Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Wednesday | Oct. 29 | Got news, or a question?
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115 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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Hi. How are you feeling this morning?
ReplyDeleteWhy, oh why, do scenes from the Bill Murray movie "Scrooged" keep coming to mind tonight?
ReplyDeleteHow am I? Sleepless in N.J.
ReplyDeleteEven if I get to stay, my 401K and heath benefits are "Gone With the Wind."
ReplyDeleteI feel movie a title theme brewing.
Smart business move to make the layoffs effective the first week of December.
ReplyDeleteAny pre-holiday advertising and editorial sections will be done with, so publishers can cut into the revenue and content areas this time around without too much worry. Note we aren't hearing about any 'protected' areas this time around.
Typically revenue cliff-dives after Thanksgiving, giving affected departments two months to adjust before having to accommodate the first quarter special sections.
Didn't want anyone to miss this comment from last night - this is a really intriguing idea. A weekday TMC followed by a really strong weekend punch:
ReplyDeletemaybe still charge (or even increase the price) for the weekend paper, but give monday-friday out free to the public.
that sounds just crazy enough to maybe be the idea of the decade.
gannett would have to cut operating costs way down, but if they could swing that. man. the readers would love that.
maybe the newspapers could come out and be all heroic, saying things like 'we're making a committment to be your most informed and most reliable source of information which is becoming increasingly more critical in the world we live in today. and in order to provide the most information to the most amount of people, we're now distributing our daily products for free'
You are all fools. Do you actually think this 10% is that LAST 10% cut at Gannett? NO WAY!!! This is just the beginning. I have heard that we will see ANOTHER 15-20% cuts at Community Newspaper...Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, people have been asking about USA Today and their cuts. I have also heard they are going for a 20% cut soon and then most likely will cut more when they lose another major hotel chain from distributing their paper.
I just hope that the powers that be keep in mind that the cut is for 10% of PAYROLL, not 10% of STAFF. We are so overstaffed with mid-level managers it would make sense to cut THERE. One manager vs. five employees sounds about right!
ReplyDeleteIf you, like me, had told newspaper companies in 1998 that they would begin to die if they didn't adjust to new media, newspaper executives would have laughed. If you told them that in 2003, they would still have dismissed you. Today, however, newspaper executives are hiding in whatever shelter they can find as the digital storm wrecks their businesses.
ReplyDeleteAmerican daily newspaper companies used to be darlings of Wall Street because the average paper had a local monopoly and had a profit margin of 15 to 25 percent. That was then.
Now the average American has broadband access and always-on access to the Internet. How bad has the situation gotten for the first old medium to be affected by new media? Let's look from the twin perspectives of beer and finance.
Rather than invest $10,000 in U.S. newspaper companies three years ago, you would have done better financially had you purchased $10,000 worth of beer and drunk the equivalent of a six-pack every day. You also would have had much better time!
Do the math. At the Complete Beverage Discount Center in New York City, $10,000 would have purchased more than 55 half-kegs of Budweiser ($105 each, plus a $75 deposit per keg three years ago). That many half-kegs contain 109,120 fluid ounces of beer, the equivalent to 10,912 10-ounce U.S. beer bottles. If you had drunk the equivalent of a six-pack of this brew every day during the past three years, you would have 22 full half-kegs (equivalent to 742 six-packs) left, plus keg deposits still worth $4,125.
By contrast, if three years ago you had purchased $10,000 worth of shares in Media General Co. (NYSE: MEG), publisher of the "Tampa Tribune" and 23 other U.S. dailies, when its stock was trading for $53.56 per share, you would have just $1,025 left when it closed at $5.49 per share on Monday.
What if you had invested $10,000 in the Gannett Co. (NYSE: GCI), publisher of "USA Today" and 85 other U.S. dailies? Three years ago its stock was trading for $71.03, but today you'd be left with $1,439 when the stock closed at $10.22 per share.
Things could be worse. If you placed a $10,000 investment three years ago in the McClatchy Co. (NYSE: MNI), publisher of the "San Jose Mercury News" and 29 other U.S. dailies, you have only $388.33 now that its stock price has dropped from $62.06 to $4.02 per share.
Just during the past year, the per-share price of the Journal Register Co., publisher of 27 U.S. daily newspapers, had plunged so low that the company was dropped from the New York Stock Exchange and now trades on the Over-The-Counter exchange (OTC: JRCO), so I can't precisely calculate how much its stock has dropped during the past three years. However, if you had invested $10,000 in Journal Register this past April, when it started trading on the OTC at 38 pennies per share, your investment would be worth $211 on Monday when the stock closed at one penny per share.
Two years ago, Gatehouse Media, publishers of 97 U.S. dailies, went public and began selling its stock at $22 per share. A $10,000 investment in it then would be worth only $31.81 on Monday when the stock closed for 7 cents per share.
Eight months ago, the A.H. Belo Co., publishers of "The Dallas Morning News," the "Providence Journal-Bulletin," and other U.S. dailies, split into two companies, one containing its newspapers. That de-consolidation makes it hard for me to detail its newspaper-related per-share price three years back. However, if you had invested $10,000 on February 15 of this year when the newspaper part began trading at $13.18 per share (NYSE: AHC), you'd have only $2,207.89 left when it closed at $2.91 per share on Monday.
Even the liberal arrogant New York Times Co. (NYSE: NYT), publisher of it eponymous daily, the "Boston Globe," and 17 other dailies is a big loser. A $10,000 investment in it five years ago would be worth $2,240.22 today. Almost half the value of the deposits on the kegs!
Has the recent Wall Street crisis been the cause of these companies' stock declines? No. Although the Dow Jones Industrial Average has plunged approximately 34 percent during the past year, it's dropped only 9.5 percent during the past three years. Neither of those drops in the Dow explains the 81 percent per-share average drop in those newspaper companies' stocks during the past three years.
Institutional and private investors no longer have confidence in those newspaper companies' future. Many of those companies will see their current share prices rebound somewhat and some might survive. However, American newspapers are becoming the first sector of traditional media to go down the drain due to their inability to adapt to new media.
If you had money to invest three years ago, the financially savvy move would have been to purchase kegs full of beer and begin drinking a six pack a day rather than to invest in newspaper companies. Not only would your keg deposits today be worth more than the equivalent investment in all newspaper stocks, but you'd still have 22 full half-kegs of beer left over (retail price $2,310 at $105 per half-keg), more than enough to continue drinking at that pace through the remainder of the decade. Bottoms up! Newspaper company executives are proving to have been the ones who weren't financially sober.
NJ here. It was disheartening to me yesterday to hear so many people joking about the layoffs. One slacker who should have been let go months ago, laughed the hardest. Maybe this person should have been thinking where else would he get a job that allows him to show up any time of the day, underperform and STILL keep his job???? I blame many problems on management who wanted to keep a "Warm Body" in the position.
ReplyDeleteI can think of TWO such bodies at APP ADS who have gotten a stay of execution for years. Same approximate age, sex and station in life. They are rude under-performers and it would do the over-bloated managers and VP well to rid themselves of the rotten apples.
ReplyDeleteWalking through our building (NJ) is like walking into a party. Circulation people are walking around aimlessly and clueless, the ad department is always full (sales get a clue and get on the road selling)and management is who knows where. Phones go unanswered in classified - and pull into our parking lot at 9;30am and see our many cars are there.
ReplyDeleteYou have to recall a previous discussion about Gannett's flawed performance appraisal system---you know the one where managers do the reviews up to 18 months in advance. Maybe that explains why warm bodies were allowed to remain in positions for so long.
ReplyDeleteI guess today is NJ time! Put the blame where it belongs - who is managing these departments?
ReplyDeleteNJ sucks. I work there and we should all be fired. No one does any work there. We are all looking for jobs. We all discuss it together. WE even have a group of us that meet in the evening to work on our resumes and compare notes.
ReplyDeleteWe have at my Nj group - different levels of sales. It's hard to understand why they would supposedly give their best sales people top accounts that usually require management over the phone. In one instance, an assistant handles almost ALL the work for the sales rep.
ReplyDeleteMind you, these are key accounts. Yet this rep shows up whenever, goes to long lunches and is clueless about accounts.
7:29 I know who you are referring to. The manager thinks this person is doing a "terrific" job. Scary, ain't it???
ReplyDeleteIn NJ and looking for a job - you speak for yourself. I work hard every day. I have bills - mortgage, etc. I don't meet after work to do my resume - I go home to my other responsibilities. It's people like you who have contributed to this MESS. And don't think your lack of work goes unnoticed.
ReplyDeleteSo which is it? 10% payroll or 10% employees?
ReplyDelete10% OF PAYROLL! FOR THE LAST TIME: GET RID OF SOME OF THE MANAGERS. MANY OF THEM ARE WORTHLESS AND HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO LETTING THIS HAPPEN TO OUR COMPANY!!!
ReplyDeleteThe buck stops with Dubow.
ReplyDeleteThe retail advertising department at my NJ paper could use a trim.
ReplyDeleteThere is an inside retail group who is supposed to take care of larger accounts by phone. I am back and forth through that area all day and more often than not they are socializing with each other, ordering in food or coffee, talking to their grown kids on the phone, and playing around on the web. They have their assistants do all of the rotten work like cold calling and placing orders.
Unfortunately that group (mostly women in their 50s) is in tight with the AD, so I'm sure we'll lose more of the younger hard workers and these people will survive to plan more potlucks and read TMZ.com.
What about having a National "Blue Flu" sick day for all Gannett worker bees? Maybe for Nov. 15th or so?
ReplyDelete7:29 sure sounds like a description of the Courier Post's retail advertising dept. There is one person there who must have pictures of someone but keeps the job because this person has something on someone or the company since she is truly clueless and spends most time doing nothing. The ad director is incompetent and has staffed positions just below (so called managers) with those who are useless and also incompetent. Much money could be saved by cleaning house in the ad department. Also a couple of administrative types (secretaries) who could go and department would not miss a beat.
ReplyDelete8:03 - this sounds like the Courierp=Post also
ReplyDeleteSpringfield's newsstand price goingup to 75 cents Monday (planned before yesterday's announcement) along with a couple of whacky ideas:
ReplyDelete-- charging 25 cents for the TV book (why not kill that old horse)
-- Reducing Sunday comics to a few in the features section.
Hmmm...seems that might piss some of the few remaining readers off...
You've got to wonder what upper management is thinking with brilliant ideas like these...Stay tuned. Things are grim here...no guarantee those who want a buyout will get one. There are plenty who want to get out but may be forced to stay because so many want out....
The niche Signature magazine may have seen its best days and may soon be dropped. It's not making any money. It's editor was demoted in the first round of personnel cuts and is now leaving the paper to work for the local university. Good for her.
to 8:03 - Why do you keep harping on age? There are plenty of 50 plus people who work circles around their coworker. Don't lump all people together.
ReplyDeleteAnd again, it's the management. If they allow that kind of behavior to go on - well it's on them. Hint: DD
Sounds to me from the above comments along with my experience at a Gannett newspaper that all Advertising Directors across the board need to go to send a message to our stock holders.
ReplyDeleteAfter that we need to see who is next inline. Probably a department with two managers would be next. After those are filtered out we move on the the people that show up late and leave early every day. AND after that, we start picking off the the fat people and smokers. LOL
I was serious about the Ad Directors!!!
It's 10 percent payroll. How about at least starting with all the higher ups taking a 10 percent pay cut?
ReplyDeleteAnd there's a question: If it would save everyone's job, would everyone be willing to take a 10 percent pay cut?
Dickey's letter clearly states there will be "an involuntary staff reduction," not a payroll reduction.
ReplyDeleteThose are VASTLY different things.
Yup, 8:38 AM
ReplyDeleteIt's people being eliminated this time instead of positions. That's a whole different animal for HR, I believe. I'm waiting to see the list of people laid off by age this time. Just remember this---companies have to follow certain guidelines and timetables when they lay people off.
I wrote this about the Asheville paper but it pertains to everyone on this site.
ReplyDelete"Quote"
I know there are people out and about that criticize the paper for being a waste of trees, but, we have to remember that peoples lives are being affected by these cuts. With the possibility of 10% cuts at the ACT everyone at the paper will know someone who was let go. Morale will be down and therefore productivity. I just don't understand what Gannett is doing. Seems like the folk running the show are just trying to keep their Golden Parachutes in check.
As for the announcement before the holidays. Like I'm sure they will have a wonderful Thanksgiving worrying about their job and, well Christmas is ruined for all of them.
I tell you something. I would rather be pushed off the top of a building then have to wait in line to jump to my death.
"Unquote"
Six more job postings popped up on the Gannett site for Community Publishing alone. (No Florida babysitting positions posted today , though).
ReplyDeleteThis is 8:34am
ReplyDeleteIs it possible some sites being given 10 percent payroll option instead of workforce? getting mixed signals from NJ Group. Anyone have definitive info?
"And there's a question: If it would save everyone's job, would everyone be willing to take a 10 percent pay cut?"
ReplyDeleteSorry, but I don't want a 10 percent pay cut. I don't make enough as is. And if you give them that option, where will they stop?!?
Besides, the medical increase, the pitiful pay raises the survivors will get next year, and cost of living will amount to a pay cut on its own. A lot of us don't need Gannett slashing more payroll.
Insider at the Republic says they are not spared from latest round either. There are so many mid-level managers at that place hidden away. Also - there are a couple of depts that have escaped recent cuts and are being protected by a growing influence.
ReplyDeletewhen mangers ask for 10%, they want 10% of budget cut.
ReplyDeleteAll media is being hit by the ad recession. Time Inc announced 600 layoffs, NYTimes, WSJ, McClatchy, Media General, Disney, Viacom they are all laying off before Christmas.
ReplyDelete"How about at least starting with all the higher ups taking a 10 percent pay cut?"
ReplyDeleteI like that idea. I wonder if any sort of pay reduction at the top was/has been considered?
"And there's a question: If it would save everyone's job, would everyone be willing to take a 10 percent pay cut?"
Not sure on the math on that one. I think 10% of everyone's salary is probably a lot more than the total amount that the 10% of workers to be cut are earning.
@7:01 a.m.: Okay, enough with the beer v. stock share comparisons. How many times are we going to be subjected to that amazingly insightful but, in the end, f*****g pointless and dorky analysis. We get it. You've demonstrated how smart you are. STFU. Move on.
ReplyDeleteWhat truly frightens me is that corporate began these layoffs earlier this year, before the recession had even begun.Q Now we are in the third round, and so what happens when the recession really bites next year. Revenues will decline even more in Q4, and we all know how miserable Q1 and Q2 periods are in normal times. So do we now adjust to the idea there are going to be new rounds of layoffs announced every three months or so? Is my future going to be nothing but fretting if I am going to have a job much longer. How much can corporate cut? I am truly flustered and depressed.
ReplyDeleteI'm a supervisor at a Gannett property - not a newspaper. I'm entering this conversation with no real knowledge of the print industry - but with an outside perspective.
ReplyDeleteEver wonder how informed your readers might be about the state of the newspaper industry? I'd bet that the majority of your readers have little understanding of how dire the situation is for their community newspapers.
My suggestion is that you lay it out for them in no uncertain terms. Perhaps your publisher or EE could craft an open letter to the readers. Tell them about the "perfect storm" of a terrible economy, rising print costs, lost subscribers, battling free news on the Internet, etc. Be bold and inform your readers about the layoffs, past, present and future. More importantly, remind them of the role you play in the community. Remind them of important stories you broke that readers wouldn't have known about otherwise. Remind them how important it is for a democratic society to have a watchdog system of professional journalists to work on their behalf. Let people know what you do, and what they'll be missing if you were to stop doing it, and how detrimental that would be right now, with all that is happening in our world.
ASK YOUR READERS TO SUPPORT YOU. You may be surprised.
Naive? Perhaps. What do you have to lose?
I feel for all of you. Those of us who do not work in print are keenly aware that we could/will be next. All GCI employees are in this together, and we wish you all good luck. Hang in there.
Talk about Brass Ones.
ReplyDeleteYesterday Zidich sends a note out to all Phoenix employees telling us we may be losing our jobs just before the holidays.
Today Zidich sends us a note reminding us to donate to the United Way. WTF? I mean I know the United Way is important, and I've always donated, but not this year. For most of us making house payments and figuring out our economic survival is going to be more important.
Just learned that our family health care coverage in Cincinnati will be going up eight percent next year.
ReplyDeleteSo, even if you survive cuts, you'll have a lot less in your pocket.
Why haven't we heard a word from broadcast or other Gannett properties? Are layoffs happening elsewhere as well?
ReplyDelete10:29- problem is Gannett is still making a profit and people don't buy a newspaper out of sympathy if they know CEO's are still getting bonuses. They are still getting their news for free online and on the radio and of course TV. Since I have been laid off, EVERYONE I have talked to are not surprised. They stopped their subscriptions long ago.
ReplyDelete@9:37: You are correct, all media is going through cuts, but the others do not put out a horrible product. GCI websites and local papers are falling hard thanks to the leadership.
ReplyDeleteWhat percent of Gannett's payroll does Gracia's and Craig's salary and bonus represent.
ReplyDeleteHow many reporters, editors, sales people, and press operators can be caved and can continue to feed the monster if Craig and Gracia's positions were eliminated?
If they didn't come to work, which product wouldn't be produced? What ad wouldn't be sold? What story wouldn't be covered?
What customer would notice?
7:01 and 7:13...I think I know who you are talking about...MK and JR, right? If so, I agree with you! They are the BIGGEST jerks of ADS!
ReplyDelete10:29 You are not naive, but you have to understand the newspapers have generated lots of the problems they now face. For example, GCI aggressively cut off far-off circulation in a cost-cutting move, alienating those who even called and pleaded to have the newspaper's continued delivery. These were told they were not worth the costs of dealing with them. So now we are supposed to ask them for support? I don't think so.
ReplyDeleteI also think that if you asked for support, you would get an earful about how the newspaper has stopped covering things people are interested in following. For years, GCI has financed reader surveys. But rather than giving people what they say they want (local taxes, police, local schools, local government), publishers and editors ignored what these surveys found and did what the American Press Institute and consultants said they should do. So newspapers were crammed with trend stories, and local raves in hopes of attracting teens who regard newspapers as some sort of fuddy-duddy dinosaurs.
It is too late to ask for support. We have pissed off too many people for that to work.
hey 7:01 You stole my BEER FINANCE POST from last week...LOL.
ReplyDeleteIf you had purchased $1,000 of AIG stock one year ago, you would have $42 left.
With Lehman, you would have $6.60 left.
With Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, you would have less than $5 left.
But if you had purchased $1,000 worth of BEER one year ago, drank all
of the beer, then turned in the cans for the aluminum recycling for a REFUND, you would have had $214.
Based on the above, the best current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle.
It's called the 401-Keg....
Nik
If you had invested $10,000.00 my personal trading account) you would now have $40,560.00. I've been trying to make up for my FUTURE LOST INCOME from being laid-off.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I could become a writer for the MONEY SECTION of USA Today
A POINT OF VIEW OVERLOOKED:
ReplyDeleteGANNETT'S VULNERABLE HOME DELIVERY May Break-Down ??
This morning productions problems lead to situation where home delivery trucks were 2+ hours late. Carriers left to get to other jobs. Not enough of US (Gannett Workers) to get paper out on time.
That's a very very fragile distribution system, that even P.C.F. won't fix.
After carriers Christmas Tips from much much fewer customers BOMBS. Tehy are going to leave. It only takes a 10% exodus of carriers to cripple us.
And even in a bad economy, people desperate for money won't work delivering papaers for $0.13 ($0.25 on Sunday) when they have to beat the crap out of their own cars and pay for their own gas.
If we don't have carriers, we can't get the papers out on time, we get more cancellations....it's a self-reinforcing feedback loop to oblivian.
I thought it was a bad thing that I got laid off by the Evil Empire back in 2006. Turns out I managed to beat the rush and find another job. My sympathies to the latest people thrown under the bus, especially those I worked with or knew.
ReplyDeleteI hope our relief at USA Today isn't shortlived. It's hard to believe we're not going to be cut in some fashion. If the powers that be put out a statement saying we're safe, as they have, but then turn around a month from now and cut jobs, what little trust is left will be gone forever.
ReplyDeleteThere is going to be a lot of payback in these layoffs. I am thinking this is going to be the most politically-driven layoff we have ever seen. Gone will be anyone who voiced opposition to the editor or publisher. Anyone who voiced dissent at anytime, or laughed at a dumb assignment, is going to be on that list. Left behind are going to be the ass-kissers, and the unoriginal workers who don't challenge their managers. It will be a very subdued company that will emerge.
ReplyDeleteThe idiot who misquoted Obama in the Cincinnati Enquirer's endorsement editorial (of McCain) needs to be fired and marched out the door. They had to run a correction today confessing they made it all up. Wow. This paper has reached the bottom.
ReplyDeleteThe letter from the Dickster:
ReplyDeleteTo: USCP Publishers & General Managers
As all of you are painfully aware, the fiscal crisis is deepening and the economy is getting worse. Gannett’s revenues continue to be severely impacted by this downturn, and our local operations are suffering. While we are doing our best to reduce all non staff-related expenses, I am sorry to report that we must do another round of layoffs across our division.
To that end, we will institute an involuntary staff reduction of approximately 10% by the first week of December. The terms of the severance will be one week for each year of service with a cap of 26 weeks.
Each Publisher is responsible for developing their local plan to achieve the expected goal. Decisions will be made locally because each of our markets is unique, with differing market conditions and individual needs in light of our previous reductions.
I have asked that all plans be completed by November 14th at which time they will go through the standard review process.
I fully understand this announcement will cause you concern but I felt that once a decision was made it should be communicated as quickly as possible.
While this is more bad news, it is a sign of Gannett’s determination to remain healthy and viable as a company during these turbulent economic times. We continue to be a leader in our industry, not only because of our fiscal strength but also because we have a plan to aggressively grow the company when the economy returns.
To that end, I encourage you to contact me with your thoughts and ideas. We need to grow revenue as well as continue to find efficiencies. I would appreciate your help and ideas on both fronts.
My email address is rdickey@gannett.com. I promise you will be heard and receive a timely response.
I appreciate your understanding and commitment during these challenging times.
Thank you.
Robert Dickey
11:42 AM
ReplyDeleteVery subdued companies are perfect matches for companies that specialize in advertorial and advocacy, I think.
@11:42: The ass kissers may survive this round but their time will come soon because the company is in a tailspin. Is it worth it that they backstab their co-workers in a desperate attempt to get ahead in a company that doesn't give a damn about anyone?
ReplyDeleteThe backstabbing has already begun, according to a friend who says his manager got an anonymous letter this morning. You know what that means: here come the investigators. The smarmy ass-kissers are out to save their skins, no matter the families it hurts or the once-promising careers it destroys.
ReplyDeleteWanting to blame others is a natural thing...so have at it. But if you are so naive that you thought there would NOT be further layoffs, you are to blame.
ReplyDeleteIt is not jsut print media getting hit either. Digital is getting crushed and they did not have much profits to begin with...companies like Yahoo.
ReplyDeleteWhere are all these displace media employees going to go?
No print jobs, not new digital jobs....nothing.
Came into work this afternoon at the Home News Tribune and the newsroom was no different than any other day.
ReplyDeleteWith the exception of several people who were already leaving before the 10 percent guillotine was announced, most are saying "I'm not losing MY job" and "I have nothing to worry about."
Are these people in denial or just plain stupid???
I would think there would be more concern among the ranks, especially with a mandated jobs cut and a publisher who puts a hitlist in place well in advance.
They probably deserve whatever comes down the pike since there's no concern for their co-workers or the additional work they will *actually* have to do once the heads roll.
ReplyDeleteFrom Tim Chavez, www.politicalsalsa.com
ReplyDeleteWednesday, October 29, 2008
HED: Craig Moon made a big difference at Tennessean; he's why USA Today continues to prosper
A lot of criticism has been aimed at the fact that the 10% cuts coming for Gannett newspapers -- including The Tennessean -- do not include USA Today.
That newspaper's circulation numbers are up compared to other Gannett newspapers. And a primary reason why is publisher Craig Moon, who used to be publisher at The Tennessean.
It was my privilege to work with Moon during his tenure at The Tennessean. I found him to be honest and a man of integrity. He was actually a better journalist interested in what readers wanted than the people in charge of The Tennessean newsroom. He is the one who created the then very popular Williamson A.M. edition. It made big profits while also pleasing readers. He offered more money for reporters without editors there asking. I was there. I saw it happen.
Great formula.
While newsroom decision makers denied me a chance to write a political column for the newspaper, Moon readily opened the way. So I am indebted to him for allowing me -- an American of Hispanic descent -- to pursue my dreams.
When he left The Tennessean for greener pastures, the paper's future was doomed.
But not USA Today's. Our loss was their great gain. And Moon seems to be part of the difference, along with the great staff there. I've never been jealous of USA Today. Its staffers set the standard for the rest of us to pursue.
Craig now sits on the operating committee for Gannett. If there is hope for the company to turn fortunes around in an environment affecting all newspapers regardless of public or private ownership, then Moon will make the difference there, too.
Men of integrity, competency and honesty always prevail.
Jim has a personal vendetta against Moon and it shows time and time again on this blog. But I for one think the man is a good manager. And I have seen him fight for jobs and those of you who do not know him, believe me, he has saved a lot of jobs. So maybe Jim does not like him but that is personal. if Jim was honest with his readers, he would report in an unbiased way. Moon cares about his people, even though he does not always win the battles.
ReplyDelete11:42 oohhhhh I'm so scared of you!
ReplyDeletewhy is that 2:32? because maybe he/she is right and you are a royal ass-kisser(and an immature one at that)
ReplyDeleteOne of Jim's Google ads from the site. LOL. No wonder he is not making any money off the ads!
ReplyDeleteGannett Company
Get Gannett Company Career Info: Workplace Culture, Pay, Recruiting.
www.Vault.com
Honolulu_ mid-level editors here have declined early retirement buyouts that were offered days before the announcement of 10 percent cut in payroll. wonder if their heads will roll
ReplyDeleteAnother reason why GCI is in BIG trouble. The Journal News has the balls to state--Real Numbers---Supurb Results!!!99,000 Monday To Friday is Super numbers ???Corporate has to wake up to nonsense like this. I guess the Directors and Managers are doing a stellar job---Keep up the good work---soon circ will be at 50,000
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletePlease save the "cute hineys" comments for another blog; that's why I just removed that one.
ReplyDeleteDoes anybody know how much of Gannetts profit is from the online ventures???
ReplyDeleteEye CANDY !!!! Looks like I will be out sick for the week after reading that one!!!!!
ReplyDelete5:14 p.m.: Gannett doesn't break down profit by category. However, it now publishes data on digital sales. In the third quarter digital sales totaled $77.6 million, up from $17.2 million a year ago. This newly created revenue category comprises jobs site CareerBuilder, ad services company PointRoll, plus other ventures.
ReplyDeleteHere's a related post: http://tinyurl.com/5ahhby
Why do people assume those left behind are ass-kissers? Maybe they are just better workers and do their job and don't act like assholes.
ReplyDeleteI cant wait to see how well the assholes do in the real world?
5:57, Not all are, but there are many. Believe me they know what they are doing. So if you are left behind and not kissing ass, don't be insulted by the all the comments.
ReplyDeletewhat's the deal with GNS? My sources say they did NOT receive the memo. Are they being spared like USAT and the FREEP?
ReplyDeleteFirst, I'd like to say THANKS!!! to Jim for this blog - I just started reading it recently and have learned alot about Gannett and the goings on that are normally not discussed. I think it's also a great way to say what you think or feel without repercussions if it gets back to mgmt!!
ReplyDeleteSecond, anyone who is probably laughing in NJ about the layoffs is doing so to keep from crying - at least that's how I feel. And I guess I'm "one of the ass kissers who comes in on time, stays late, doesn't call in sick, does their job plus extra and doesn't want to see Gannett fail!" cause I need my job and actually enjoy it even with the low salary. Even with all that going for me, I KNOW my position isn't safe - no ones is and that can be a terrifing thing especially in this job market. I truely wish everyone much luck and good will in the coming weeks - keep laughing - it's the best medicine!
The lesson here is what I heard from an HR Director recently caught in the lay offs. Use your sick days and use all of them your a fool not to.
ReplyDeleteIf the local manager is handholding a "Strategic Sales Executive) (going on all sales calls with her, covering her accounts, etc. Here's a suggestion. Layoff the Strategic person, demote the local manager to the strategic position (with a paycut). Think about it NJ Group.
ReplyDeleteI live in NJ and actually the person who handles my advertisement told me about this site. I am a long time customer, although I am cutting back.What amazes me is the advertising people who come through my doors. The men and women are not professionally dressed (in fact, it is sometimes painful to look at them), I have had 4 reps in the last 3 years, and the fact that one of them bragged about this site, speaks volumes. It's sad.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for opinions, but it is getting old listening to people blame management (and I don't mean corporate). Most managers work very hard and work long days. I know I average 11 hours and it is not nearly enough. If you don't have quality employees (ie many bitching here) you fail. But yet, you can't fire these people because as you all know, that position doesn't get filled. Yes, there are bad managers, but I would guess just by math alone, that there are certainly more bad lower level workers. Many managers have responsiblities/work that their employees know nothing about. I recently left a position managing about 7 (work at a smaller paper). The person who took my position (a former employee) really wanted the job. Thought he could do better. I had to laugh after hearing about how shocked he was about all the work he didn't know about that went with the job. All of sudden, I was praised. "How did you do all that in one day?" he would ask. Again, yes - there are bad managers. I've had 'em. But before you bash yours - maybe you should consider that you don't know all that they do. And, they have bosses. So, like or not, a lot of what your managers are telling you isn't coming from them.
ReplyDelete8:13 - Middle managers have run this company into the ground in my opinion. One example: At my paper I work in I.T. There are all sorts of people that work in our I.T. dept that have no reason to be in I.T. They came from other departments that have nothing to do with computers or technology. You dont park people in I.T. You need to have highly trained people. Its a very technical department. Dah!! So who do you blame when systems dont work and processes fail? The guy that did composing for 20 years? or the moron manager that knows nothing of I.T. and thinks that any old fart can be trained to be a programmer or system admin.
ReplyDeleteThats just one of many examples. This company is run by old newspaper guys that know nothing or little about anything other then typewriters and offset print presses. Managment from top to bottom should be tech savy. When I think about my job/company I truly get sick to my stomach.
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ReplyDeleteCongrats Jim on the promotion from blogger to publisher. cheers!
Blogger, publisher, reporter, editor----what's next for you, Jim?
ReplyDeleteWhat's next? Hopefully: all of the above, with a steady paycheck!
ReplyDelete8:13 What an IDIOT!! In his opinion Middle Managers have run the company into the ground! You help desk guys are a joke. “You need to have highly trained people.” Right… Call IT with a computer problem and get a recorded message that goes something like this. “ Often times restarting your computer will resolve your issues” And, have you ever tried to get a hold of IT late at night before the paper has been put to bed, and on weekends. What a joke. IT is filled with young, talented, lazy workers that haven’t got the first clue of what a newspaper is.
ReplyDeleteNewspapers are lame and so are the terrible reporters that write for them. Go IT guys, and GO PHILLIES! FUCK YEAH!
ReplyDeleteOh and you guys bitch and whine to much.
Yeah, print is dead. That's why the Philadelphia Phillies just won their first World Series Championship in a quarter century and they stand in the middle of the stadium of thousands of screaming fans and hold up a front page EXTRA of the Philadelphia Inquirer that reads WORLD CHAMPS! and the crowd goes nuts. Yeah, they could hold up an iPhone next time. I'm sure it would have the same emotional effect.
ReplyDeleteNever in my life did I think I'd find myself quoting a hair band, but "You Don't Know What You've Got Til It's Gone, Gone, Gone.''
It made me want to cry, and that is not because I'm a whiner, am not a total Web junkie (am), hate change or can't evolve. It's because print journalism was a calling and it was part of what America was and it is very sad to see it all go. Go ahead, call me a whiner, a dinosaur, whatever you want. If you don't get it, I can't explain it any better than the Phillies just did.
I think its sad, all of this.
ReplyDeleteI wish everyone luck and hopefully, if you are laid off, you won't waste so much time whining and blaming but get on with your life.
Negativity is an ugly disease and is highly cancerous and contagious.
Hey, 8:13 I'm one of your dinosaurs. I started as an editor in the hot type and have gone through all paycheck. I have a brain that still can learn new things. But unlike some of the newbies and web nerds, I can still put a noun and verb together and I know what good taste is and what libel is. Lessons learned in the stone age when circulation soared and the print media brought down a president, and didn't care whether the stone age version of Britney Spears was wearing panties or not.
ReplyDelete10:48 PM
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Bet you know when it's just not a story, too.
10:48 They are targeting the highly paid dinosaurs you speak of. Dick(ey) gave 2 solutions, take a pay cut or be cut. He's such a douche.
ReplyDeleteLol somebody from the Courier-Post apparently sent a letter to him... I don't think that's a good idea. Makes you a target like he wants.
Does anybody know what percentage of the revenue and profit is made up from digital
ReplyDelete10:00, you proved my point. They have placed crapy people in IT because they don’t understand that not just anyone can do IT. That’s why you get crapy service. All I am saying is that this company is full of crapy management from top to bottom. You may work hard but that doesn’t mean that you have vision. Don’t work harder work smarter. If you guys in management had vision for the last 10 to 15 years, maybe we would be in a better spot then we are now. You have a bunch of old farts that don’t understand new media running this company for years. You can run a newspaper in 2000s like you did in the 1970s when a paper brought down a president. Things have changed, its just that we have not. And that is management from top to bottom! not just the top. I think its way too late now. I will leave with or without severance. And to all the people that keep saying stop bitching. No thanks. I like it. It makes me feel better and I deserve to feel better.
ReplyDeleteHow can you hire good people to work in online if you don't know anything about the technicalities of HTML and online?
ReplyDeleteWant to feel better? Often times restarting your computer will resolve your issues” IDIOT!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe almost have more middle managers making assignments than we have people left to do them. That's absurd.
ReplyDeletePrint is dead only to those who don't realize the impact a newspaper still has. People still want it. Why else do they complain so when it's late, torn, missing sections, wet, picture out of focus, etc. Why is it after a disaster like a tornado or hurricane, it's the third thing they scour the landscape for after ice and water? Print is dying because people want it that way.
ReplyDeleteHey,guess what. Us middle managers will keep our jobs while you hourly whiners get canned in December.
ReplyDeleteWhy? We're exempt from wage and hour laws. Though we may get paid a couple percent more than you, we can be asked to work as long as necessary, as many days as necessary.
Do the math. If you make $20 an hour and work 10 hours overtime, I have to pay you $300 + $800. If I make $25 an hour, I get $1000 no matter how many extra jobs I get stuck with or how long I stay.
And when I quit, no severance and the new middle manager makes $20/hr.
Am I happy knowing I should pack vasaline to go to work? No. But at least I can go to work, bust my ass, and keep getting a paycheck.
Hey manager: if you did your f...ing job RIGHT, you would know how to delegate and NOT have to stay late doing God knows how many other jobs besides yer own! So keep packing that vaseline (which by the way you spelled incorrectly).
ReplyDelete734 - keep that dictionary handy when you're sitting at home and I'm doing the 10 hours of actual work you did each week.
ReplyDeleteYou can burn it for heat.
7:44 as a manager, you should have better people skills. Your reaction to 7:34 shows that you are lacking. And thus, I think this is much of Gannett's problem.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the managers are just sick of the whiners. I hope whiners get canned so the rest of us can get on with our work without all the negativity.
ReplyDeleteFlame on! Damn, I haven't used that term since newsgroup days. :)
ReplyDeleteYou know what pisses me off with all you whining ass non-techies?
1. Taking credit for work of others.
My staff designed, built, and rolled-out a kick ass online database years before anyone. This database is used daily by our readership to this day. Oh, no other newspaper to this day has one like it.
What did editorial get? A nice award for outstanding whatever the f**k editorial awards are for. Our contribution was not even mentioned. This has happened at least 5 times since I've worked here.
2. You have no idea how the internet works.
Just because you can't get to one website does not mean "The internet is down"
3. You have no idea how your story/content gets to (a) the plate on the press or (b) on the web.
So, bash IT. When we are gone, lets see how long you last.
right on 9:26, lets just fire all the reporters and sublet their space. We can still get the paper out by hiring freelancers. Estimated savings? Somewhere in the millions.
ReplyDeleteI'm a genius, i should be an executive or something...geez.
Screw people skills. Go say please and thank you in the unemployment line. I've got your work to do.
ReplyDelete4:27AM...I totally agree...I believe people are "killing" off print to save money and ads can then be streamlined to the web only. Just some thought with that morning coffee. And this is coming from someone in broadcast.
ReplyDeleteOK, IT nerd, why does the NY Times have really kick-ass graphics, while USA Today's presentation is so boring. If IT put more effort into making the product look good to readers, we would have even more readers, and more revenue. The Alyssa data shows the NY Times is getting even more readers, largely because of those great moving graphics, putting movies instead of pix on the front page, and other innovations our lazy, do-nothing IT nerds never thought of. What a bunch of do-nothing losers.
ReplyDeleteOK, IT nerd, why does the NY Times have really kick-ass graphics, while USA Today's presentation is so boring. If IT put more effort into making the product look good to readers, we would have even more readers, and more revenue. The Alyssa data shows the NY Times is getting even more readers, largely because of those great moving graphics, putting movies instead of pix on the front page, and other innovations our lazy, do-nothing IT nerds never thought of. What a bunch of do-nothing losers.
ReplyDelete12:14 PM - Simple, Online (Geeks) did not design the website(s). Gannett hired a bunch of design experts for the websites and you can see how design by committee worked out.
ReplyDeleteOur site sucks also, we too have to use same templates corporate online mandates the sites to use.