true innovators like Jim Hopkins.
5:22 AM... do you think that's why the letters talking about voluntary severance say that if accepted some employees may have their lay offs deferred by a week or so. That way they reach the Dec. 27 deadline for employees that would get the minimum 2 weeks severance. So they may stay until Dec. 10th.
ReplyDeleteAsbury - if 10% of your staff is 149 people, then you have SOME HUGE STAFF! There are Gannett papers with less than 40 people total - probably doing the work of 149. These are papers "between the coasts" such as Indiana and Ohio where they have been working with few people for years, and in Indiana's case, putting out great papers (except Indy Star) These papers haven't had the luxury of huge staffs to layoff.
ReplyDeleteI'm in Asbury and we don't have as big a staff as those figures would indicate. We haven't been at that level for some time. We're definitely below 1,000.
ReplyDeleteThe Asbury number is more like 750
ReplyDeleteMost of us have enough tenure for severance to cover us for the balance of the 60-day rule, but what about health benefits, which are critical to those of us who are the sole support of our families?
ReplyDeleteDoes the severance keep us on payroll, including existing benefits at existing payments for the duration? Or are we to get severance in one check and have to pay 100% under COBRA for health coverage and lose all life insurance benefits?
If the severance doesn't keep us on payroll, like the buyouts did, I think 1) those over 40 DO have a viable class action, and 2) your paper should be compelled to provide full benefits according to the 60-day notice.
There's also the tax obligation to consider, if you get the severance in bulk before Dec. 31 and if you get it after Jan. 1. Those with long tenure will be screwed in taxes if the severance is paid in full in tax year 2008.
Does anyone know details about this?
And, yes, the laid off 10% -- from all departments -- should congregate here to form a well publicized anti-Gannett online chain. Quasi-monopolies such as Gannett should not get away with these inhumane labor practices. If -- IF -- any properties are now unprofitable, it is so as a short-term consequence of an international financial correction and failure of the million-dollar management types to have adequate vision. It's not the fault of the laborers who have served according to their contracts with a tacit promise of some job security for that work, even in "at will" work states.
Anyone married to a lawyer out there?
Payout is not bulk. Weekly/bi-weekly/monthly pay until your severance is up.
ReplyDeleteFort Collins is 12
ReplyDeleteDes Moines Register should be 100
ReplyDeleteJim, you love this stuff don't you? It must feel like Christmas morning to a blogger who spends his time wishing for the demise of his previous employer. But what you miss is that the previous employer is us...and we are the ones hurt. Your blog is not "the lord's work" as you have brainwashed many of us to believe. A Post like this is just cruel and mean spirited.
ReplyDelete12:44, I don't think Jim gets some perverse pleasure out of this, as you imply. But without this, we don't hear what's happening to the company we all break our fannies for -- and we sure as hell don't hear the truth of why it's happening.
ReplyDeleteWe are paying the price for corporate greed. Jim is merely exposing that.
In Phoenix we were told at meetings with Lovely that 7-8% of force was gonna go. He said that'd be like 28-30 people.
ReplyDelete12:44 pm: You could not be more wrong; I derive no pleasure from this. I still have many friends working in Gannett who will be hurt in this downsizing.
ReplyDeleteI believe that employees losing their jobs today and in coming days deserve to be recognized for their sacrifices. They should not be asked to give up their careers without someone taking note. That's what this post is all about: to provide a final tally of these historic losses.
2 copy editors down so far at Fort Myers. Apparently folks are being told they can choose to remain until Dec. 24.
ReplyDeletePhoenix 2650???? Are kidding me. That place has 2650 employee's
ReplyDeleteWestchester just got their memo. 43 total positions cut. Four were vacant and three were volunteers.
ReplyDeletehttp://ashvegas.squarespace.com/journal/2008/12/2/breaking-online-director-out-and-classified-department-gutte.html
ReplyDeleteWestchester, N.Y.: 43 total so far
ReplyDeleteIs Salem missing from this list?
ReplyDeleteSo are Monroe (The News Star) and Opelousas (The Daily World) In La.
ReplyDeleteYes, Monroe and Opelousas are in Louisiana.
ReplyDeleteLooks like about 170 for asbury park press
ReplyDeleteAsheville's listed employees (300) is inaccurate - that newspaper never had more than 240 employees even before Gannett began dismantling a once-proud publication.
ReplyDeleteTallahassee....
ReplyDelete16 out of 260
battle creek, mi 50 of 80
ReplyDeleteThe figure, percentage-wise, for Battle Creek is huge. About half the staff. What's even left there? A janitor or 2? Good god.
ReplyDeleteThe number you're giving for USAT is newsroom severances, but total employees.
ReplyDeleteNot sure how many non-newsroom employees are getting cut. I know a few people lost their jobs when Gannett and USAT merged their IT help staffs (disastrously).
Manitowoc, Wis. is missing from the list of papers.
ReplyDeleteShhhh! Maybe Mani is safe!
ReplyDelete19 in Springfield
ReplyDeletei agree with 3:54 but i don't know what the actual total is, especially after the 60 at the production facility.
ReplyDeleteFrom: Hammer, Randy
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 1:53 PM
To: Asheville-Colleagues
Subject: Staff reductions
Everyone who was affected by the reduction in staff has been notified.
We had 16 layoffs, including four people who volunteered.
It is a very sad day and we are losing good friends and co-workers who have
contributed a great deal to this company.
Beginning tomorrow and continuing through the rest of this week, managers will
hold a series of staff meetings to discuss the impact on their departments.
Jim - Please change the employee total for Asbury Park Press on the above list to 750 - that's was the official word from HR about a month or so ago. Thanks
ReplyDeleteLetter from Tom Donovan / APP reports 92 employees being notified - 51 full time and 19 part time unvoluntary and 22 full time voluntary.
ReplyDeleteUSAT is losing more than just newsroom people.
ReplyDeleteI just can't believe the Battle Creek number. 50 out of 124 employees - that would be 40%! Is this a misprint?
ReplyDeleteBattle Creek is shutting down production, and moving printing and mailing to Lansing, Mich., so this is a much more dramatic downsizing than at most papers.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHas anybody here addressed the issue that the TV stations are toning down too? They went through the voluntary layoffs to be announced tomorrow who was accepted and who was not...I also believe if they don't achieve their numbers, layoffs are eminent too. I guess we will all find out tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless us Everyone!
Visalia has a higher total employee count than what is shown in the listing
ReplyDeleteI think you inadvertantly left Guam off your list
ReplyDeleteFort Colllins, Colo.: 8 of XXX. Three positions to go unfilled
ReplyDeleteI''ve been removing comments tonight that contained obvious personal attacks.
ReplyDeleteAre the Detroit Free Press, Livingston County Press & Argus, and Port Huron Times not making cuts? These seem to be missing.
ReplyDeleteAs for Battle Creek we received an e-mail today from our publisher stating that the BCE will be printed in our Lansing facility. I also heard something about someone's copy desk being moved, but I can't be sure on that one. So the print facility being cut there would take a huge chunk.
Ok, so now that I've clicked on the bloodbath link... The Freep is the one actually losing money and all of us at LSJ have been sitting on pins and needles for the past month while we've been making a profit! Disgusting.
ReplyDeleteFort Collins was only 5 total
ReplyDeleteAnon 3:54
ReplyDeleteYou are mistaken. Asheville had 330 employees when I worked there in 1999. I would guess that the employment number is somewhere around 150 today which would take into consideration this latest round of cuts.
morristown 14
ReplyDeletewhy no photo of the Jackson Sun on gannett's profile page..... is the building really that ugly ?
ReplyDeleteYes, USAT is losing more than newsroom people -- which means the number will be more than 20. That was my point.
ReplyDeleteOnly 1 person from the Louisville Courier Journal's classified ad dept was let go. It was a shame because she was the best and most qualified person over there..... This place is a buzz- more to come. Happy Holidays from Gannett!
ReplyDeletei just got laid off in burlington, vt. advertising dept
ReplyDeleteThe online editor and a page designer are among the first to fall from Salisbury. I don't know the total # of employees though.
ReplyDeleteI notice the Detroit Free Press is not on this list. Do you know if there are layoffs planned there? And will they announce them today?
ReplyDeleteThe First Gannett Newspaper, the Star Gazette, laid off 14 employees yesterday. It was quick and cold, with much smiling from the corporate (Binghamton) managers. It brought to mind vultures picking a carcass clean. Moral is abysmal with the "family" there in Elmira. Good job Sherm!!
ReplyDeleteBurlington, Vt: "But even with these expense reductions we are left with no choice but to eliminate about 6% of our workforce, which is 14 jobs. We will eliminate 5 open positions and notify 9 employees that they are being laid off who will receive severance packages of up to 26 weeks of pay including medical benefits which will continue for the length of the severance."
ReplyDelete14 gone in Alexandria, La.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone recieved email's from their upper management staff? Good ole' Arnie Garson, our new publisher in Loiusville, hasn't said a word in weeks. No Happy Thanksgiving, no email about the layoffs or the loss of wonderful friends and co-workers- NOTHING! He just has his fat A$$ perched up in his office probably online Christmas shopping for his family. That burns me.
ReplyDeleteHat will lose entire prod. dept. Close to 40 people. in all. Details not all here yet.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDelete14 gone in Alexandria, La.
12/03/2008 1:05 PM
Where did they find that many?
Probably production!
Who's left to get the paper out?
Someone at the Courier Post in Cherry Hill, NJ said there were 25 layoffs in the newsroom yesterday but she could only come up with 21 names. And another guy expects 10 to 30 more positions to be cut as well. It varys from assistant managing editors, reporters, library, illustrators, copy desk and some were employed there MANY years and others only 5 months.
ReplyDeleteTime to update the list Jim.
ReplyDeleteThere was a post regarding Wausau's losses that aren't listed here.
So the Sheboygan Press has fired at least 2 managers, in addition to the entire composing Dept. (12 people) as of March 15th. They'll be opening 3 part-time positions to handle obits and other data entry type of jobs. Some of the composing Dept has the option of moving to one central area in Green Bay.
ReplyDeleteNashville 92 jobs: 67 layoffs, 25 unfilled. Newsroom loses 29, four of which were unfilled.
ReplyDeleteGannett laid off all four reporters in its New Jersey Statehouse Bureau, located on Press Row in the Statehouse. The announcement came yesterday morning.
ReplyDeleteEditor/columnist Bob Ingle and deputy editor Michael Symons remain. I guess Symons will start being a reporter again.
See this story for no additional information:
http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20081202/BUSINESS/81202026/1006/news01
Lafayette, IN was 13.
ReplyDelete8 out right cuts, 2 voluntary, and 3 vacancy's.
here's a link to the Burlington Free Press article:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20081203/BUSINESS/81203018
Sheboygan, Wisconsin only had 4. As of today anyway.
ReplyDeleteAd production will move to Green Bay March 15
Jim -Port Huron isn't even on your list. We lost 5 as far as I know.
ReplyDeleteWow, amazing only 20 cuts at USA Today, possibly the worst newspaper in America, while Salisbury (Md.) Daily Times had 25.
ReplyDeleteTwo actual layoffs in Manitowoc -- one reporter, one manager -- and the entire nine-person prepress group is being sent to Green Bay in early 2009. Essentially, Manitowoc lost 11 people.
ReplyDelete5 full time layoffs in clarksville, 2 part time and 4 people quit and not being replaced in the newsroom. Full time cuts were Programmer (IT), Classified Sales manager, Single copy Manager, Ad layout specialist, DSM. Part time were customer service circulation. I think one of our other two IT people got transferred to the Tennessean. This is after 38 jobs lost to production moving to Tennessean last week.
ReplyDeleteCustom pubs were hard hit at Lansing State Journal. Mike Hughes, the entertainment guy was let go, our online editor, a copy editor and an editorial assistant for a total of 10 in the information center.
ReplyDeleteJackson, TN - 11 full time positions, 2 part time.
ReplyDelete2 came from circulation, 4 from classified (outsourced by new year perhaps?), newsroom, and various other positions that will not be filled or are being consolidated into other jobs.
While an email went out to the employees, it did not specifically list exactly who lost their job. Would have been nice to know... some people like to say goodbye, even under these circumstances.
Jim,
ReplyDeletePlease check your numbers for Springfield, Mo. 380 seems high. We have been trimming positions over the last two years from all parts of the building. The newsroom lost 4-5 spots last year. Probably 5 last round and another 5 Tuesday. I don't think the 50 or so new hires to run the centralized credit dept. should count in our total. It should be in the 225-250 range, if that.
I will have to tell you that three of the newsroom people that voluntarily left were the foundation of the house. If a few more stones are removed the house WILL collapse. I cry for our readers who will have to live with an inferior product.
The "of" numbers are dated and don't include cuts that have been made over time (in the last year) at almost all the sites. Maybe you can get current employee numbers just by asking someone in hr for the right numbers for accuracy . Connel has to be able to provide staffing numbers for individual newspaperds.
ReplyDeleteshouldn't the paper that broke the previous layoff memo get listed among the newspapers, or did it cease to exist?
ReplyDeleteAs noted by a previous poster, these layoffs are also happening in the TV sector as well. Positions of all types have been eliminated. through layoffs or other means.
ReplyDeleteContract employess are being let go before their contracts are actually up, as the company is informing employees during their "60 day window" that the remaining years on the contract won't be exercised.
No severance for contract employees either. Many Gannett contract positions are not big dollar contracts. While there are some high paying contracts at the stations, a good number of the employees are bound to contracts that are salaries which fall into the standard middle income bracket of salaries.
Buyouts were only offered to older employees ( 55 and older, and a minimum of 10 years of service ) and you couldn't be under a contract to qualify for the buyout offer.
Gannett is obviously able to send contract employees out the door without any severance by simply not renewing the remaining portion of their contracts using that 60 day window clause.
The TV situation is just as bad as the newspaper. Positions haven't been filled for months, remaining employees have had their positions absorb the work that others use to do, the on-air product has gone down the toilet, and most of the managers are sadly inept in trying to run their departments.
Too much focus on the internet has let the core TV product quality erode to an incredibly sad state.
How in the "F" are you going to get people to go to your online product when you've let your TV product go completely to shit.
I'm going to add up all the positions lost at our station and I'll get back with a number soon. When you take into account positions that haven't been filled, contract people not being renewed, upcoming buyouts and actual layoffs, the numbers on the TV side is probably just as high if not higher percentages than the print division is on a per station basis.
USA Weekend lost 8% of its approx. 80 employees today. Two were vacant jobs that were frozen. Five were people who were let go.
ReplyDeleteMuncie Star Press cut 9 positions today
ReplyDelete40 jobs lost at the Salinas Californian (30% of the staff).
ReplyDeleteTucson Weeklly reporting one voluntary buyout and 1 let go at Tucson Citizen.
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.tucsonweekly.com/
Also heard some folks took hours reductions to save jobs.
ReplyDeleteNice touch!
Jim -- Again, USAT will end up losing more than 20 overall. That's just the newsroom. If you don't know a total number, fine, but you should reflect that in your post.
ReplyDeleteYes, USAT is losing more than just newsroom staffers.
ReplyDeleteHattiesburg is losing 38, true, but there was a retirement and a firing also. I'm counting 40.
ReplyDeleteAnyone heard about who was cut in Poughkeepsie?
ReplyDeleteAlexandria Town Talk- 1 in Advertising. Editorial lost 6. It's getting pretty thin.
ReplyDeleteVisalia: Eight of 123 at last count.
ReplyDeleteThe 61 in Reno weren't all in Reno -- at least 15 of them were in outlying bureaus and a satellite commercial printing facility. News in Reno was hit much softer than feared. The bulk of the firings were in advertising (go figure, they bring in the revenue).
ReplyDeleteSayonara Visalia, I loved my job. If I had it to do all over again I would in a heartbeat. I am optimistic and I look forward to the validating and truly rewarding paths ahead. My thoughts and prayers go out to all who have been affected.
ReplyDeleteAdvantage Press in Carroll, Ohio which is a commercial print site for Gannett PLUS publishes the daily Chillicothe Gazette shut down - "50ish" jobs eliminated. Production of Chillicothe paper was just moved to this facility less than a year ago - what a waste!
ReplyDeleteJim,
ReplyDeleteThe Daily Journal in Vineland, NJ is missing from your list. I do not have any numbers to provide but just wanted to point that out, respectfully.
Lafayette,LA and Opelousas,LA will be doing layoffs on Wed. Dec. 10th.
ReplyDeleteColumbian Publishing Co, The Columbian. columbian.com, Southwest Washingtons largest Paper, Vancouver Washington USA:
ReplyDeleteCraigs List - $5.5 billion from newspapers, collapse of Mortgage/Auto industry has resulted in 2 layoffs possible bankruptcy, and loss of its Brand new multi-million dollar Building!
Two Layoffs, moving back to 1950 era building: " The Columbian has cut 50 jobs this year, leaving 282 employees, including 12 at the Camas Post-Record. It has also reduced the number of pages printed. But the savings were not enough."
http://www.columbian.com/article/20081009/BIZ01/810089971
http://www.columbian.com/article/20081008/BLOGS02/810089969/-1/BUSINESSBLOGARCHIVE
I know I was there, along with the 70+ others, good people, dying industry!
Anonymous-Vancouver USA
Let me pleaser rephrase that sentence, I truly dont feel it is a "dying: industry, but more a "changing" with the web part of a paper being the "saving Grace"? lets hope... I apologize to all the professionals reading this Blog, in the industry that may have been offended at my "dying" remark.
ReplyDelete7:22 am - is the "waste" closing the Carroll facility, or is the waste publishing the Chillicothe gazette?
ReplyDeleteI have heard the latter is definitely the case. Very strong independent websites with advertising have sprung up in these communities with poor daily newspapers. This is one of them.
Livingston County Daily Press & Argus in Howell made 2 official cuts today. One full time, one part time.
ReplyDeleteFond du Lac, WI lost 5 at The Reporter and at least 2 at The Action Advertiser. The entire creative services dept will be done in May. Positions being moved to Green Bay.
ReplyDeleteI know at least two production people were fired at the Marco Island Sun Times.
ReplyDeleteUSAT: Eliminated 3 ad operations jobs and 4or 5 production jobs this week. USAT Finance reorganized, but its not known if any staff were let go. Anybody keeping a list of names or titles of editorial (or other) staff whos jobs were "eliminated' by USAT?
ReplyDeleteGuam was 6 employees + one pissed off employee that laid himself off prior to the cuts
ReplyDeleteSo is Gannett is going to buy The Daytona Beach News-Journal? Is this how they secure their cash? I don't know if I would want to work for this company. Please Gannett don't buy us.
ReplyDeleteWausau, Stevens Point, Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids eliminated a combined 22 positions.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to comment on one of the earlier postings, about the quality of Gannett's publications vs. weeklies, etc.
ReplyDeleteGannett totally misses the mark when it comes to connecting with the communities it "serves." Mother Gannett has too heavy a hand. If it would lighten up and allow the dailies to actually connect with their readers, rather than having everything go up the food chain for approval, the company would be in a much better position. In my market, we beat TV 99% of the time.
GIVE CONTROL TO INDIVIDUAL SITES. Let the sites determine how the news is presented. Stop making every freakin' paper a cookie cutter. Just look at the Web sites. Yuck.
I have a feeling that at least one site in my group will be shut down within the next year. What a tragedy for the community.
5 confirmed, 10 unconfirmed all non editorial in Detroit. Know there are more but not a lot being said around here yet. Non editorial were in Marketing, Finance and Advertising. Expect the 10 I don't know about to be in Marketing and Advetising.
ReplyDeleteElmira actually lost 15 employees last week, three of those in the newsroom. Plus two more reporters, one with 32 years and one with 24 years, just took buyouts and they are gone too.
ReplyDeleteI noticed several posts asking about layoffs in Detroit. When Gannett announced the impending 10% cuts, Detroit CEO Dave Hunke was quoted as saying Detroit reported to USAT and wasn't part of the Gannett Newspaper division, and therefore wouldn't be included in the announced 10% cuts. He went on to point out that Detroit had their own round of cuts (116, by way of buyouts)that took effect on Aug 1.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet last Friday, 12/7/08, with no advance notice, twenty staffers were laid-off and escorted from the company facilities. My understanding is most, if not all the laid off staffers, were from non-editorial depts.
So, in advance of next Tuesday's "Project Griffin" announcements, Detroit's Dec 2008, layoff toll stands at 20.
Port Huron's final count from December 3rd was 11 full time positions and four people had their hours reduced to part time. The cuts were in every department: advertising, circulation, finance, pressroom, mailroom and newsroom. There were also major cuts done in August with three directors being eliminated.
ReplyDeleteYou have Port Huron at 11 of 260. It was 11 of about 180.
ReplyDeleteJust heard from a former colleague in Rochester. 14 jobs gone in the newsroom, though some people in eliminated jobs were switched to new jobs (managers to reporter positions)
ReplyDeleteThe published account was 64 positions cut; 49 people lost their jobs.
Here's what ran in the Rochester paper today...
ReplyDeleteD&C cuts 64 positions
The Democrat and Chronicle announced Thursday that it eliminated 64 positions in a cost-cutting move related to the ongoing economic situation.
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Publisher Ali Zoibi said 15 jobs were left unfilled and 49 employees were laid off in a variety of departments. The company's work force now stands at 562.
In a statement, Zoibi said efforts were made to minimize the impact on "journalists who cover our community and the advertising representatives who are helping us grow revenue."
Zoibi said the company owed those who were laid off "a huge debt of gratitude for a job well done."
He added that the organization remained committed to serving the Rochester area.
"We've been here for 176 years and we're not going anywhere," Zoibi said.