What they don't want is a lot of literary throat clearing, or references to news we already know. And, yet! We now have before us one such memo -- forwarded by a reader who says they got it today from their TV station's general manager. (It's 548 words; I've put the real news in boldface type.)Team --
Sunday on Meet the Press, President-elect Obama talked about the economy getting worse before it gets better. We are making distinct efforts to develop new revenue streams and new clients. Every day we are experiencing wins in those areas and our sales folks are doing impressive things. But it is a big gap to bridge as numerous large and perennial clients cut their spending dramatically. Automotive advertising alone is down by staggering amounts.
Most of you are well aware of the expense cuts we've made. Your efforts to do more with less, really get behind the Information Center model and to carefully limit overtime have gone a long way to minimize the need to cut positions. Even so, we have eliminated some positions and will likely need to eliminate some more in coming months.
Obama also mentioned that some Americans will need to "take a haircut," meaning pay more to help our country get out of this mess. We have a parallel here; it is a station-wide pay cut that we will need to enact January 1st. This step will go a long way to minimize future layoffs, keep more of us employed and maintain as large a workforce as possible. Here is how it will work:
All employees, including department heads and managers, will take percentage cuts in their base pay rate beginning January 1st. There will be no scheduled raises throughout 2009. Pay cuts will be on a graduated scale as follows
- Employees with base pay less than $25,000 annually -- 2% cut
- Employees with base pay between $25,001 and 50,000 -- 3% cut
- Employees with base pay between $50,001 and 75,000 -- 4% cut
- Employees with base pay more than $75,001 annually -- 5% cut
We announce these cuts with the full knowledge that some individuals may find it time to move on in their careers. While we hope that does not happen, it is a risk we must assume in these extraordinary times.
This pay cut does not mean we will suspend performance reviews. There are some amazing and appreciated things going on that need to be discussed and celebrated. That individual feedback is more important now than ever.
We are hopeful that these cuts will be reversed in future budget years. For the time being, we can only do our very best to remain vital to our viewers, online users, clients and communities. No matter how hard the times become, we are the best positioned of any Maine media company to do just this.
If you have any questions on this, please don't hesitate talking to either of us or your department head.
On behalf of your managers, our sincere thanks for all you are doing and will continue to do for our stations' success. Together we will survive these tough times and thrive in the times that will surely follow.
Got a memo on your mind? Post it in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write gannettblog[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green sidebar.[Photo: Memo's Mexican Food restaurant sign, Seattle Weekly]
December 4, 2008
ReplyDeleteAs you know, The Visalia Times-Delta/ Tulare Advance-Register, along with Salinas and other Gannett units, have been asked to sharply reduce expenses in response to the worsening economy. Those expenses include payroll and newsprint.
The payroll savings asked of Visalia/Tulare and Salinas was more than the 10% company-wide average. In reviewing both units’ operations with Salinas, we quickly came to the conclusion that there was no way to achieve these savings independently and continue to get our products out to our customers.
To get to our reduction goal, we developed a plan to consolidate paper planning, pre-press/ad production, copy editing/ pagination, and some finance operations into Visalia. But further reductions were needed. This week, Visalia/Tulare is eliminating 13 positions and saying good-bye to 8 valued colleagues. Of the 40 positions Salinas is eliminating, they are saying good-bye to 21 this week and another 14 over the next 60 days, as consolidation continues. Visalia will hire a few copy desk and pre-press positions, and we will enlist your help to make this transition a success.
There are some additional changes to let you know about: The Visalia/Salinas Marketing and Consumer Sales Director position (formerly Circulation Director) has been eliminated. The advertising department name will change to Sales and Marketing, assuming consumer sales functions and the marketing of our products and services. The production department will be renamed to Operations, assuming all circulation operations functions. And, as of Dec. 29, pre-press will become part of the Sales and Marketing department.
As we consolidate certain functions with Salinas, and with some Visalia department heads having oversight there, it is important to note that Salinas remains an independent unit. Continued conference calls to share ideas and some limited travel between the two sites will be essential and mutually beneficial.
Despite these dramatic changes, it is critical that we move forward and that we continue to provide outstanding service, produce quality products, and position ourselves to remain vital to the community.
This is a difficult and challenging time for all of us. Yet we still have a sound business model, a very strong team of talented individuals, and tremendous opportunities for success. We don’t need to wait for a better economy to improve our outcomes here – working together we can keep the progress going, and achieve excellent results.
President & Publisher
Here's your February layoff replacement, pay cuts. (btw, anyone over $125k should see 10%. IMHO)
ReplyDeletePayroll drops again, and we don't have to keep paying severance for up to six months.
Then June rolls around, and actual layoffs hit - two weeks plus accumulated vacation time. No extra severance.
Feasible?
What the heck? Is this an actual memo or simply fantasy?
ReplyDeleteGannett never does anything in broadcast at only one station. I foresee getting this memo this afternoon, after my station's executive board meeting that happens every Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteMy review from 2007-2008 has not been done yet. It should happen sometime this month. (I hope.) I guess I'll get a retro check for my 3% from July through December, and then watch my pay drop back down to what I was making in 2007-2008. I bet that's how a lot of managers are going to do it.
With health insurance premiums going up (even if it's only a slight bump), and everything costing a little more, I think they're counting on people not being willing or able to find new jobs, especially in TV.
Fortunately, some of us (like me) are not actually TV people; we just work at TV stations.
Couple pay cuts with layoffs and being forced to do more in our so-called "information" centers and the falling revenues and ratings and the fact that only KUSA will be spared from this sort of thing (they're the USAToday of Broadcast) and even more people will quit.
I feel sorriest for the people who could've taken a buyout but didn't. Now they're really effd.
Looks like a well thought out memo to me. Jim, just because you think numbers should be at the top of a memo doesn't make it so. The pay-cut concept - if it help avoid further layoffs - is a pretty good alternative to layoffs.
ReplyDeleteTo me explaining the big picture and then its impact on me is important for my overall understanding of the situation.
These are tough times for everyone that isn't in control.
No raises for 2009 but, performance evaluations will still be enacted. Even though I have yet to recieve my performance evaluation/raise for 2007-2008. I wonder if that's a coincidence?
ReplyDelete"We are hopeful that these cuts will be reversed in future budget years."
ReplyDeleteOne thing you learn about working in the less glamorous production side of Gannett, once they take something it doesn't come back. You're about to be educated.
Okay so the memo is kind of wordy.
ReplyDeleteI applaud the station's management though for the graduated pay cuts. It may enable them to keep a few people they would otherwise have to fire.
The big personnel expense though is in the bloated contract "talent". They should be taking 15-20% cuts.
so now they are going to expect us to take pay cuts? when do we get out of the "thankful to have a job" attitude and say "done-bye"?
ReplyDeleteI can tell you that my colleagues who were laid off last week would have gladly taken pay cuts to keep their jobs. As would have I.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't need Obama to tell me that the economy sucks. Nor do I need my boss to tell me that. What I want to know (from both of them) is what their PLAN is to get us out of this mess.
Once they cut your pay, there's NO guarantee they'll restore it.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree that graduated pay cuts are better in this economic mess than layoffs. I'd gladly make a little less to keep my job, keep my coworkers and avoid another day like last Tuesday. Also, if they take any more bodies out of our newsroom, the job will become undoable. Not just hard. Not just very hard. Not just sloppy-thrown-together-missed-stuff-a-little-late hard. IMPOSSIBLE.
ReplyDeleteHey 6:37 a.m.
ReplyDeleteKUSA in Denver won't be spared -- they've already requested volunteers for layoffs (deadline was Dec. 1) and have said if they didn't get the number they need (they didn't specify) they will go to involuntary layoffs. This after letting go anchor Bob Kendrick. Nobody is immune!
How can you ask someone who makes 25G to take a pay cut?
ReplyDelete3% is better than a 100% pay cut.
ReplyDeleteThough I wouldn't be able to look someone in the eye if I was making over $100K and I bitched about my cut.
Please check out this cause on facebook - it's free,
ReplyDelete"Don't let the Newspaper Die"
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/148817?recruiter_id=34339041
I have an idea: Let's cut the dividend instead of the paychecks.
ReplyDeleteThis may be a complete and total fabrication, but has anyone heard that Gannett might liquidate the marketing and promotion departments in their smaller broadcast stations?
ReplyDelete