Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Tuesday | Feb. 10 | 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.)
128 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."
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Please watch the name-calling folks.
ReplyDeleteWhat I have found from speaking with people around the building is that the most vocal defenders of Gannett are those people who are scared to death of having to find another job.
ReplyDeleteIt seems they mask this fear by vehemently denying anything is really wrong. Since they still have a job it must be that "unworthy" people were let go.
While ranting about this they get red, their eyes get wide and their vocal patterns exhibit stress. But they will never admit anything is wrong nor think about having to find another job. They have built a safe scenario (for them) and are intractable, allowing no reality to intrude.
It's like arguing with a devout Republican.
I hope that's not name-calling.
NYT now has a one star rating, will GCI follow? Might be sooner then later, but if you watch the two you will see .25 up .25 down so if you buy $5000 GCI on the down side sell at the upside..boom make $300 each transaction just make sure you have your auto buy/sell activated...great furlough hobby but of course I don't have 5k so I am using a Stock Simulator.....but hey I am up a couple of grand
ReplyDeleteAhh, another day in the 18/5 Information Center.
ReplyDelete>It's like arguing with a devout Republican.
ReplyDeletesigh
Putting plain and simple, it's time for free news content on the Internet to go bye-bye. A poster in Monday's "Your News and Views" section linked to a recent Time magazine article saying the same thing. Papers should charge for online access, perhaps a buck for a week of access or something small like that. Stories reporters write should be protected so that anyone trying to link to them will also be charged a graduated fee, based on whether they just want the story or the entire page the story appeared on. The government is now prosecuting people who steal music online. Shouldn't reporters and the papers they work for have the same protection? Isn't what they produce a product, like music? It's time!
ReplyDeleteAnon 12:17 - LOL ... yes, that is name calling, you used an adjective. Your point would have been better served with just "Republican" ... but, it turns out that Demeocrats can't really help themselves when it comes to blame, hurt, misery and intolerance. .... umm ... damn, which am I?
ReplyDeleteHope and change my friend, hope and change.
I don't think this is a case of "I don't want to look for a job" as much as it is "finding a new job is going to be really, really tough". There aren't that many out there according to all the pundits and especially the boy whole cried wolf (or was that "uncle"?).
Let's face it ... denial is a human trait that we can't seem to shake ... but, maybe if we get a right person to head up the HHO, they can strip that right out of our genes.
Good luck with finding a job Anon 12:17. I will continue to work as hard as I can until I'm escorted out the door, or I happen to chance upon that "dream job" in the down economy.
Never give up.
Friends are dropping the local paper like a rock. They won't pay for the 8 pages Monday and Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that circulation numbers will reflect these declines throughout the company at the end of the first quarter.
Des Moines Register ad production employees were sent an email today warning to take vacations accordingly due to limited vacations being allowed July-December. They were told to schedule up through June, but could send in requests through December.
ReplyDeleteWhat could be coming during the later part of the year? Does this spell more layoffs, more furloughs?
4:29 a.m., That is funny! And sadly true at my site, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's way too quiet. The quiet before the storm, or just hunkering down through the furloughs? I prefer quiet to rumors and half facts, but I do fear the 1Q numbers. The ads do seem to be picking up slightly at our site but maybe that's deep discounts...
ReplyDeleteFrom yesterday's thread:
ReplyDeleteMarks coming back to gannett 4/1/09.
2/09/2009 3:33 PM
Is that referring to Mark Frisby and the CP? You gotta be kidding me. Why would he ever come back?
I posted a comment last night about severance pay. I went back and looked through all my letters. No where does it say if I accepted another position in the future that you lose your severance pay. The only thing it says is you are allowed to apply for any position available in the company. I do have an opportunity of maybe rejoining the company in another job title, but at this point a little scared if I were to lose my severance.
ReplyDeleteJIM: Do you have this?
ReplyDeleteFrom: Connell, Tara
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 6:48 PM
To: Editors of Gannett Daily Newspapers
Subject: Report on Gannett News Service
All: ContentOne continues to evolve as it develops ways to leverage Gannett content created across all divisions.
To that end, we have completed a restructuring of the Gannett News Service and have moved it under the ContentOne umbrella, where it will help form the foundation of this new cross-divisional enterprise. This restructuring included a voluntary severance of 22 GNS staffers.
As a result, some services currently offered by GNS will be phased out over the next few weeks. We believe the services that are going away are ones that have been made unnecessary by new technology or are no longer relevant to our customers.
At the same time, many of the services most requested by you in recent surveys are remaining. This note is to tell you what will be available and what is going away. I hope you will take the time to look it over and determine how it will affect your operations.
The managing editors of GNS – Jeanette Barrett-Stokes, Laura Rehrmann and Craig Schwed – will oversee the transition. They remain your primary contacts and I am always available if you have questions or would like to discuss the changes.
Below is a detailed list of the various services and their status. This is your chance to speak up if you feel strongly about these changes. We have time to make adjustments, if necessary.
Services being retained
Washington bureau of reporters serving newspapers and Web sites. This team, under the direction of Laura Rehrmann, continues. In surveys of editors, this service was by far the most requested. Because some reporters and editors opted to take voluntary severance, the boundaries of the regional reporters are being redrawn. We will let you know who is assigned to you within the days ahead. Those who are leaving will be onboard for a few weeks yet, so your service will not be interrupted.
World/Nation page. This paginated page is used by many newspapers and will continue without change.
The YES! Section will be continued.
There will be no change in how you receive content for the time being. Attached to this email is a list of the content that will continue to be distributed as always.
Services being reduced
Content sharing among Gannett’s Information Centers is changing substantially. New technology will allow ContentOne to distribute much more content in more useful ways. That technology is being tested and refined now. In the meantime, some sharing of content will be done by people as in the past. The range of content will be limited until the new technology is available.
The reduced staff of “aggregators” will focus on daily stories of interest. Sports, business, news and lifestyle stories will be distributed each weekday. There will be a single budget that summarizes the content being disseminated.
Emphasis will be placed on stories that are exclusive to Gannett, add context and color to national wire-service stories, have widespread usefulness to readers, and are engaging or entertaining.
News budgets will be sent at 9:30 AM, 3 PM and 7 PM. At the end of the day, the items on the budget will be moved into a constantly evolving index of content that gives editors a view of what has been distributed in the days before. Special advisories will continue to be used to call attention to noteworthy packages or breaking news of national importance.
There will not be a graphics team to produce daily assignments. Graphics for special projects will be created by free-lancers or journalists across Gannett. ContentOne also will tap into the graphic artists employed at G3, a team created to serve all Gannett television stations. And the Gannett archive of graphics will still be available to all.
There will no longer be a photographer for custom shoots or most news assignments. The photo editor, Jeff Franko, will still be your primary contact for photos. He will manage a free-lance budget.
Videographer Maria Fowler’s job is being altered. Rather than being a single videographer producing content, she will focus on organizing and distributing all video generated across Gannett in ways more useful to you. We believe Maria will be able to enrich video across our sites quickly.
Services eliminated
Money/Markets page. Use was very limited. This page will be discontinued after Feb. 20.
Technology microsite will no longer be produced. The columns and features will still be moved for your use, but the site will not be maintained.
Weekly roundup of editorials, based on limited use.
The data-base team is being disbanded. The corps of regional reporters will continue to look for data-driven stories. Once ContentOne is operational we are committed to building a data arm that is more responsive to your needs.
And, again, the attached spreadsheet of columns and features is your chance to let us know what you are using. Many items on that spreadsheet will be eliminated unless we learn of wide use.
Before I close, I want to talk for a moment about GNS. It was created more than 60 years ago to serve newspapers across the company. GNS has delivered exceedingly well on that mission over the years, including winning the first ever Pulitzer Prize for a news service.
And while the name is changing, its best work will continue as we begin a new phase of content sharing and development at Gannett.
Over the next couple of days, you will hear about ContentOne’s next major project involving the NCAA March tournament. Also, we are continuing to examine and test the new technologies we believe will give us all greater visibility into the range of Gannett content.
Thank you for your patience as we make these changes.
Tara Connell
Office: 703-854-6049
Mobile: 571-437-2157
9:05 It is a done deal. You are no longer an employee. So why do you think they will claw back your severance? That chapter ended, and the book closed. If you are worried about it, don't take the job. I don't know why you would go back to GCI at this point, but you could without affecting your severance.
ReplyDeleteYou will lose your severance if you rejoin the company. That is stated in the letter I received from my HR.
ReplyDelete12:23 AM - Wow, that's what I've noticed at my site.
ReplyDeleteHowever...
It's like arguing with a rabid democrat! ;)
Here is an instructive piece on the secular downturn in our industry:
ReplyDeletehttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB123419225747863827.html
I also received a letter from HR, but no where does it say if I take another position I will lose my severance. The only thing it says is I can apply for any open positions with the company
ReplyDeleteI hope Lopresti made the cut although I didn't see a direct reference to him and his national sports column continuing. Anybody know for sure?
ReplyDeleteI was watching Charlie Rose last night and who were his guests other than SIX New York Times reporters, four at his desk and two in DC. We're talking serious talent here who really added to the discussion of the government's role in the financial crisis. Floyd Norris, Joe Nocera, David Leonhardt and Andrew Ross Sorkin. Why doesn't Gannett have that kind of world-class talent? A news organization whittling down its reporting staff should make sure that its precious remaining positions are occupied by the best people that money can buy.
ReplyDeleteThe St Cloud MN paper currently has
ReplyDeleteFour managers over the sales department
Two major's sales and one assistant
Two Special magazine section sales members and one designer.
Five assistants to the retail sales staff
One advertising director assistant. Currently this location doesn't have a sales director.
Five outside sales those on the street.
Two classified car sales outside and one assistant.
Two real estate outside sales one assistant and three designers.
Two online designers.
One paper layout person
One special projects sales person
One designer for specs.
Eight classified phones sales of various areas
This location in December terminated six outside sales. It appears to me they should have kept the sales and overhauled the rest .
Some of our sales teams are making 100% of goal. In meetings I have even seen some making goal by 150%.
The St Cloud MN paper currently has
ReplyDeleteFour managers over the sales department
Two major's sales and one assistant
Two Special magazine section sales members and one designer.
Five assistants to the retail sales staff
One advertising director assistant. Currently this location doesn't have a sales director.
Five outside sales those on the street.
Two classified car sales outside and one assistant.
Two real estate outside sales one assistant and three designers.
Two online designers.
One paper layout person
One special projects sales person
One designer for specs.
Eight classified phones sales of various areas
This location in December terminated six outside sales. It appears to me they should have kept the sales and overhauled the rest .
Some of our sales teams are making 100% of goal. In meetings I have even seen some making goal by 150%.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of people they should have canned in St. Cloud MN instead of those they did.
2/09/2009 9:39 PM
I'm good friends with one of these and he left after eight years went to another company was a sales person outside and is now the mananger of another sales department making double. He said it was the best thing the St Cloud Times could have done for him.
7:36 AM:
ReplyDeleteYou really haven't a clue as to how the Internet works, do you?
Republicans vs Democrats? Who caused this mess? You know, a Clinton era Democrat sits on Gannett's board... Does anyone really think she gives a damn about the working man or woman? It's about the money, folks. Follow the money, like Watergate.
ReplyDeleteAbout that ContentOne memo, who does the budgets and who determines what packages are noteworthy and who determines what is news of national importance?
ReplyDeleteRegarding Severance - my understanding is that you will only lose any severence that would have been paid after you have rejoined Gannett. For example, say you received 10 weeks of severance and it started the beginning of this year, if they hire you back after 4 weeks than you would keep the severance paid during the first four weeks but not get the remaining 6 because you would be back to work at that point. Does this make sense to everyone that was curious?
ReplyDeleteNew low to report at the Courier Post. On page 5A today there is a remnant ad (mail order) selling sexual enhancement pills. Now I know it's hard to get the revenue up Walt but are you having an unreported problem elsewhere? Let's all shop our advertisers.
ReplyDelete9:45 they also sent out a list of features and columns and want feedback on what is most used.
ReplyDeleteHey 10:07, I'm 7:36 and I know EXACTLY how the Internet works. YOU don't seem to understand that other papers ARE charging for access and they're not seeing people stay away in droves. Do the research if you don't believe me. ALL papers should do it. Just because our stuff is free online now doesn't mean the software and know how to change that does not exist.
ReplyDeleteSorry people, I won't let this idea go.
A free market does NOT mean free of charge!
I agree St Cloud MN is in trouble.
ReplyDeleteThe top brass here wow! Why have any! They did get rid of the wrong ones. The others just sit in the office and make goal by 120%.
Walts doing the best he can with what he's got, it ain't much believe me
ReplyDeleteto 10:07
ReplyDeleteHere is an E&P story about someone charging for Internet News. Anyone remember Walter E. Hussman? Jim?
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003939889
FYI: I received my pension check yesterday (after taking voluntary buyout). It only took a month. I know there have been some questions about it, so I thought I'd point out that I didn't have any problems. Which is a relief.
ReplyDeleteRe: the guessing-game blog a couple days ago on the new USAT editor:
ReplyDeleteThe 3 most interesting names I saw, in no particular order, were Overholser, Siegenthaler and Boccardi.
re: 10:20. They're running sexual ads on 5A? Who made that brilliant decision? Nice way to keep advertisers.
ReplyDelete"Sorry people, I won't let this idea go.
ReplyDeleteA free market does NOT mean free of charge!"
I get what you're saying, but the reality is there's so many sources for free online local news out there. Sites that cull news from our own sites and deliver them with unobtrusive ads, tv and radio stations that produce targeted almost real-time news scripts and updates. You've got to have excellent, in-depth reporting to be able to actually sell online at a local level. Most of our sites have been whittled down to re-purposed AP content, and the recent layoffs cut deep at our ability to compete. No one is going to pay for content that is not complete, in-depth, timely and pertinent. We've all but lost that capability.
Walt's decision making has nothing to do with what he's got - Mrs Lafferty.
ReplyDelete"Just because our stuff is free online now doesn't mean the software and know how to change that does not exist."
ReplyDeleteThe software (if you want to call it that) is already there and has been for about 2-3 years. GMTI never tied it to a subscription/billing system. Good thing too. It's a script that was prone to quirks, failures and quite easily hacked.
We've yet to get really good at charging/collecting money online.
"re: 10:20. They're running sexual ads on 5A?"
ReplyDeleteDo they make the paper look any bigger?
9:45 USAT coverage of the financial crisis is so bad it is regularly ridiculed on well read and sophisticated sites like Calculated Risk. I remember one where USAT messed up on the concept of liabilities versus assets. If you can't get those basics right, why would anyone take you seriously?
ReplyDeleteThe ad pg 5a has not made the paper larger. Not too long ago, they shrunk the paper to save $ on newsprint. It's the incredible shrinking CP in size, content, quality and ads.
ReplyDeleteRE the comment by 10:45 about Walter Hussman, publisher of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:
ReplyDeleteHe can be an ornery old coot, probably not the best publisher in the world for whom to work. But there is no denying that he knows how to run a newspaper, and make it survive and thrive in tough times.
For one thing, he stared down Gannett until GCI blinked and went away. But, more to the present point, he has INCREASED the content of the D-G in recent years, giving readers more reason to continue to subscribe. And his pay-to-view policies on the Web seem to strike a proper balance.
Bottom line: the Democrat-Gazette's bottom line is a lot healthier than most other major newspapers today.
"The ad pg 5a has not made the paper larger. "
ReplyDeleteIn my best Foghorn Leghorn... It was a joke, son, I say, it was a joke.
"Sexual enhancements"..."making the paper look bigger".
Oy.
Yesterday someone posted about a note from The Courier Post (Cherry Hill) telling subscribers of the ending of PORCH HOME DELIVERY. The reason states was "to make add papers to carriers routes and increse delivery speed."
ReplyDeleteINCORRECT (and probably a lie)!
Since November 1st, 2008, Gary Disanto, has -one by one- eliminated in-house home delivery from 3 of the 6 New Jersey papers and outsourced delivery to Publishers Circulation Fulfillment (P.C.F.). PCF does not demand its carriers to porch.
Wish our soon to be erstwhile Home delivery Brothers & Sisters in New Jersey well. Good Luck to you all.
I wonder when the outsourcing of New Jersey Printing (a la Colorado) will go through. All that will be left is outsourcing Journalists to citizen-writers and then GANNETT won't WRITE, PRINT, or DELIVER its newspapers in New Jersey and elsewhere.
What will DiSanto do then....sinting in that empty building in Neptune? Maybe watch the new flat screen T.V.s will Hollis Towns.
Yesterday someone posted about a note from The Courier Post (Cherry Hill) telling subscribers of the ending of PORCH HOME DELIVERY. The reason states was "to make add papers to carriers routes and increse delivery speed."
ReplyDeleteINCORRECT (and probably a lie)!
Since November 1st, 2008, Gary Disanto, has -one by one- eliminated in-house home delivery from 3 of the 6 New Jersey papers and outsourced delivery to Publishers Circulation Fulfillment (P.C.F.). PCF does not demand its carriers to porch.
Wish our soon to be erstwhile Home delivery Brothers & Sisters in New Jersey well. Good Luck to you all.
I wonder when the outsourcing of New Jersey Printing (a la Colorado) will go through. All that will be left is outsourcing Journalists to citizen-writers and then GANNETT won't WRITE, PRINT, or DELIVER its newspapers in New Jersey and elsewhere.
What will DiSanto do then....sinting in that empty building in Neptune? Maybe watch the new flat screen T.V.s will Hollis Towns.
I still don't get it
ReplyDelete11:27 some of us got it, and liked it!
ReplyDelete"The government is now prosecuting people who steal music online. Shouldn't reporters and the papers they work for have the same protection? Isn't what they produce a product, like music? It's time!"
ReplyDeleteAre you sure that you don't work for GM?
Guess what? Copyright law already covers theft of newspapers' products. What's going on isn't theft.
You guys crack me up with all the "make it easier to pay and we'll be rich" rhetoric. Certainly, ease of payment is part of the answer, but only a small part. How about creating something in which people see value and for which they're willing to pay? Just because the industry thinks its products are valuable doesn't mean that everyone else feels the same way.
Go ahead and put up a payment wall around your garden of crummy content. See how much money you make. Or, go find out what the market values and execute well against those priorities. You'll have plenty of customers, recession notwithstanding.
To 10:20: Cherry Hill is endorsing the Sexual activities endorsement due to favorable circumstances. Isn't it the preamble, the installation of sorts the added feature in mergence with the Inky called "Who's done Who"? It could be the most humping I mean thumping pullout of the year.
ReplyDeleteoy vey
Did anybody see Jon Stewart last night interviewing Issacson about his micro-payments idea?
ReplyDeleteStewart described an alternative that actually sounds feasible: Use the ASCAP/BMI model that applies to radio stations, for example: Charge aggregators -- the Googles, the Yahoos, the Huffington Posts -- a license fee to use members' content. Charges could be scaled so small-audience outlets would pay the least, while the biggies would pay the most.
One of the problems with micropayments is that readers would be required to pay each outlet separately. A license system would collect from the people who are actually getting revenue based on products created by newspapers. I think that's a system that could work.
"Go ahead and put up a payment wall around your garden of crummy content. See how much money you make."
ReplyDeleteGannett's trying to create internet "communities", similar to what some of the earlier usenet communities were like. The audience is loyal (almost in a weird, dependency way) and will donate a few sheckles to continue to see their names in the lights. The newer products, like Moms (for example) are directly aimed at increasing online community numbers and participation.
If the numbers are high enough folks will pay once they establish identities and online personas/relationships. Whether or not there's healthy enough numbers there is pure speculation.
Regarding the guesses about who might be the new USA Today editor -- how about Tom Curley.
ReplyDeleteDutch619m:
ReplyDelete7:36 here. I was already aware of that piece. But THANK YOU for the link on here! And this isn't the only example. Anyone can find more if they just do the research. You see, it CAN work. It will require a shift in our collective thinking. But it's possible. The time has come!
GCI stock now trading at $4.56.
ReplyDeletePREDICTION:
Before the end of the year, the NYSE WILL DELIST Gannett stock, and it will join McClatchy, Joural Register, and other media companies on the OTC Bulletin board (Pink Sheets).
But CD will still get his options, and multi-million dollar salary.
Because as long as there's gas in the pump and the nozzle is in his car, he'll fill up.
"But CD will still get his options, and multi-million dollar salary. "
ReplyDeleteI fail to see how he can continue to state that the economy is solely to blame when the trouble in the industry pre-dated the global economic troubles by 10 years.
12:14 before the end of the year? How about before the end of this quarter GCI gets delisted?
ReplyDeleteDiSanto is putting himself out of a job so he can be the next Publisher in Cherry Hill.
ReplyDeleteIt's wishful thinking that management in Cherry Hill will get any larger. With perhaps the exception of the EE.
ReplyDeleteCN started a "Top 10 Stories" list on the web site and yesterday a four-sentence brief about two men arrested for public urination in Bound Brook came in third. Oy.
ReplyDeleteWalt have you thought of taking steroids to improve performance?
ReplyDeleteCherry Hill doesn't need any more performance supplements. They are already running amok
ReplyDeletethe post about porched home delivery was accurate and can be substantiated by the letter from Tom Herron.
ReplyDeleteFor more than a decade, the C-P prided itself on the porch delivery service. They even had an internal program called the "blue bag" program that spotted Inquirer customers whose papers were tossed in driveways in blue bags, making an effort to convert them to CP HD subscribers who would receive exceptional service. There were promos and TV commercials and tons of money spent on that exceptional customer service. Now, customer service doesn't matter. Now, it's "F" the customer.
This move away from porch delivery might be a precursor to PCF taking over. That should be an interesting battle with the unions ...
When did you say Mark was coming back to CP? If he returns, it's probably when Phily purchases the dimished subscriber route list from the CP at a fire sale right before Walt locks the door for the last time and escorts Joan and Tom out of the building wondering what they all did wrong.
Just announced today, the Journal Register is shutting down its 7 weeklies in Dutchess and Putnam counties in NY.
ReplyDeleteIt closed a bi-weekly in Columbia County last week.
Re Journal Register closing weeklies: My bad.
ReplyDeleteIt was eight weeklies, not seven.
Dubow and his band of misfits are swirling and I am ready for the big flush.FUCK GANNETT bye bye after u laid off many employees at papers that were once outstanding community papers and were making a good profit u chose to keep trying to pump up corporate profits by raiding the community papers .Thanks alot you piece of shit. Oh by the way I have a new job more $$$$$ and less corporate shit to deal with. You have earned your money this year and you have many employees pissed off so u enjoy.And to all my former buds at CJ U-guys give em hell
ReplyDeleteI apparently hit a minor nerve with the "devout Republican" comparison. With people saying that a devout Democrat would do the same.
ReplyDeleteNot true.
The devout Democrat would put his fingers in his ears, screw his eyes shut and alternately hum and shout "I can't hear you!"
jim,
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna ask again for the upteenth time....can ANYONE tell us what Michelle Krans does for Dickey and or Gannett?? In an era where real jobs are being cut by the thousands, it seems hard to understand a "new" (translation, made up) job at a very expensive salary can be added that appears to have ZERO accountability. Who the hell knows if the position is worthy??? And, she REALLY needed to go Palm Springs and/or Tuscon with Dickey to tell employees that the paper might close? What's her job again?? Doesn't seem to make any sense.
I saw Isaakson's interview with Stewart and the first thing that struck me was he used the same flawed alternate history that Paulson used recently. (Details on this gannettblog entry: http://tinyurl.com/bt3zbc).
ReplyDeleteThe idea that newsprint would be seen as revolutionary after one has experienced the 'Net is wishful thinking.
As for paying for content, the only thing any newspaper would have to offer is unique content.
The NYT can offer it's exclusive Arts coverage and columnists and articles on special topics by its own writers.
If you can get the same AP story for free, why pay? In fact, wouldn't AP eventually come to realize that it may be in its own best interests to not allow newspapers to repurpose its stories on the Web and offer a direct subscription to readers.
So the only way to make it worth the surfer's time and money to pay for Web content is to offer something they can't gt anywhere else. Which means generating unique (read: local) content, which means keeping reporters and photographers.
It seems Gannett is heading in the opposite direction.
12:23am, The GCI corporate people in Crystal Palace vehemently denying anything is really wrong are totally brainwashed like stepford wives. I'm hearing it all the time from the ones I stay in touch with; they believe GCI and its top executives will never go down.
ReplyDeletexxx they believe GCI and its top executives will never go down. xxx
ReplyDeleteWhat, exactly, are you suggesting here about our leaders?
In other words, 2:27, Dubow, Martore & crew will remain in charge.
ReplyDelete"The GCI corporate people in Crystal Palace vehemently denying anything is really wrong are totally brainwashed like stepford wives."
ReplyDeleteI was once with a fortune 500 company that closed its doors after they parted and pieced out all the equipment and people. Right up until the last month, the plant manager had a plan that would save the plant, the upper management had plans that things were going to turn around and we'd get weekly memos from corporate about how this initiative and that initiative were being taken to cut costs. Every quarter the financials would come in, and they'd consolidate what they could, eliminate positions and segments of the business until it was just security and a few facilities guys left to make sure no one broke in and the pipes didn't freeze.
I suspect it's done this way so all the worker bees will just stay in the hive making honey so it looks like there's some assemblance of a company left, should someone decide to buy out the remaining assets, buildings, property and such..
GCI is a corporation that operates like the Mafia: everything is calm as long as everyone is getting paid. But screw up the finances, and some goomba comes to visit you, with expected consequences. That is about to happen to these execs. The finances of GCI are in atrocious condition, and declining ever more. Buyouts, layoffs and furloughs have not done it, and so now I see more radical actions. I would not bet a credit default swap on the future either of Dubow or Martore.
ReplyDeleteOMG.
ReplyDeleteYou know it's getting really bad when Wal-Mart cuts workers.
"xxx they believe GCI and its top executives will never go down. xxx
ReplyDeleteWhat, exactly, are you suggesting here about our leaders?"
I dunno.... maybe it's time we use our top executives to stimulate new revenue streams, because we're currently not getting much ROI.
2:09 p.m:
ReplyDelete7:36 a.m. here. You NAILED it. And yes, it will take a paradigm shift in company structure. But the bottom line remains the same - free news on the Internet cannot sustain itself over the long term. Bloggers are NOT the answer. If we didn't support Jim financially, this blog would be history.
DiSanto's proven himself to be a far better yes man than publisher. And, given that he once shared that he's really only in it for himself lets hope that Gannett has finally woken up to the fact that those behaviors and attitudes are old school and that is what's really led to this company's downfall.
ReplyDelete"There is no problem so great that it cannot be overcome through application of creative human thought." - Ray Kurzweil
ReplyDeleteOh thats right were talking Gannett, my bad.
i do believe today's trading means that the stock has dropped about 50% since I lost my job in December. Glad I could help.
ReplyDelete10:47 AM: Please elaborate on your experience that led to you getting your pension check just one month after taking a voluntary buyout. I took a voluntary layoff 2 months ago and have not even received a letter asking me to choose an option for how I want to handle my pension. Please provide details and timeframes. Thanks ...
ReplyDeleteI’ve shared this before, and given other comments today, I’ll share it again: There’s more value to be mined from local, near exclusive content than to just use it all online for free to solely generate banner ad revenue. And, given that ad costs per unit appear destined to continue their declines, it’s truly even more asinine to give away content that few would find anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteYet, a number of Gannett asses compel others to "just do it".
I was told yesterday that Virginia is behind abut two weeks in getting out pension packets.
ReplyDeleteVirginia may be behind, but whether they have your information depends on your local HR people. My HR people have yet to get their act together and send my stuff along. Make a phone call to your local HR person to find out what day your items were sent along!!!!!!!!!! Or send an email for a written record. Do NOT trust that they will just do what they are paid to do. So far, examples throughout Gannett prove they aren't exactly jumping to get these things rolling for those laid off.
ReplyDeleteViginia is a bunch of behinds is right!!!!!!!!!!! ohh sorry I meant behind
ReplyDeleteVirginia has been long behind in everything. Gannett has always tried playing catch up, it's too late babe! I wonder if they'll be having PB&J at the Board meeting
ReplyDeleteYour local HR? Is that still considered a department?
ReplyDeleteDes Moines Register ad production employees were sent an email today warning to take vacations accordingly due to limited vacations being allowed July-December. They were told to schedule up through June, but could send in requests through December.
ReplyDeleteWhat could be coming during the later part of the year? Does this spell more layoffs, more furloughs?
Have they changed your paper size yet? It could be related to that. Ours is changing in June. They may need the extra staff ob hand to help with the transition.
Gannett has been on their way out for the last several years. It's their own doing. What did they expect? One pathetic company.
ReplyDelete1:43 pm: sad to hear about the JRC weeklies shutting down. i worked for the company briefly at one of those papers & there were some scrappy journalists and employees there.
ReplyDeletei know some will find this hard to believe, but JRC was an even worse employer than Gannett!
Yes Virginia---there is a Krista Mueller---and SHE is coming to the rescue---Min you--she doesn't have a clue---but SHE is coming to the rescue of the 4 dollar stock!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI suspect it's done this way so all the worker bees will just stay in the hive making honey so it looks like there's some assemblance of a company left, should someone decide to buy out the remaining assets, buildings, property and such.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is psychology 101, but for some unknown reason, so many keep holding onto to hope it won't be true.
Also managers are scared to death of losing anyone because they won't be replaced. I understand their concern — no one wants to be the last one standing — but they have to face the reality that if someone can find another job, they will leave.
It is never easy when people are in this type of situation. Let's pray we all can all find something better and more promising and not be angry or jealous if someone finds something better.
4:41 Tell management you will take your vacation when you want to, and not when management wants you to. They cannot compel you to take your vacation in the winter. My response would be to schedule everyone for the middle two weeks of December, and then see what the emails from management would say.
ReplyDeleteYesterday someone suggested we vote for Walt Lafferty's continued employment. Are the votes in yet?
ReplyDeleteIs it ture Cherry Hill forgot to publish their Editorial Page today? Did anyone notice?
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to that Gannett Golden Child Juli Metzger?
ReplyDeleteShe was shuffled from paper to paer in recent years... is she still in Indiana wrecking havok there?
She would make a perfect USA Today boss - incompetent and a Phil Currie brown-nosing hack.
The Indiana papers almost were getting good... then gannett brought in another outsider who could have cared less about the communities.
Yep, Metzger would be perfect!
Des Moines will be printing all of the papers in the western half of the country starting November 1. We're centralizing printing, delivery will be by U.S. Mail for everybody from Iowa City to Guam, including Honolulu.
ReplyDeleteBy that time, each paper will be down to 8x11 fly sheets, so we need the extra production time to run the copy machines.
I know some people who thought GCI stock was a steal when it dipped below $10 and they bought some shares thinking it has to go back up because it use to be $80. I'm sure there is no one thinking it's a steal anymore. GCI as you know it is over, have fun working for an internet company that will soon be worth $1 a share.
ReplyDeleteHow can Gary DiSanto sleep at night knowing how many families he has single handedly financially destroyed?
ReplyDeleteWhether you like this blog or not, you have to admit that Gannett might be somewhat unique in creating such deep anger in current and former employees. This blog would never exist if folks were just ho-hum about the various newspapers owned by GCI. I don't see other media companies with this kind of involvement and passion (albeit mostly negative) on a public web site. Gannett really scrapes the nerves of its employees. It's former employees almost always speak badly about their experience with the company. And I don't think it's just because people on blogs tend to be the ones most upset. There is something rotten about this company. Something that draws out the suspicions, doubts, anger and in some case, pure hatred. Gannett's former employees give this company some of the worst PR imaginable. That has to have some effect on the ability of this company to hire top talent, and may even have some impact on stocks falling. I've worked here 30 years and have only heard glowing praise for this company a few times. Most have serious issues. Some have fallen into a malaise. And since the layoffs began, there is no trust anymore, more so because of the way the cuts were done than the fact they happened. Too many qualified people were let go. We needed the best hands on deck, and unfortunately, were left with some pretty mediocre staffers. It seems Gannett had some secret criteria for who was cut, and those poor choices will haunt this company forever, here, in the board rooms and on the streets. This company has gone from bad to worse. When the economy turns, many of the remaining good people will leave here.
ReplyDelete6:29 - Though your words are eloquent and true - remember this:
ReplyDeleteGannett would rather be profitable than good. gannett thinks it can be profitable with snivling hacks and idiots at the newspapers.
So, to say that the best will leave Gannett - although I will argue that the best already HAVE left - when times are good is sadly irrelevent to this miserable near-criminal company.
Good sentiments, though.
WHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHY do Gannett's top executives continue to receive bonuses when they are completely and consistently failing to meet goals/objectives????? That's how all of us got paid (when we still worked at Gannett). No gain, lots of pain. Don't meet goals, get no bonuses. I know I am not saying anything new, just makes me so MAD. As papers continue the downward spiral from the decision making of these guys, they continue to get paid....a LOT.
ReplyDeleteThanks for listening - this is a lot cheaper than therapy that I can't afford with no job for the last 5.5 months. I live in a BIG university town and the university job site had ONE job listed yesterday. On average they used to have 40 pages of job listings. It is frightening.
It's not just a job
ReplyDeleteIt's a misadveture
Gannett had it's day. Folks you worked with worked together it's not the case anymore. What do you expect when managers barely have a high school education. They might be tough but they sure as hell don't think.
ReplyDeleteHe sleep fine! That hair dye rattled his brain.
ReplyDeleteJim,
ReplyDeleteI think it is good that you changed your mug. (You don't have to post this!)
I love working in Cherry Hill. Through good times and bad they don't lose their appetite.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the type at 7:05
ReplyDeleteI thought I was doing a web update.
6:29 if you have worked here 30 years, you know what is wrong with Gannett. The fawning over favorites, the hard work ridiculed often in public, the promotion of incompetents, the vicious political infighting, the sadistic way personalities are hurt. Managers are picked for their indifference to people's feelings, and their slavish loyalty to diktats from the Crystal Towers. In the past, you got a check to cash and forget about where it came from. Now you only get a partial check, so the outrage just spills out.
ReplyDeleteit's like no other place to work that's certain
ReplyDeleteIs anyone hearing rumors about Gannett selling off more local papers? There's a rumor going round Lafayette, La. that a deal is in the making to sell that sack of **** they still call a newspaper. Anybody know anything?
ReplyDeleteThe "fawning over favorites and the promotion of incompetents" (described by 7:52) fits the description of many on the upper floors of Crystal Palace's GCI tower.
ReplyDeleteHow about a "NEW JERSEY" update!
ReplyDelete5:54 If some economists are right about another 20 percent fall in equity prices, GCI is heading for another big fall, probably to the level of .80 cents, or 1 percent of its high.
ReplyDelete5:23
ReplyDeleteShe is from Indiana.
I can't imagine that she's any worse than the others.
Regarding your pension, did you ask for it? That is, if you don't work with HR to get the paperwork, nothing will happen. It's not some automatic, here's your check thing. I left in the fourth quarter and received my check just under two months after I completed the appropriate paperwork.
ReplyDeleteGood grief - Frisby, Lafferty, DiSanto, etc... Can it be written into Gannett by-laws that if your management skills (or lack there-of) were developed under Bob Collins tutelage, you're automatically terminated with no chance for rehire?!
ReplyDeleteWalt went home early with an upset stomache - perhaps it's the pills he's taking.
ReplyDelete8:55. Yes, plenty of people have asked for their pension, and the HR folks say they haven't gotten around to it yet. I, for example, call an HR rep at my old paper every week. So far, nothing. I have an idea where they can cut some people next time.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of vacation. I was told no vacation time will be allowed during a furlough period. Yet we received a email to schedule our 4th of july floating holiday off. Go figure. It's February...in NJ
ReplyDeleteJim Kroeze to the rescue!!
ReplyDeleteJust wondering was Dubow captain of the Navy ship that ran aground?
ReplyDeleteA Navy ship? Are you kidding me?? He wearing an inner-tube from tricycle.
ReplyDeleteNew Jersey still isn't the brightest light by far.
ReplyDeleteWe all may complain, talk about finding another job. We hate management, yet we love our coworkers. We have been together for many years. We are almost family. Like a family, we fight, we see the favorites, we know some are favored over others. But when it comes down to it — we are a family. We don't want anything to happen to our network. We may argue, fight and have issues but when it comes down to get things done we work together. We are a family and will support each other. That is what makes us unique. We actually care about the other person. The other person is'nt in India or another country, it's that guy or girl sitting behind you or in front of you. It's that person who has a family and you've met his kids, it's that woman who recently got divorced who has to keep her job. We are a family. We are not numbers to be eliminiated. We are a strong network of friends that pull together to get the work done. Gannett, please listen to me. We want †ø suceed. We may complain and not be happy, but we want to keep our jobs. We actually truly care or we wouldn't work so hard or have stayed with your company so long. We are a family who wants to stay together. We will make you money and get to keep our homes and put food on the table for our kids. We are a family. We come in when we are sick, we postpone our vacation days to cover deadlines. We actually really care what happens to our jobs and our revenue. We are a family. Please don't see us as just numbers because we truly do care. We want you to succeed. We are a family.
ReplyDeleteDes Moines reduced the size last May 2008 to 44". At that time, we had just been told of the layoffs for our ad creative team. They had to stay on until the transition was over before leaving.
ReplyDeleteSo no, we do not have a reduction in store, unless they can go smaller?
Our press is already thin from all the layoffs. I don't see how they can take more projects with no one there. No one comes into platemaking until 5:30 these days. They run a skeleton crew then.
Seriously, anyone else been told to schedule vacations before July?
We can only have one person gone at a time for vacations as it is now. If they layoff again, maybe there won't be enough people to handle the load for vacations.
Great, what about 2010? No vacations at all?
Don't forget where DiSanto came from, Cincinnati. Well known for having a publisher with Collin's like skills.
ReplyDelete