Thursday, November 06, 2008

Thursday | Nov. 6 | Got news, or a question?

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61 comments:

  1. I'm already playing six degrees of separation, Barack Obama edition. I am one person away from the president-elect; I've met a journalist who has interviewed him.

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  2. Once again newspapers undershoot sales expectations. Product of believing their own BS about how people don't want them anymore. Put real news on the front page and don't tell us how to run our lives and think, and people will still buy them. There's more of a market for them than they know, or want to know. Either winner presented a history making event. Papers should have known. They used to would have!

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  3. Giving somebody five week notice that their job might be eliminated is torture.

    I compare that to being blindfolded for execution and then stood out in a field until they are good and ready to pull the trigger. While you stand there waiting for the pull of the trigger thoughts go through your head about what you would have done differently. Your family and how they will survive. Your neighbors and what they will think when they hear the news. Or if anyone where you work will even care.

    The humanity!!

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  4. Anther day, so many empty hotel's rooms, with copies, of USAT, that some advertiser is paying for. When will it end!

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  5. Does USAT count these as sales towards their circulation numbers. If so is that fraud. Since they were not actually single copy sales.

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  6. "Does USAT count these as sales towards their circulation numbers. If so is that fraud. Since they were not actually single copy sales." Those are paid for by the hotel and as far as I've known are not "returned", therefore all are paid for papers.

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  7. 8:26 you are clearly clueless about the industry.
    ABC accounts for these in a special classification on the circutlation audit.
    In addition, USAT has had this model for 25 years and clearly advertisers understand it!
    You are an idiot with no knowledge.

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  8. rmichem, I wish I was smart enough to be an advertiser in USA Today this week, especially yesterday. How brilliant was Radio Shack? Front cover. USA Today dominates the business traveler and their revenue model is by far the most brilliant in the industry.

    You clearly have no understanding.

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  9. If you are surprised about layoffs, you have been living under a rock.

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  10. People in Newhouse are surprised.

    Their company has a no layoff guarantee, so, yeah, some companies don't operate like Gannett.

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  11. I am constantly ashamed of the personal attacks on this blog...one person calling another an idiot.for example.

    It is people like you that make those of us who are trying to keep the ship afloat miserable.

    I hope every single one of you gets wiped out in this round.

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  12. 9:25

    Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black.

    I presume you are an Ad Director.

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  13. I'm not sure what's worse - calling someone an idiot or hoping that those people who call others idiots all get wiped out in the next round of layoffs. Practice what you preach.

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  14. Speaking of how not to do this ...
    D'oh!
    The cast: Tom Callinan as the VP/editor at Cincinnati,Margaret Buchanan as the publisher and Keith Bulling as the VP/HR.

    RE: About the impending layoffs
    Callinan, Tom
    Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:38 PM
    To: Callinan, Tom; CIN-News Users

    I attached more information than Margaret wanted me to send.

    Focus on the top part, although what I said in the original email to Margaret way below are my feelings not necessarily the Enquirers….for one thing, not sure I can guarantee confidentiality if you talk with HR….HR obviously would need to work with me on those cases.

    ___________________________________
    From: Callinan, Tom
    Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:30 PM
    To: CIN-News Users
    Subject: About the impending layoffs


    As I said in meetings with you last week, I am hearing rumors and hints that some staffers are considering volunteering for the severance package attached to the upcoming layoffs. Some may be going back to school, thinking of changing careers now rather than later, willing to go part-time, unwilling to consider reassignments or a change in working hours.

    It would be helpful if you made those wishes known to your department head, me or Human Resources. It may save a job of someone with no such plans.

    I know we just offered a voluntary severance program that more generous in September. But the world has shifted under our feet since then.

    Thanks for your patience and understanding in these difficult time.

    And thanks for the work you do amid it all.


    ___________________________________
    From: Buchanan, Margaret
    Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 1:57 PM
    To: Callinan, Tom
    Cc: Bulling, Keith
    Subject: RE: Suggested email to staff

    I don't think you want to put all of this in writing. Just the last paragraph is what you want to send. Work with Keith.

    MB

    ___________________________________
    From: Callinan, Tom
    Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 11:56 AM
    To: Bulling, Keith; Buchanan, Margaret
    Subject: Suggested email to staff


    Here’s where we are determining staff reductions:

    A top priority will be to provide quality content to readers and advertisers, maintain operational excellence and move forward with an eye toward a digital future.

    A high priority will be a respect for our First Amendment and civic responsibilities to build community, encourage citizen engagement and inform and protect the public.

    We will cut newshole in features, sports, and to a less extent in news, op-ed and various areas such as Careers.

    The upside if we do it well: The new Local Life section will be a grand opportunity to provide a better balance that truly reflects Local Life with coverage of important issues coupled with things-to-do and leisure content

    The only way I can approach this (and live with myself): While the tendency is to jump to a "hit list,” we are going through a disciplined process to take the emotion and subjectivity out of this exercise.

    Basically, the ladder of consideration starts with:

    1. Is a job-to-be-done going away, in terms of hours per page, etc.?
    2. Is there a single incumbent in a position that will not be needed?
    3. If there are multiple incumbents in a position, we go to:
    -- Performance ratings over the past two years – more if necessary.
    -- Years of service.
    4. Then, there could be situations in which positions from a department with work going away are qualified and willing to transfer to another department (features to night desk etc.). That could weigh in and start the process again, affecting those who work in the second department.
    5. No subjective criteria such as “good attitude, hard-worker, team player, problem attitude, spouse has good job", will be considered beyond the above unless there are extraordinary circumstances (recent warnings, special skills or lack thereof, etc.)
    6. Only then will recommendations be made to the publisher.
    7. Even then, an LIC recommendation may not be needed to reach the targeted reductions.
    8. Or, if the publisher needs to go deeper, we start again at step 1.

    Finally, as I said in meetings with you last week, I am hearing rumors and hints that some staffers are considering volunteering for the current deal – going back to school, thinking of changing careers now rather than later, willing to go part-time, unwilling to consider reassignments or a change in working hours. It would be helpful if you made those wishes known to your department head, me or confidentially to Human Resources. The publisher could be informed confidentially by HR if you wish so News peers don’t know. It may save a job of someone with no such plans.

    I know we just offered a voluntary severance program that more generous in September. But the world has shifted under our feet since then.

    Thanks for your patience and understanding in these difficult time.

    And thanks for the work you do amid it all.

    TC

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  15. The person who called someone an idiot was calling rmichem an idiot. It's not the first time that has happened on this blog. rmichem is an idiot. He does not work for Gannett. He is a self-serving full time blog commentor who happens to also be extremely annoying.

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  16. As those in the newspaper division suffer through weeks of uncertainty, the questions arises as to when will the hammer fall on USA Today and GNS. Based on GNS value to our newspaper and its cost, we could save a lot of jobs at home if we didn't have to cough up the bucks for our share of the news service. Why no movement to trim jobs or expenses there?

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  17. 9:39

    Great inside stuff.

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  18. 9:24 The Newhouse no-layoff guarantee only applies to non-union employees, and adopted as a measure to prevent unionization. GCI uses other methods to thwart the unions, so doesn't need this promise.

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  19. 10:10am...I'm sure there is...we just haven't heard about it yet. Noone is safe in this round of layoffs IMHO.

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  20. Newhouse may have a no-layoff policy, but they sure do have a CLOSE THE ENTIRE FREAKIN' PAPER policy. Look at what just happened in Newark.

    That was the equivalent of the old National Lampoon cover: Buy this magazine or we shoot the dog.

    Newhouse threatened to go completely nuclear unless the workers gave concessions. Maybe they really did have to be that dramatic -- I'm in no position to know. But it paints a different picture than the kindly family proprietors.

    And in case you hadn't noticed, Newhouse has also been busily hacking jobs in its Conde Nast stable of magazines.

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  21. 10:10 a.m., my understanding is that Gannett News Service reporters and editors have been told they also face a 10 percent cut. I can understand the cut being applied equally, but I reject your criticism of GNS, which will be of more value than ever with a new administration. GNS is much smaller than it once was and the reporters churn out a ton of copy. It's of more use to readers than some generic national AP story. Then again, the readers seem to not be a factor in this whole layoff scheme.

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  22. First 9:06, no one is mentioning, the HOTEL'S people, I have spoken with who witness, stacks, of unread USAT. 9:48 How could I be self-serving telling the people, this? What do I gain?

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  23. 9:39 - great great stuff! Thanks for the laugh!

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  24. The Cincinati memo doesn't say whether "years of servce" will be considered a good thing or a bad thing. Could go either way, and could be age discrimination, too.

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  25. Poughkeepsie is shutting down printing and distribution and moving it to Westchester, effective early January. 45 "dedicated employees" will be affected, according to the email from the publisher.

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  26. Three months ago, we were all instructed to put everything aside to write copy for Metromix. I have not heard a word about this site since, and just looked at a local site that on its front page carries a photo dated Nov. 4, with the headline "Obama winning." Hello, anyone awake up there. It's Nov. 6 and I think Obama won. All that damn work down the toilet on another Web site no one uses. Shoplocal also sucking air, I hear.

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  27. Is there any way we can compile a posted, definitive scoresheet, hit list, whatever you want to call it, that lists which Gannett papers are offering voluntary severance and which Gannett papers are targeting their employee hits? As part of the severance deals, I'd also like to see listed which papers are in states where those VOLUNTARILY severed can collect unemployment.

    Maybe if details of the December Dump are spelled out paper by paper for everyone to see, it will become glaringly evident that an arbitrary corporate policy through which each individual paper can do what it damn well pleases is cruel, unfair and just plain morally wrong.

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  28. 12:33 PM --- "...cruel, unfair and just plain morally wrong". Ah, did you forget who we work for?

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  29. 12:02--I am sorry to hear about the shutdown in Poughkeepsie. As you might know I worked in Westchester, NY And I find it weird that they would give the distribution responsibilities to The Journal News.The transportation department and the person who runs it are awful. When is Corporate going to stop saving the directors ( sic ) at the Journal News.

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  30. Yes, I had to write stories for Metromix, too. Never heard a word about it afterwards. Didn't they spend a boatload of money buying these sites?

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  31. Another IT department failure.

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  32. 1:35 PM What the hell are you talking about "Another IT department failure"? We, local site IT departments, had nothing to do with it. Gannett Digital forced it down every one's throat.

    Quit placing blame on your IT departments for half-ass projects that the idiots at corporate come up with.

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  33. How is Metromix an IT failure? It is a failure from top management that decide to spend a ton of money on this soft porn site.

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  34. Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News experience historic sales; reprints 110,000 copies

    Detroit, Michigan – Today the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News report historic sales at local retail outlets. Anticipating large interest in the announcement of a new president, both newspapers increased the number of copies printed by more than 40%, but that wasn’t enough to meet consumer demand. “Area retailers reported customers purchasing multiple copies of each newspaper and most sold out by noon,” said Janet Hasson, Senior Vice President of Audience Development at the Detroit Media Partnership. “In response to this high demand, more than 110,000 copies will be reprinted and available for sale at local retailers as soon as tomorrow morning,” Hasson said.
    Paul Anger, executive editor for the Detroit Free Press said, “Today is a reminder of the value newspapers play in documenting history. We are proud that so many in Detroit and across Michigan chose the Free Press to do so during this momentous time.”
    Jon Wolman, executive editor and publisher for The Detroit News said, “People are stopping by the building, looking for this keepsake edition and telling us that The Detroit News front page headline captures a political achievement that they will always cherish.”

    For up-to-the-minute election coverage, please go to www.freep.com and www.detnews.com.

    Detroit Media Partnership, L.P. manages the business functions of the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News. As the largest newspapers in Michigan, with two of the largest web sites in the market, the Free Press and The News combine to reach a weekly audience of 2.1 million people; 56% of adults in this market see our products.* Detroit Media Partnership is also the advertising sales agent for the following suburban Detroit publications: Observer & Eccentric and Mirror Newspapers, Novi News, Milford Times, Northville Record, South Lyon Herald and Livingston County Daily Press & Argus. Gannett Co., Inc., owner of the Free Press, is the general partner in DMP; MediaNews Group, owner of The News, is the limited partner.

    SOURCE: 2008 Scarborough Report – Detroit DMA

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  35. USAT hotel sales: look at your hotel bill. There will be 6-point copy saying you are paying for the USAT, and if you do not want it, they refund your money. This is how it is counted as single copy and not bulk. The hotel is not paying for the paper, the person in the room is. And then of course the hotel receives a cut, just like single copy locations.

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  36. 2:35 p.m.: To any advertiser who still believes that tortured marketing spin, I've got a boatload of mortgage-backed securities available for sale at a deep discount!

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  37. Maybe it's just me but...

    I have not yet been laid off and have actually had indirect assurances that I'll be safe this go-round too but I am feeling like I'm already out of work. I know much of it is the dire state of the economy (and my 401K with it) coupled with a deep mourning for the industry as a whole. But the anxiety and sadness and fear I am feeling - like part of my identity has been stripped away - is really scary.

    Thanks for listening. I know I can be overly emotional about things, so I appreciate the space to just say that. I don't really think those outside of the newspaper business truly understand what it is to have done this your whole life and realize you will soon be on the outside, and the inside is getting smaller and smaller and smaller. (That is not to take anything away from all the non-newspaper people out there losing their jobs).

    I don't care which part of the operation you work for, real newspaper people are special and I will always miss that feeling of a shared mission, always. I am honored to have been a part of it while it lasted.

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  38. 10 percent drop in GCI today. What happened today that didn't happen yesterday? Must be extrapolating horrendous Rupert Murdoch NWS report, or realizing what the bad department store Christmas forecasts mean for newspaper ads.

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  39. Get this, there is hope for all us for all of us that were axed in the past couple of months. Gannett is looking for help. All we need to be is talented and high performing!

    This was sent to a university career center today.


    Greetings:

    Gannett Co., Inc. is seeking high performing and talented individuals to
    support its strategic plan.

    We are building a long-term program that provides a pipeline of diverse
    and exceptional talent by recruiting, hiring and developing a select
    group of the nation's top December 2008 and Spring 2009 graduating
    college students. This program is also open to graduate students
    completing their studies during this time period.

    The 2009 training program will begin with an orientation at Gannett's
    headquarters on June 4 - 5. Participants will be trained for 10 weeks as
    full-time employees at Gannett daily newspapers, television stations and
    corporate headquarters in McLean, VA. . At the successful completion of
    the training, participants will be offered a full-time position.

    For more information and the program application, please go to:

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  40. Jim 2:43----Can the Journal News put a marketing spin on the mega papers in their dumpsters as circulation ?

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  41. 3:44 p.m., thank you. You have just provided a key piece of evidence for a legitimate age discrimination suit. I have rarely seen anything so patently aimed at removing older workers and replacing them with younger ones. Until now, I had not viewed it as possible to really mount an age discrimination case against Gannett. This is it. And I am so angry and upset all over again I can hardly type. If this is for real, please provide the URL.

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  42. I am shocked that it says full-time positions. What I see are empty chairs being filled by part-timers, some who don't even have their degrees completed, working for dirt and no benefits. While the last of the veterans take voluntary layoffs or pray to last til retirement.

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  43. From the Web site workplacefairness.org: "If most people who are laid off are 40 or older, and the majority of workers kept on are younger, there may be a basis for an ADEA complaint or lawsuit, especially if the employer has hired younger workers to take the places of workers over 40." This initiative to replace those of us who are being laid off is aimed at 20-somethings, since that is what college students might reasonably be assumed to be. Everything that has been said by this company's executives about the rationale for the layoffs is at a minimum misleading and likely flat-out lying if this program is being put in place.

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  44. Eighteen jobs postings since the first of the month for the newspaper division. There's also one posted as a corporate job, but it says it's for the Arizona Republic.

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  45. 3:57 PM
    Seems my EEOC paperwork included something about how the employer wasn't supposed to retaliate against someone for filing a discrimination claim.

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  46. 3:57 PM - Try this:
    http://tinyurl.com/6ldhrf

    It's on careerbuilder.com!

    I am not 3:44 PM.

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  47. 4:48 PM -- That's for sales positions but it useful

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  48. If companies replace older folks with younger ones for presumably less pay, why don't they just offer the current older workers a cut in pay? Maybe a lesser-paying job is better than no job.
    Or do they want "fresh energy"?

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  49. Younger folks are healthier with fewer dependents etc. Health care rates are an issue.

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  50. So, if you are a GCI employee with a spouse and two kids, and on occasion use your health insurance, you have yet more reason to worry about the upcoming layoffs. It's cheaper to replace you with a 22-year-old, and that's what the company is advertising to do. I'd bet the next ad will be for contract employees on the business side and free-lancers for the information centers. Yet more sleepless nights between now and Dec. 3.

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  51. rmichem said...
    First 9:06, no one is mentioning, the HOTEL'S people, I have spoken with who witness, stacks, of unread USAT. 9:48 How could I be self-serving telling the people, this? What do I gain?
    __________

    Someone said we shouldn't use the term idiot so how about dumbass?

    The hotels pay for the copies and they DON"T pay for unoccupied rooms. You must be speaking to idiots at hotels. When you do your complete survey please share the results. A sample size of 100 or so hotels should be enough. Then you can try to make a case.

    For onece and for all, they aren't wasted. Hotels wouldn't pay and readers/guests expect delivery to their rooms.

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  52. I feel that the pre-announcement of the layoffs is a good idea, BUT knowing 5 weeks ahead is a little much!!!! Why couldn't they do it in 2 weeks, as in the amount of time they expect their employees to give notice. People should always keep their resumes updated and not be soo complacent that they haven't thought of a plan, just in case. I know the job market is tough out there - right now my spouse is unemployed - but with the severence and unemployment it should give most hard working, intelligent people a fair shot at finding something - even if it's not your field of expertise - to put food on the table and shoes on your feet. The stress of having to wait to see if I might be one of the ones let go is what's killing me. Guess I just like to know what my future looks like and am now impatient to put some ideas into motion if I'm going. Just get it over with now!

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  53. Hey Jim - Still no word on the finance layoff timetable? They are really keeping this one under wraps! Someone out there HAS to know something! Come on, give it up!

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  54. I have heard 2 different dates -- January and 1st quarter on finance layoff. I'm at a South group site. Heaven help us if this new finance center is as bad as our consolidated accounts payable current is.

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  55. 6:17 p.m.: My previous source for that information says they no longer have access to what we want. Can anyone else out there help us?

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  56. Jim, I, too, just finished going through the '10Q' SEC filing and focused on one of the items you brought to light: (This taken directly from the '10Q')

    Certain Matters Affecting Future Operating Results
    The Company’s results to be reported for its fourth quarter and for 2009 are likely to be adversely affected by the current disruption in world financial markets and by the recessionary and worsening conditions in the U.S. and UK economies.
    Advertising revenues may be adversely affected in all key categories and revenue comparisons may be more challenged than that experienced thus far in 2008. Operating results in the UK are also likely to be adversely affected by the decline in the exchange rate of the British pound from that used to translate results through the first nine months of 2008 (1.95). On November 3, 2008, the exchange rate had declined to 1.61.
    For 2009, the Company’s expenses for its qualified retirement plans may increase substantially as the market value of plan assets has declined as a direct consequence of the recent financial market disruption. The impact of changes in plan asset values will not be precisely known, however, until the end of 2008.
    The Company has further plans to significantly reduce Company wide expense levels in the face of these economic factors and the competitive pressures facing its businesses.

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  57. If corporate can tell that to Wall Street investors, why can't they be as direct with their own employees. They tell us nothing, treat us as the enemy, yet confide to their Wall Street buddies the real picture.

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  58. You might have control over your 401-K and how it is invested, but don't EVER forget who's responsible for investing that pension money.

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  59. Everyone on here, should just read the writing on the wall (or in the paper). It's time to look for a new job. Get out. Things are not going to get any better. If you survive this cut, you will run the risk of being laid off in the future indefinitely.

    The company is dying for many reasons, and what I predict will eventually happen is the buildings will be sold and the papers will operate with a couple of editors and a staff of around 10 or so reporters who fill a one-section "local" news section with local news that is inserted in USAT or something.

    Forget about having anyone tell you what is going on. They have already given you enough information. The layoffs won't stop, and they'll never be able to offer job security. How long can you live like that?

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  60. Here's more on the Gannett site:
    http://tinyurl.com/5lduzc

    Strong consideration will be given to candidates who are technically proficient with job-related software applications including multimedia and web-based skills.

    I wonder how many kids will be accepted into this "program."

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  61. Maybe in the light of this information about the recruiting of young talent while the specter of layoffs for the rank and file looms, it could be a good time to consider a class action lawsuit and retain a lawyer toward that end.

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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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