In its second big trial after the Obama test, ContentOne is being deployed across Gannett's site network this month, to organize and publish all the NCAA March Madness tournament coverage. At California's Desert Sun, for example, I clicked on a basketball icon on the homepage to launch that Palm Spring paper's NCAA pages.But: ContentOne has been kicking around since maybe last June. It became public four months ago, long enough for someone to make a decision about control over the bodies and budget it inherited from the old Gannett News Service. U.S. Community Publishing President Bob Dickey has a stake in the outcome, too, unless his newspaper division has completely abandoned the News Department. Meanwhile, I haven't read any Gannett Blog comments on his position.
Meanwhile, out here in the field, real transformation continues at Internet speed. Since ContentOne emerged in mid-November, Gannett's entire market value has plunged 72% -- erasing billions in shareholder equity. The company's market cap is now just $494 million at today's closing stock price: $2.14 a share, down 5%.
Speaking of fun couples!
It's 1969's racy-at-the-time, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice:
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I have $20 on Kate to win. I can't figure out why the corporate publicist is heading up a news gathering operation like this. If the idea was to attract advertisers, it hasn't worked, or at least Tara hasn't done it. I know Tara, and she shrinks from fights.
ReplyDeleteJim you nailed it with this posting!
ReplyDeleteApparently Dubow wants to remove Tara C from her current position as Gannett spokesperson, but he doesn't have the heart to fire her, so Content One was the next best alternative.
I do not think he calculated the reaction from so many people against her appointment.
I obviously do not know what Mr. Dickey thinks, but if he and Mr. Dubow only knew what everyone thinks about Tara C's appointment, they would reverse this decision as soon as possible.
If they would listen to the USCP employees, this would not happen. I do know that plenty of people have expressed concern about this and we have been ignored. I used to work at USAT and I know for sure Mr. Moon is vocally against Content One and Tara C.
As for Kate, there is no question she feels slighted and Mr. Dickey has not come to her side to support her.
Please, please stop reporting Kate is head of news. She is the head of news in Community Publishing, not the Gannett Company. She has nothing to do with Digital, USA Today or Broadcast.
ReplyDeleteAssuming this turf battle is really true, I've got a basic question:
ReplyDeleteUnder the scenario where Tara Connell would be in charge of ContentOne, who would Connell report to -- Bob Dickey?
Also, what's the level of purported resistance within the community newspaper division to Tara Connell? Is a letter being circulated among EEs? Or is the push-back mostly within the Corporate staff?
Making much out of nothing. Kate does a very nice job in the Publishing Division. She is less than a year from being an editor. She is brilliant. She's not the top news officer. She's not an officer.
ReplyDeleteyou have been misinformed. there is no turf war. c1 belongs to tara. it has been approved at the highest levels. there was never any other choice, kate or otherwise. i know this for a fact. you're wasting our time on a fictitious dispute, although the BCTA angle is amusing.
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ReplyDeleteLots of misinformation about ContentOne. The concept was announced way before it actually was in place. The technology still isn't in place. Inauguration in January was the first project launched under ContentOne philosophy, and actually brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue. Fact. NCAA Tournament is second big project, now appearing on Gannett Web sites. Regarding USA TODAY, it's not surprising there is some resistance because one of the keys to ContentOne success is USA TODAY serving the company more. Which they are doing very well with the NCAA project. There is a lot of logic to the overall concept. There is a natural tendency for people who are upset to blame somebody. But neither Tara nor Kate deserve the abuse. They are both trying to do the right things. My humble opinion.
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:36am. You have got to be kidding! Nice job trying to be "Anonymous" Tara!!!
ReplyDeleteYour posting just shows how out of touch you are. Moon has panned your project and Dubow can't find a home for you.
Everyone is concerned about Content One and you have not even explained it to the people that matter the most.
Please Tara, if you are going to post your own message on this blog, use your own name. Then, you can truly be somebody instread of always being "anonymous".
Looks like management is on this blog. Take a look at Anon 9:36a post. Who in their right mind would actually write that without having lnowledge about what USAT is or is not doing for Content One?
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like this poster is trying to correct the "misinformation" around Content One. That sunds like Dubow called Tara this morning and told her to get on that blog and clear this up.
Please, re-read this post. Sounds like our one and only Tara Connell is giving props to herself.
So sad. So. Sad.
"My humble opinion"...says Anon 9:36a. Since when have you been "humble" Tara?
ReplyDeleteMy newsroom is working on a few pieces that Content One is trying to get their hands on and we have flat out ignored their request for help. I am not going to waste time for another failed corporate project.
ReplyDeleteI am 9:36 and I decidedly am NOT Tara. Typical fodder on this blog. When somebody posts some actual factual information that runs counter to all the B.S. here, everybody attacks the person instead of discussing the information on its merits. Have a nice day.
ReplyDeleteHow did Tara get to her present job? I know Kate's history because our paths crossed a couple of times as she hopscotched from paper to paper across the country. But I don't know the details of Tara's professional background. Anyone?
ReplyDeleteIt's fair game to speculate, but several posters here are showing their ignorance.
ReplyDelete10:02pm is typical: Phrases like "apparently Dubow wants..." and "what everyone thinks about Tara" and "there is no question she feels slighted." Who are you, Kreskin?
As for the turf wars "...a few pieces that Content One is trying to get their hands on and we have flat out ignored their request for help"), that's the spirit! Work actively to undermine the single most innovative initiative Gannett has going -- before it's even up and running.
Then be sure to log back on here and bitch about job cuts and the stock price -- and blame it on management.
PS: I'm not Tara, Bob, Craig or Alice. I'm just a worker bee who wants the company and its employees to succeed.
these comments are ridiculous. i can't believe the one from 3/21 11:03 a.m. who admitted to withholding content from ContentOne. What good are you doing by being uncooperative? Doesn't Gannett have enough failed projects under its belt - why would you want to try to make C1 a failure? Is that going to make your job more secure? No. What I don't get is that no one seemed to think GNS was so horrible - Why isn't anyone giving the reinvented GNS a chance? I'm so sick of people wasting their time complaining on this blog. I want to see more editors working together on projects, emphasizing teamwork, cooperation and innovative ideas and turn this company-wide attitude problem around. We have to actually TRY if we want to make this work. If ContentOne fails, it's not only bad for Gannett, but it's bad for all of the Gannett papers. Everyone's so busy putting down ContentOne - if it's so bad, what's the better alternative?
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