Friday, January 23, 2009

Friday | Jan. 23 | Your News & Comments

Can't find the right spot for your comment? Post it here, in this open forum. Real Time Comments: parked here, 24/7. (Earlier editions.)

83 comments:

  1. More like 4....percent or more fallin the stock price in the next quarter and 4teen percent more job cuts to pay for more corporate exec. expence account paid golf outings.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's a good thing they decided to do those furloughs. Our stock price is shooting thru the ROOF!

    (not)

    ReplyDelete
  3. So what if he is playing golf.....he paid for it out of his own pocket.....what you should be whinning about is how money is wasted in other ways in Gannett, and not just in the corp. office, at your current office look around, what about the Publisher at your site.....does he or she have a company Lexus?

    1/22/2009 9:44 PM

    Here's the deal. It's not nice. It looks bad. It looks elitest.
    He tells employees, take a week off, no pay, tough. He tells Tucson, your days are numbered, suck it up. He tells everybody hey, it's the economy, stupid. Whether he paid his own way or not, he's saying you other people have to suffer through this mess, but not me. I'm special. I can hand over money and I get to play golf with the pros in a real pretty place and forget all of you losers.
    That's why "so what."

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anyone up for a Newspaper Skip Day, in the tradition of your high school's Senior Skip Day? Call in sick, let's just NOT GO!

    ReplyDelete
  5. If this is what these guys do when they know they're being watched on this blog, what's going when they think they AREN'T being watched? (Which is another way of saying: What would happen if this blog went away?)

    ReplyDelete
  6. How much longer is Gannett going to keep these Pluck blogs and the current online setup that is supposed to allow people to socially network? Right now, it is an anti-social network and so behind in design and functionality that no wants or cares to use it.

    If those in charge who are making these online decisions were smart, they would be doing what every other company in America is doing - trying to find some way to integrate with Facebook, because no social networking site out there functions as well as it does.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have encourage many time for all of us to strike. You call it skip, whatever. I think it's a fantastic idea. Corporate won't listen to anything else.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm willing to bet Bob Dickey - and other GCI execs - have already lined up accommodations at Augusta National the week of The Masters in April. One of the most difficult tickets to get in sports, but I'm willing to bet Bob will be there, hobnobbing in Jones Cabin.

    The Masters: "A tradition unlike any other ... "

    ReplyDelete
  9. For some unknown reason, I googled "luxury gift" today (I have NO logical reason to) and came up with this classy gem - a custom made "successory" for your pal Al.

    http://www.oneofakindinc.com/samples/usatoday/

    There's even a testimonial from Al on the site:

    “I continue to admire the fantastic and creative work of art that you put together for me for USA TODAY's anniversary. It drew gasps of awe last night and it will in the future.”
    - Founder, USA TODAY

    ReplyDelete
  10. for those of you who don't care about this Palm Springs/Golf expenditures---pay attention to what is happening at Merrill Lynch and Thain's spending.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Everyone should plan a blue flu day. make it a day that will impact the papers the most. Something like the 1st day of the period. So that Month-end close will be late....

    ReplyDelete
  12. Where are we on Country Club memberships for upper management. There was a time when they cleaned out memberships for leaders at newspapers then reinstated?
    What about upper management?
    Add all that up someone.
    Have they stopped all of the things considered true perks? Share the pain.
    Given the advertising climate, I wonder when the last advertising contract with a big advertiser was signed on the golf course while we project our image of prosperity.
    Reading the Lafayette story, its striking that newspapers making money are having to suffer the thumb when an exec at another paper (or company exec) enjoys tennis and a swim at an exclusive course. Let's analyze Detroit, USAT, Hawaii and a few others.
    Give the benefit to Dickey that he is clean on his approach to the golf outing, but what about the expenses of the others brought in to make a business trip of it all? Nice work at the hospitality tent. Is there a profit/loss analysis of sponsorships?
    Also, check Gannett Foundation money allocations from Palm Springs to the local community.

    ReplyDelete
  13. 9:44 - It's about leadership. Actions speak louder than words. Ever heard that saying?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Fort Collins here…
    This is an email we received form our HR rep regarding the “FURLOUGH” and being paid. They sure are anal about this time off.


    On 1/22/09 2:15 PM, "McClanahan, Corina" wrote:

    THIS EMAIL IS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT SET UP FOR DIRECT DEPOSIT

    If you take furlough on pay day your check will be available for you to pick up on Monday or you can contact Wendy in payroll at 7842 or Corina in HR at 7797 and we will meet you outside in the parking lot. Remember, when you are on furlough you are not to come inside the building. Please let me know if you have any questions.

    Thank you!

    Corina McClanahan
    Human Resources Rep
    Ft Collins Coloradoan
    1300 Riverside Ave
    Ft Collins, CO 80524
    P: 970-224-7797
    F: 970-224-7798
    CorinaMcClanahan@coloradoan.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ji, I just donated. When the beer cart lady stops by, the rounds on me.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lot of unusual activity in the Crystal Towers yesterday. You think Dickey picked this time to be so conspicuously absent from McLean as plans are finalized? To take off in the middle of an economic debacle and then be seen publicly playing golf in the desert strikes me as a cover-your-ass activity. Maybe Dickey leaked his presence on the links to Jim in order to make it clear his fingerprints are not on these plans being hatched in McLean.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Just an observation here in Phoenix... If Gannett's intent in these cuts and furloughs is to rally the troops around the sagging fortunes of the company, they have surely underestimated the disposition of the troops. What few "cheerleaders" they had, both inside and outside of management, are quickly falling by the wayside as their pockets are fleeced by corporate. Gannett needs to pack it's bags and get the Hell out of Dodge!!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. It's cold again here in Michigan. I'll make my latest attempt to survive Gannett for a day. I find that's the easiest approach lately.

    I never really know what to expect with this place or this company. The indicators all look grim, the workload seems to be more insurmountable each day and my hope fades with each announcement of another pending layoff or furlough.

    But I'll show up today. My friends don't get it. They make the argument that I should "just quit if it's so bad." They are, however, as clueless as the leadership.

    My family gets it. I see the worry in their faces when I vent about the day. It tears out my insides to see that so I've stopped telling them. They are the constant of joy and happiness in my life and I won't let Gannett touch that.

    I'll show up again today. Partly because I was raised that way and mostly because I don't have a choice. I'll pull into the parking lot and drive up to the spot. I'll put the gear in park and inhale deeply as I pull the key from the ignition and open the door to head inside today.

    It's cold again here in Michigan.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Author Jim Collins, a financial expert, says that companies that stick to core values usually survive economic downturns. I think USA Today once had core values that allowed it to become the No. 1 circulation paper. It got to the top by sticking to an ideal, despite early losses and doubts from the outside. It did so by NOT laying off people or offering buyouts, until recently.

    I am not saying some of the buyouts/layoffs weren't somewhat justified, but in a year that the paper rid itself of so many good folks and informally pushed others out, the paper abandoned its core values. Unlike other papers, USA Today in its first 25 years or so saw the wisdom in not laying people off. Then things changed.

    As more layoffs are surely on the way, the paper, and all that it supports (like the web site) will lose its competitive edge and eventually fail on every level. Too much talent and institional knowledge was lost in the last 18-24 months, and some of it can't be replaced. Some people were lost for reasons that had nothing to do with their salaries or performances. Some simply tried to hold onto their own values and the values that built the brand, and were seen as obstructionists by the new guard that hasn't accomplished a thing. The layoffs/buyouts were reckless, and it many cases seemed to target older workers. The buyouts were ill-conceived and plain dumb.

    It makes no sense to many of us why the paper got rid of all those people (about 70 in the newsroom alone), and now are trying furloughs and freezes to save more money. Seems they reversed the typical order of things. Even Obama has urged companies to not lay people off until all other options have been exhausted. Yet the nation's newspaper laid people off or bought them out as a first choice in cutting costs. Not very patriotic or humane.

    This has become a stupid newspaper run by stupid people. An embarrassment for a brand that likes to think of itself as a national player. Those who have survived the cutbacks are working themselves to an early grave. Or the other extreme is happening. The work is drying up because those who were content originators are all gone. The procedural chaos due to all the critical but now abandoned jobs is off the charts in some departments. The paper retained some of the most ill-equipped people while getting rid of the can-do people with vast experience. People who made things look effortless. Maybe they made things look so easy that some at the top saw them as not needed. That somehow the machine would just keep going without them. These managers were dead wrong. But observing them, I've come to the conclusion that this particular crop of managers is incapable of admitting to a mistake, let alone correcting it.

    As Mr. Collins warns, companies that panic and lose their values are falling into a trap they might never escape. I believe USA Today has fallen into that trap. You can feel it in the air if you are aware enough. While some people continue to stick their heads in the sand and go about their little daily routines, there is little doubt that this is a paper/company that not only lost its values, it lost its soul.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Jim Hopkins said... "What would happen if this blog went away?"

    Gannett appears to be acting like politicians in Washington, riding out the storm (your blog) in the hopes it will blow over. I am reminded of what ex-publisher Pat Murphy here in Phoenix once said: "Newspapers don't like to air their dirty laundry."

    Ain't that funny? Gannett literally hides behind the First Amendment while reporting on everyone else, but look what your blog has done to them? They can't handle the tables being turned!

    Great job... Keep doing it.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Don't fool yourself 9:44 PM, Dickey did not pay for this outing out of his own pocket. He will be reimbursed somehow. Maybe it will be hidden in his bonus.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Tara Connell says Dickey is paying for the golf out of his own pocket.

    I'm glad you're so trusting, Anon 12:23.

    Me? Nope.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Let's talk about the root of the problem with Gannett.

    The article in the Independent by Leslie Turk is MUST reading for all Gannett workers and ex-Gannetters. It does a great job of looking at how Gannett got itself into some of its troubles today.

    That said, I'd like to get response regarding what I was told repeatedly when I was at a certain Wisconsin Gannett paper before I left... and after.

    Ganett's real problems started with the Great Thomson Purchase of 2000, when it bought dozens of smaller Thomson papers in Indiana, Wisconsin, Louisiana and Ohio.

    First, I'm told Gannett way overpaid for these properties. Once they bought them, they realized that while profitable (heck, ALL newspapers are basically profitable no matter how bad the economy) some papers were also a debt liability for the company, and were also of very questionable quality, especially the ones in Ohio.

    Ironically, I've been told more than once that it is these Ohio papers that proved the greatest liability.

    I bring this up because first, these employees at the Ohio papers rarely, if ever, post on this site. Is it because they have been expressly ordered not to? Are they so cowered and beaten down they are just afraid to talk about the conditions at their papers?

    Secondly, in the last round of layoffs in December, most of these papers were spared from ANY layoffs. Why??? No one has ever explained this. One press facility was shut down... that was it.

    Yet, many of these smaller papers have fairly fat newsrooms (if you use the 1 per 1,000 circulation rule they SURE are!)

    So why has Gannett not made deep cuts there? Some of us at former Thomson papers in other states were told repeatedly that the Ohio small papers were a major liability to Gannett, and frankly, a lot of resented how badly these papers seemed to be managed, yet, just sememed to get worse and worse!

    Why did Gannett let this happen, and is anyone at these papers ever going to come to their defense?

    ReplyDelete
  24. Being on a fulough today, am I allowed to look at this site and/or post any comments????

    ReplyDelete
  25. 9:24am: What do you mean by unusual activity at Crystal Palace yesterday?

    ReplyDelete
  26. To 10.27, what Ohio's papers are you talking about, I want names?

    ReplyDelete
  27. Craig Dubow, Gannett chairman, president and chief executive officer, will take your questions in an audiocast at 1 p.m. (ET), Friday, Jan. 30 following Gannett's fourth-quarter conference call. E-mail your questions now and during the audiocast by clicking http://gannett.gci/chat/live.asp?chatid=174.

    We suggest you start your audio feed 10-15 minutes ahead of the actual event time to check for sound. Talk with your local IT department if you have any questions.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Seemingly overnight, cameras have been installed in the Montgomery Advertiser newsroom. This company allegedly doesn't have a pot to urinate in and are forcing people to take unpaid leave, yet they can still scrape up the cash to spy on their employees. Creeps!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hey, Michigan,
    you are not stuck there. I chose to quit and am an independent contractor and am busy, busy, busy!!
    This is the new way of the industry and it is great to work for myself. I decide if a publication/ internet site, radio station is worth working for.
    No one is stuck, take a chance!!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Gannett had a chance in this last round of layoffs to drop a ton of dead weight in many locations. They dropped the good ones and kept most of the dead weight. I think maybe the golfing is going to their heads and they are not thinking what they are doing in this place.

    ReplyDelete
  31. 11:38
    Seriously? They are for security and not to web-cast? What's the publisher saying about this?

    ReplyDelete
  32. 11:52 hit it on the head (which is what someone should do to most of the brilliant Gannett executives). I can't speak for most of the other papers, but there's enough expensive dead weight at USA TODAY to ballast a few aircraft carriers. The positions that were lost and the nickle-and-dime savings their trying to extract do nothing for morale or turning around the company.

    ReplyDelete
  33. The problem with this site is the amount of fabrications lends itself to no credibility. I have to laugh at some of the obsurd comments. Why should anybody at corporate respond to such nonsense?
    When you allow talk of hand jobs and other sexual comments it's really hard to take it all seriously.

    ReplyDelete
  34. What I really don't understand is why all you bitter employees still work for Gannett. Your no better than the people you complain about.
    Get a new job if you can. I doubt many of you could, thats why your still at Gannett.

    ReplyDelete
  35. wouldn't the company be bragging about the ContentOne success by now if the inaugration trial results had met expectations?

    ReplyDelete
  36. WOW I am an ex Gannetteir,who just found this site. Do any of the top brass ever look at this?
    If anyone can tell me I would like to make a contrabution to the blog edditor.I am going to keep watching and reading,if this is real I think this is great. But does it have any effect, or is this just a place too vent? REALY WANT TO KNOW thank you

    ReplyDelete
  37. CN is expected to be in Somerville by next week.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Jim, in case you hadn't gotten this yet, it was emailed earlier today:
    Craig Dubow, Gannett chairman, president and chief executive officer, will take your questions in an audiocast at 1 p.m. (ET), Friday, Jan. 30 following Gannett's fourth-quarter conference call. E-mail your questions now and during the audiocast by clicking http://gannett.gci/chat/live.asp?chatid=174.

    We suggest you start your audio feed 10-15 minutes ahead of the actual event time to check for sound. Talk with your local IT department if you have any questions.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I have another one for Michigan. It is not as bad as you might think outside of Gannett. I believe that we all are scared to take a risk and leave a job that we are unhappy with.

    You must be a rare one that actually get to see family. When I was there I lost count on the nuber of times I was late at the last minute, missed vacations and sleepless night. Also, Dept head had a habit of calling 4:30pm meetings.

    The best thing that happened to me was to get out and go somewhere I am appreciated. I know for a fact that my family is much happier and home life is now great.


    LIFE IS WAY TOO SHORT!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  40. About Ohio, very interesting ...

    ReplyDelete
  41. ONCE AGAIN--
    Numerous NJ employes were given voluntary buyouts last May. I believe that five NJ newspapers got the "hit".
    My "salary continuation" has run out and I need to know how NJ Unemployment handled this for other people in this position. I have not had my telephone interview yet, but I was told my a claims representative that since the buyout was "voluntary" I will be disqualified from benefits. As we all know, Tom Donovan's letter threatening layoffs if voluntary buyouts were not met was more than accurate.

    If you care to contact me online, the email address is: RRandyTBear@aol.com (two R's on Randy).

    I would never divulge this information, and you certainly don't need to identify yourself in the email. Answering in the blog would also be great!

    ReplyDelete
  42. In answer to the question - "Which Ohio newspapers?" I can't name all of them, but I would say, in answer: All of them. I Know Mansfield, and Newark and Chilicothe are there and maybe some others.

    All I know is that their folks and even ex-staffers remain pretty mum about the operations there. Maybe scared into silence??

    ReplyDelete
  43. This is my last day of my week furlough...just curious if anyone knows what happens if someone from Gannett has called me while I am out? I did not answer the call, however it is on my cell voice mail with the number and message. Just curious what I need to do as I was contacted while out on furlough!!!

    Also, for the states that have a weeks waiting period for unemployment...be SURE to register...if we are laid off or have to take another furlough...once registered, the first week of furlough will count as your waiting period and you will be eligible for unemployment benefits immediately when the next furlough is announced or you are laid off within a calendar year!

    ReplyDelete
  44. I was one of the "good" ones asked to hit the highway in December. Not just my assessment, but expressed to me via countless phone calls and emails from co-workers.
    After the initial shock/punch in the gut, etc, I've had time to reflect... guess what? I'm on to much better things. The company that I dedicated myself to really isn't "mother" G, she unfortunately is a shameless whore.
    I'm doing silly things now, like watch my child's sporting events, taking/picking up from school, sleeping at night, not experiencing gut rot, etc.
    Sure there's stress related to finding a new job/career, but it pales in comparison to the daily stress, and not knowing from day to day if you'll have a job... or always wondering "what next?"
    Interesting how hard-working, dedicated folks are treated after they're laid off... no thank you's, no wishes of good luck...
    Look around, and you'll see what your management and publishers are really made of. So sad, a once noble company coming apart at the seams.

    ReplyDelete
  45. 11:38 AM - At my location, our newsroom video folks have spend thousands and thousands on video gear in the last few weeks. We're a newspaper, not a TV station.

    ReplyDelete
  46. 2:16p

    I completely agree with your post. thanks for writing.

    re:golf outing - even if Bob paid his own entrance fee, it still puts it right in our faces how many millions he makes that he can pay the fee. You can bet Laura Holligsworth didn't pay her own way. This also doesn't account for corp. expenses YOU KNOW will be spent to entertain etc.

    I've read about some company's execs giving up their salaries for a year in order not to lay off any employees. Bob?

    ReplyDelete
  47. 2:16 - thanks for your post and good for you enjoying your kids/family.

    Met 3 other directors laid off in sept for martinis last week. 2 still don't have jobs, other 2 are paid 1/2 what they were at gannett. BUT all agreed we are so much better off out of the stress and demoralizing environment. It is amazing (and rather pathetic) to learn that other people are happy at their jobs and have a human, employee supported / appreciated work environment.

    if you're still there, take a real vacation during your unpaid time off, if you're gone, be grateful.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Fabrications? I don't think so. I think we're right on the money with this website. We keep each other posted as to where and when. We're all takin notes..
    Great Job!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Jim a couple questions:


    Do you think Bob Dickey should be playing in the Hope if he uses his own money and takes vacation days to do so?

    Do you use any of the money donated to this blog for personal use and should we question that use?

    ReplyDelete
  50. You can watch the Journal News 60-minute seminar on the video interactivity here:

    http://lohud.com/legacy/lohudlive.htm

    It is SO BORING. Good luck.

    ReplyDelete
  51. RE: RJK said... ONCE AGAIN--
    Numerous NJ employes were given voluntary buyouts last May. I believe that five NJ newspapers got the "hit".
    My "salary continuation" has run out and I need to know how NJ Unemployment handled this for other people in this position. I have not had my telephone interview yet, but I was told my a claims representative that since the buyout was "voluntary" I will be disqualified from benefits. As we all know, Tom Donovan's letter threatening layoffs if voluntary buyouts were not met was more than accurate.

    Get yourself an Unemployment Booklet. Page 24 has the info you need. If you have a phone interview set up thats when you can ask your questions! It appears that those who left in May are no longer reading this blog because they have moved on.
    GOOD LUCK!

    ReplyDelete
  52. 3:17 since Jim has only collected $900+- so far this quarter I don't think we have wo worry about where he spends his $$. Wow, maybe he's already paid for his computer. Next quarter he can take care of his internet connection for the year. Third quarter pay for his cell phone bill for the year. Maybe fourth quarter will be all gravy.

    Plus, Gannett wouldn't even pay the $55 annual fee for me to join a local professional group, a membership fee I sure I could have offest by business back to the company.

    ReplyDelete
  53. It's Friday, and at first I couldn't find Plain Talk in USAT. That got me thinking maybe Big Al was fixin to take his week furlough or something. Nope. It's there, and it's a doozie!

    ReplyDelete
  54. 12:55:

    Gannett Blog hand job comments aren't nearly as bad as Gannett's own CincyMoms blow job forum...

    ReplyDelete
  55. Gannett won't even support their local Chamber. That's pathetic! Jim go have a beer on me.. as a matter of fact two!

    ReplyDelete
  56. The difference is this: Jim has integrity Gannett does not. Did I answer your question?

    ReplyDelete
  57. I want to join Phoenix production union because then I can sit around and do nothing all day.....geez how many pressman does it take to run a press? 10 /
    5 to get coffee for the 5 on the press

    ReplyDelete
  58. In spite of all the cutbacks, calls for economizing and requests for innovative money-saving ideas, Wilmington continues to send its photographers hither and yon. They're blessed.

    One lucky fellow, who happens to be the deputy photo editor - er, sorry, director - got to not only accompany Joe Biden around the campaign trail for much of the campaign - including a trip to Chicago for the convention and Obama's acceptance speech - but then got to turn around and head to Arizona to cover the Eagles game last week.

    Can someone explain to me what photos he's supposed to have gotten that the hundreds of other photographers also covering those events couldn't get?

    I'm befuddled by the idiocy of sending someone hundreds of miles to shoot something that's already going to be shot up like crazy by the wire services we already subscribe to. Especially when the photo department laid off two good shooters in December. How does management justify shit like this?

    My furlough basically paid for this chump's plane ticket to the football game. Glad to see we're all equal here.

    ReplyDelete
  59. I think we should all nominate someone who was laid off for these awards!

    Gannett Employee Awards

    Nominations are due now for Gannett Employee Awards. The awards honor outstanding achievement in the following categories: Manager of the Year; Corporate Staffer of the Year; Sales Executive of the Year, The Leadership & Diversity Award and Unsung Heroes. Deadline for entries is February 6. The awards ceremony will be held April 2. The Leadership and Diversity Award for three individuals also will be presented by Gannett Human Resources at this time.

    To nominate someone, click here: http://sps.gannett.gci/areas/corp comm/awards09/default.aspx

    ReplyDelete
  60. I just linked to and saw that 60 minute Journal News training seminar video... you're right, it is boring!

    What struck me as funny was some character from the Zanesville paper asked what advice they'd give the "little" papers with few resources for using Mogulus and he was basically ignored.

    Those "little" papers are always ignored by Gannett Corp. When are these papers ever going to learn that Gannett could care less about them? Maybe that is why they have all gone to pot (so to speak).

    ReplyDelete
  61. For 3:17;
    I at first was skeptical of the import of Jim's story about Dickey Golfing, thinking that there needed to be more ammo to make it a "gotcha" of sorts (though there was no question it was bad taste to do this after the furlough memo). But the Connell response proved to me that Jim was on target. Note that she said that Dickey paid the newspaper back. That makes it clear that Gannett was footing the bill before Jim's blog item. So, yes, he is now paying, but he sure as hell wasn't at first, which makes your questions for Jim pretty meaningless.

    ReplyDelete
  62. The Journal News training video had one interesting tidbit, showing how they've used Mogulus video and Cover it Live chat together. It didn't need 60 minutes to do that.

    It seemed as if all the corporate people at the end were beamed in from another planet to tout an agenda only they understand.

    ReplyDelete
  63. I heard a song by Pedro the Lion today that made me think about my wonderful employers. The lyric goes:

    If it isn't making dollars
    Then it isn't making sense.
    If you aren't moving units,
    Then you're not worth the expense.
    If you really want to make it
    You had best remember this.
    If it isn't penetration
    then it isn't worth the kiss.

    ReplyDelete
  64. 4:45 - Funny! I think we could apply the same joke to the number of copy editors and managers in the newsroom at Lansing!

    ReplyDelete
  65. Jim, a question from a curious reader about how this works in this new era. On my page when I call up your blog are Google ads for a couple Palm Beach gay spas. Did they pick you up because you mentioned Palm Beach gay parties, or did you have to go out and solicit the ads? DO the ads stick around until Palm Beach is off your page? Are you paid for just the appearance of ad, or only if someone clicks on them?

    ReplyDelete
  66. The 4info investment is doing well apparently. Not sure if that got mentioned.

    File under "not everything sucks". :)

    ...Google...news tab..."4info"..enter...

    ReplyDelete
  67. 6:44,

    Go check out Google Ads' own materials. It's all based on keywords - advertisers hoping that'll bring people interested in their products. Hence the "Gannett is a great company with lots of opportunities!!!" ads. If Jim wrote a big post tomorrow about how great Viagra was, you can count on seeing little blue pill ads here.

    ReplyDelete
  68. My guess is that, if the blog went away, the company would start doing better. Why? Anyone who tries anything, does anything, is crucified on the blog.

    The golf thing is a total red herring. Look at those playing. All from big companies, many who aren't doing great, but they realize this is great opportunity to interact, made deals, network, and yes, play golf. BFD.

    As a former Gannettoid, what I hate the most is have to justify every little thing someone complained about.

    ReplyDelete
  69. TO: 3:39PM

    Thank you for taking the time to respond. You are totally correct about Page 24 of the NJ State UI booklet. What you may not be aware of is the small pamphlet which they send with each bi-weekly claim denial prior to the telephone interview. It states that if you "voluntarily" left your job, you are disqualified. The word "voluntary" is literally plastered all over the documents we were given.

    I don't think that so many of the May buyout employees have "moved on". Rather, they have not yet arrived at this point in the process-- they haven't run out of salary continuation.

    I truly wish I could speak to you as opposed to this type of communication.

    Thanks again, and I hope you are totally correct. Nothing would make me happier than posting a message in late February telling you that the claims representative who gave me the negative information was wrong!

    ReplyDelete
  70. Money question - when "officially" does Gannett stock become "junk"? I usually don't check my 401(k) (to keep from crying) but since they match in company stock, I need to know if I need to go in monthly and move it.

    ReplyDelete
  71. Hey Jim... Have you thought about printing some t-shirts that say I survived the Gannett furlough 2009 and giving them to people who donate a certain amount of money to your blog?

    ReplyDelete
  72. Interesting development today at Newsquest in the UK if anyone is interested:

    http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=42906&c=1

    ReplyDelete
  73. Re: 5:16 and Wilmington's photographers. Your sister paper in Phoenix, The Arizona Republic, sent 4 or 5 photographers to the game. If someone had called and asked we would certainly have sent you all the photos you need.

    BTW, the sports photographers here are blessed also. It's a boys club thing.

    ReplyDelete
  74. In response to the post about Ohio papers:

    Bob Robbins was brought in to oversee the group shortly after the purchase.

    Bob was a terrific guy, but his background was in finance.

    Enough said.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Whooo hoooo! Long weekend for me. Furlough day on Monday!

    ReplyDelete
  76. 8:07 GCI has a long way to go before it can be written off as junk. A company has to be bankrupt and out of business for its stock certificates to be worthless. Even at GCI's incredibly diminished price today, the company is still a going concern.

    ReplyDelete
  77. 6:44 pm: (I think you meant Palm Springs, not Beach). I'm as mystified by those ads as you are; all I can think is that Google AdSense has a lot of those ads to publish, and they're getting spread across any site that carries keywords like Palm Springs.

    ReplyDelete
  78. Re: 5:16 p.m.

    There's enough dead weight left in Wilmington to sink a ship. Let's hope their new Lose a Million Pounds or whatever the contest is called helps them get rid of some of that dead weight. Although layoffs save more money, right?

    ReplyDelete
  79. If anyone wants a good book about how underhanded and malicious this company is read "The Chain Gang" by Richard McCord

    ReplyDelete
  80. I took a voluntary buyout in 2008. I got 2 weeks for each year up to 26. I had the time so I got a year's severance.

    Yesterday I went to check on when I could start drawing my Social Security. I turned 62 during the severance which still has several months to go. I thought because I was getting paid I could not file. Wrong. I could have been drawing payments since 62.

    Maybe this has been discussed or maybe everyone was aware of this policy. If not, others near retirement might consider.

    ReplyDelete
  81. I noticed in all the comments about golf there were a number from Wilmington. Maybe those wonderful journalists should be looking at who from Wilmington were playing in the tournament as well. They could localize the story. LC

    ReplyDelete
  82. 9:08 am Fort Collins Here...

    Pretty petty! Stop nit-picking. The HR Rep is trying to do her job and a thankless one at that. She is an employee just like the rest of us. She didn't come up with those rules all by herself. Shame on you. If you want to post someones name, address and phone number...post your own.

    ReplyDelete

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."

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.