Sunday, March 28, 2010

Week March 22-28 | Your News & Comments

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70 comments:

  1. I see the Asbury Park Press/Gannett NJ is in the middle of another epic series. This one is about gangs, so it makes sense that the food writer was in charge of it. No offense to her, but really?

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  2. Everyone else was on furlough?

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  3. I'm still waiting to hear from someone (anyone?) what Jack Williams actually does.

    Or, let me put it another way....

    If Jack Williams were not there would anyone notice?

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  4. All the news coming out of Gannett lately really makes me feel good about leaving the company last year. The way they treat their employees is disgusting. The executive compensation packages is a slap in the face. I feel insulted even though I don't work there anymore - they are benefiting from the work I did do. It's even more infuriating that I had to take a furlough so that Dubow could get a bonus.

    Leaving Gannett was the best thing I ever did.

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  5. USA Today has just launched a new branding campaign with this tagline: "What America Wants." Notably, it references its "unpretentious reporting." What's pretentious reporting, and which newspapers are guilty of that?

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  6. Several Gannett newspapers have just won prestigious Headliner Awards. I'll post names later today; I'm on my iPhone, now, so can't write much.

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  7. "Leaving Gannett was the best thing I ever did"

    Leaving Hawaii is the best thing Gannett ever did :p

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  8. Why would a marketing company want a unpretentious reporting brand? The two contradict.

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  9. Funny about the food editor in NJ coordinating a package on "gangs."

    In Reno, the sports editor is also the business editor.

    As you noted in the original post, nothing against her but have we lost all appreciation for specialized knowledge? You don't really need to answer that.

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  10. Just completed my furlough.

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  11. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  12. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  13. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  14. Wow! What's with all the removed comments?

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  15. It should be pretty clear to all by now that the leadership of this corporation, all the way down to publisher/editor/local VP levels, are in this for their own enrichment and not yours, both financially and professionally. Some of us are finally understanding and are treating the company just as it has been treating us for years. But be smart and be vigilant for other job possibilities before the ax comes down on you. Most people in journalism know that Gannett is the dregs of the business. To show someone a resume with 10 years at Gannett on it is cause for doubt at the largest papers. No lie. The longer you stay, the longer you work with idiot managers, basket cases and backstabbers. Then you end up as one of them.

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  16. Has anyone heard if USAT will also be lifting the wage freeze effective April 1?

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  17. 9:33 pm: As needed, I moderate comments in advance, to ward off spam. Sometimes, as last night, I remove spam when I miss it the first time around. It's rare, however.

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  18. Couldn't have said it better, 6:42!

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  19. One of my many international readers (and spammers)!

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  20. According to publisher Hunke, who justified his $300K bonus (on top of $525K salary) in a staff meeting this morning, no lifting of the wage free for at least an additional 13 weeks.

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  21. 11:15 that is just one ignorant statement. People leave Gannett all the time and get good jobs. Just read this blog. If you have not been able to do so then that may reflect more on you than Gannett. See people this is what happens when folks who hate change are forced to do so. The old days of print journalism are over. It doesn't matter what company you work for, the way we do our jobs is changing. So we get it, you don't like it. We get it you hate all management..they are all stupid. We get it... you are the smartest person in the company. We get it you are unhappy. Your problem is you have no options because your negativity is obvious to everyone around you. If you want things they way they used to be, go work for the railroad. They do things the same way they have since the invention of the steam engine and they are still always late.

    No cuss me out because I don't share your hatred!

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  22. 2:51 I agree with you. And no doubt, the goals of all posters who hate management are to continue to live a lower than lower middle class existence for the rest of their lives. They will never accept promotions or raises and will shun enriching themselves, as 11:15 says management is doing. Live poor and love it! I'm sure your family will still love you. But no, you expect the non-human company to love you too. Or strive to climb the ladder and see if you do things differently. The leadership is being rewarded because Gannett is one of the few who avoided bankruptcy. So why don't you burn them at the stake for that because you all say they deserve it. Lots of people are still working because of them. And the bitter ones who write on this blog who still working need to leave. Nobody wants you around.

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  23. I left Gannett five years ago. There are plenty of great jobs out there for those that want to work hard.

    I clearly remember, however, that the culture that I experienced at Gannett leads one to believe that you won't find anything better than what you have right now... working for the greatest company on earth.

    Trouble is, there are plenty of even better places to make money.

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  24. There are worse places to work than Gannett. There are also better places to work than Gannett. Most employees think that upper management is stupid, out of touch, lacking in reality. Definitely true in some cases, and true in certain cases within Gannett. I work for a very good manager who is fair to his staff. Does he micromanage? Sure, what Gannett director doesn't? That's the corporate culture. Do I agree with everything he says or does? Hell no, but at least I understand him because he will explain himself. Same with pretty much all of our directors.

    You can choose to make your working life hell, or you can accept change and move on. Nobody likes layoffs or furloughs. I've lost a lot of friends, but it's happening in any number of industries, not just publishing. Get over it and move on.

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  25. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  26. 5:59, your last line is telling indeed. Reporting, journalism, are not just about making money. If you share the Gannett mentality, why did you leave?

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  27. 6:16 -- Right now, all any Gannett employee should be concerned about is making money. Gannett has proven time and again that it's a company that is about nothing other than money. If you work for GCI hoping to serve some greater purpose you are destined to be dissapointed. Make no mistake, you are a cog in a great money making machine.

    It's best to come to terms with that. And if other things are important to you, as they are to me, your mental energy should go into finding something new to do.

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  28. I'm in Atlanta (WXIA); Dave Lougee showed up here along with Rob Mennie, Anthony Diaz and a couple of other suits for a surprise meeting yesterday morning -- where Bob Walker announced his resignation. He's going to The Weather Channel as an "EVP of Marketing and Cross Platform Development", whatever the hell that means...

    Here's the release that showed up last night on PRWeb: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/03/prweb3768614.htm

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  29. I removed a comment about Jack Williams that crossed the line.

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  30. Was there a nation-world page from USA Today in your local paper today? Mine had one. Anyone know anything about this?

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  31. I see that you have no page or article on the Scottish, or other British, titles within this mega World news web.

    In Scotland we find that the newspapers, The Heralds (daily and Sunday) which is actually the second English language newspaper still in print, and the Evening Times are completely out of kilter with the current political mood of the nation. It has become deeply entrenched in a UK unionist agenda which runs contrary to the mood within Scotland.

    They are not alone and the other "quality" title in Scotland, The Scotsman is jocularly soubriqued The Hootsmon, so music hall funny is their vehement anti Scottish independence tack.

    Needless to say sales of the title, from both stables, are soaring like lead balloons.

    I wonder if the head honchos really know what is going on Scotland apart from the spread sheet results?


    The ship is not wholly lost, if they act.

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  32. 8:28, I left the comment at 6:16 and am no longer at Gannett. I was laid off last summer and am now freelancing for a company that believes journalism is still about the truth.

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  33. May 14 is the last day for pre-press workers in Shreveport due to ad production consolidation. The paper will lose 6 of at least 8 positions. Two jobs (basically tracking the ad, scanning in art to send to the production center, etc.) will remain. I'm not aware of any official word from the publisher or others about this, although I may have missed it because of furlough.

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  34. re: why did you leave? I left because I worked for a completely insane editor. I am sure that many others have been forced into the same fate because the working conditions just became too unbearable.

    I was lucky to do this before furlough, before wage freezes, before being forced to work three jobs in eight hours without overtime.

    The skills that you have learned at Gannett will serve you well in your next job. You'll find out that other companies treat their employees better, but your dedication to your work and the level of excellence that you are committed to will remain.

    In the end, the people make the difference. The people make the product.

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  35. The newly minted business/sports editor in Reno is only a few years out of college. She has improved the sports section marginally.

    My question: How does one person handle two 60-hour-a-week jobs?

    Good luck, and I hope your life insurance policy is paid up.

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  36. I'm so sorry to bust your sexist bubble but the Sports Editor/Business Editor in Reno is a talented star in the journalism world. So go back to your little negative hole and lament about your going no where career. Lauren to the rescue!!!!!

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  37. In regard to 11:11 a.m.
    I would hope the issue isn't the quality of the woman's work so much as it is her doing the jobs of two people.

    Sports and business are specialized beats, or at least they used to be. Although it seems that these days the papers are filling with wire.

    It seems to me that the intent was merely to eliminate an editor.

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  38. There was no business editor, so once again you assume and you are wrong. Sorry

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  39. I hope the original poster wasn't being sexist. I focused on this: "How does one person handle two 60-hour-a-week jobs?" That's the bigger problem across Gannett: managers being overworked.

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  40. The finance editor assignment is only temporary and waiting to be vacated when ContentOne circulates the new Money page for commmunity papers. It is hardly a 60 hour job. Ask yourself what business does Reno have other than casinos?

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  41. 2:53 pm: "ContentOne circulates the new Money page." That's news. When does that happen?

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  42. Money page: After the dispute with larger papers is resolved, and Sports comes out. I hear before the end of the year because corporate wants to rewrite the AP contract and cut off national, world and financial wire news to these papers. Saves money.

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  43. Plus, interesting corporate politics around that: Craig Dubow is on the board of directors of The A.P.

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  44. Chris Saridakis sold about $94,000 in Gannett stock Wednesday, a new regulatory filing says. Don't know what he paid for them because they don't appear to be options.

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  45. Regarding the money page, etc...Wow is right! Years ago I used to say to myself that Gannett could save big bucks if it incorporated portions of USAT sections in its other dailies.

    But I dismissed the idea because that would lessen the value of USAT. But would it? I have no idea of USAT's sale figures from honor boxes or stands. And travlers could still pick it up in hotels.

    I guess this was the rationale for eliminating the business writing/editing staff in Westchester back in August. It's unfortunate that management never shared its plans with the troops.

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  46. re 7:10 about the new sports editor, I saw the younger-set were kept on at the Harrison paper (Journal News) last summer. Did they forget how important it is to add depth to a story, namely, depth gleaned from subject knowledge? Or maybe they forgot what it means to develop a beat, make contacts who trust you and who rely on you to tell their truths.

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  47. Wait and see what comes out of this rebellion against ContentOne's national/foreign page. I think they lose because Tara is just following orders from Dubow.
    As for conflict between USAToday and the community papers, I don't see it. I doubt there are more than a handful of subscibers who get both their local paper and USAToday

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  48. 10:24 pm: This idea isn't brand-brand new. The old Gannett News Service -- the foundation of ContentOne -- used to produce ready-made pages devoted to single subjects, didn't they? Like technology and personal finance?

    But those were meant to be supplements to coverage, rather than replacing broader swaths of news. This would border on turning entire sections of the community papers into pre-prints, especially if earlier deadlines are mandated by pages produced from the East Coast.

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  49. 1. There's no Content One Money page in the works.
    2. Papers are not required to publish the new Nation/World page from Content One. But, editors who do not run it are required to tell Marymont why they are passing on it.

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  50. Sorry, I call BS on the USAT page insert plan.

    What happens when there's a big national or world story that a paper wants to localize or put on its front page? Do readers get two doses of the same story? That's stupid.

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  51. 7:48 am: That's an interesting division of responsibility for Connell and Marymont. Does USAT staff produce the pages? Who do they report to?

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  52. 9:07 The papers are going hyperlocal, so they won't need to put world/national news on the front page.

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  53. The USA Today newsroom produces the pages. Content One editors have helped coordinate. It's a collective effort but ultimately, except for overall goals being requested by Content One, it is a USA Today production.

    Whether it is a good thing to do is a separate question. But USA Today is making the pages as strong as possible.

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  54. Even if your paper is hyperlocal, I think Podunk Press would still want to put the winner of a presidential election on the front page.

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  55. 12:14 am: It's a moment of life, after all!

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  56. ContentOne has produced a daily national world page for more than two years. Now, USA TODAY is taking over production of the page. Simple as that. Not a conspiracy to take over the world. This was driven by US Community Newspaper editors and USA TODAY. Vent about something else.

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  57. 10:38 am: in the past, was it optional use for the community dailes? One poster above suggested editors must now opt-out, which would be much harder.

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  58. Yes, it was optional. The point is, this isn't ContentOne forcing something on the field. Just as the upcoming baseball page from USA Today isn't a ContentOne mandate. That is something papers have been asking for for years.

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  59. Please explain this "hyperlocal" stuff. The powers that be in Westchester abandoned full-time coverage of some communities, and instead assigned other reporters to basically play catch-up in those areas as well as work their regular beats.

    Some officials and residents have told me they haven't heard from a TJN reporter since the cuts in August!

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  60. Hey 12:54- In NJ, our EE and ME told us that we would be "orphaning" some towns, especially those located in "demographically-undesirable zip codes" (poor ones).

    Now those towns and areas get zero coverage. And if people call and ask why no one has written about a dozen cops or teachers being laid off, we just tell them to "Get Published" online.

    That's hyper-local in 2010.

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  61. "Optional" is not really that regard ContentOne's pages. Gannett is taking a leaf out of how the old Knight-Ridder operated. Knight-Ridder told its newspapers they didn't have to use the Knight-Ridder, but if they chose an AP story or some other wire over Knight-Ridder, they had to write a letter to corporate saying why. After a while, editors got fed up writing letters, and used the Knight-Ridder wire. By requiring editors to tell Marymount why they aren't using the ContentOne pages, it is the same thing, and will have the same results.

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  62. 2:12 If that's true (and I don't doubt it is), redlining communities because they are poor (and probably minority) is a violation of traditional Gannett standards. This is a company that once boasted about its coverage of diverse affairs.

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  63. That would be akin to when Corporate told publishers that publishing Page 1 strip ads was optional.

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  64. Content One is a big corporate initiative. Any editor who opposes it will feel the heat come raise-time, when the goodies are distributed.

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  66. "Redlining" news coverage by ZIP code is nothing new for Gannett. It has been done by the News-Leader in Springfield, Mo., for years within the metro area, and coverage of the surrounding Ozarks region is a thing of the distant past altogether. The remaining coverage is aimed at affluent neighborhoods that are targets of advertisers. The pullbacks were the result of pressures handed down to the newsroom from publishers bowing to corporate greed. I saw it happen when I worked in Springfield, and it was one of the reasons I fled far from there. By the way, part of the retreat from covering the community and region took place on the watch of Kate Marymont in Springfield. So don't expect many objections on behalf of newsrooms out of her now from HQ.

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  67. 2:12 p.m., tell them to contact their local Patch.com website.

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  68. Following is an edited version of a comment by Anonymous@7:56 pm yesterday:

    Hyperlocal? What a joke. Tell me another one!

    Just as an illustrative story ... over the last few years, Wilmington has swung back and forth between hyperlocal and big-picture. For a while, the brass wanted at least one story from every town in the paper once a week. That's simply impossible given the staffing structure, and no one even tried.

    For the last few months, the push has been on A1 enterprise - big project, news trends, data stories, etc. Everyone has to turn in one A1 story a week, no matter what else they're working on. That's led to a severe shortage of B-section copy, and since none of the editors there are competent enough to plan beyond the next day, every Thursday there's usually a huge cry for weekenders just to fill the Local section beyond cops stuff.

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  69. Re 4:51 pm, calling them ContentOne pages to fit your agenda does not make them so. They will be USA TODAY pages delivered directly from USAT to USCP papers. The NatWorld pages ContentOne has produced for more than two years are strictly optional; nobody has suffered any heat for not using them. Just a fact.

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Jim says: "Proceed with caution; this is a free-for-all comment zone. I try to correct or clarify incorrect information. But I can't catch everything. Please keep your posts focused on Gannett and media-related subjects. Note that I occasionally review comments in advance, to reject inappropriate ones. And I ignore hostile posters, and recommend you do, too."

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