Tuesday, March 29, 2011

March 28-April 3 | Your News & Comments: Part 2

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59 comments:

  1. For Part 1 of this comment thread, please go here.

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  2. In Wilmington, where I work, the new Web template we were forced to adopt makes it impossible to read subsequent "takes" of stories. All you get is the lede grafs. Clicking on the "2," "3" or "Next" at the bottom of the page gets you nowhere.
    Out of curiosity, I went to the Web pages of the Camden Courier Post and Florida Today. They have the same problem. Is this across the chain?
    The whole idea of splitting stories into multiple takes was to hit the readers with more ads as they work their way through a story. This not only makes it impossible to read the entire story, but it keeps whatever ads may be hiding on those multiple takes just that: hidden.
    Perhaps this is all part of Craig's "strategic effort to transform Gannett."

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  3. One has to wonder if 9:04 visits his own website with an ad-blocker extension turned on in his browser.

    Active ad-blockers, especially in Firefox, are the most common reason that some readers have trouble when clicking on "next page."

    Complaining about "hidden" ads while running an ad-blocker would be nicely ironic.

    Of course, her/his problem may have another cause altogether. But the Odyssey sites work properly for the vast majority of visitors.

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  4. Lieberman quits USAT:
    http://www.deadline.com/2011/03/deadline-hires-usa-todays-senior-media-reporter-david-lieberman-to-start-april-11/

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  5. what happened to the ad vp in louisville? they have quite a few metros slots now open???

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  6. No great loss on Lieberman. Mentally, he checked out years ago, beaten down by turgid management. He is replaceable, unlike some of the shrinking talent pool still at Usat.

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  7. 11:15...seriously!? That's all you have to contribute? I wonder what horrible things people will say about you when you're laid off. Yes, laid off because you don't have the good sense to leave like he did.

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  8. Furlough flub? Or just incompetence?

    Page 2A has a 15-inch story on Japan's latest nuke woes. Page 4A, the USA Today page, has the exact same story as a 3-inch brief. Does the right hand know what the right hand is doing?

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  9. Come on people... crow bar those wallets. Time to donate $5 to Jim to keep the blog running. Things are not getting better and this is the best way to find out what's coming next.

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  10. 9:04 here. No, the inability to read subsequent "takes" of a story on these Web pages is not a problem related to ad blockers. Yes, I do use Firefox with Adblock. However, deactivating Adblock makes no difference.
    In addition, I encounter this problem when using Safari with no blocker, IE with no blocker, and even on my iPhone, which has no blocking capabilities.
    My wife and my co-workers are encountering the same problem

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  11. Layoffs are what's coming next. They save a lot more money than furloughs, and the community paper division is sinking fast in many locations.

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  12. No 12:34; unlike Lieberman, I work hard, chip in where needed and im valued by fellow reporters and editors. I don't watch the clock, look at others and badmouth them and rest on my laurels, either.

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  13. The Republic reports on an expense scandal by the college Fiesta Bowl but fails to note that Publisher John Zidich holds the No. 3 position on the bowl's board of directors: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/03/29/20110329fiesta-bowl-report-lavish-spending-activities.html

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  14. Well, 9:04... It's not ALWAYS surfing with an ad blocker that makes multiple pages hard to read, though it's interesting that you usually do run Adblock.

    I just read Wilmington's three-page story, "Police initiative targets city crime," all the way to Page 3 using a Mac, a PC and an iPad (iOS Safari). I suggest you talk to your Web team; maybe you've uncovered a problem.

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  15. Word is slowly filtering in that second-quarter furloughs may be limited to certain Corporate staffers only, including publishers/general managers and other directors such as executive editors; news directors; advertising directors; IT directors, etc.

    I'm still trying to sort this out, so stay tuned for more details.

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  16. Ok I posted a reasonable comment to the Fiesta bowl scandal and the Super Sunday Jobs section by John Zidich at the Arizona Republic and they were reasonable and professional comments but now my account has been blocked from posting anymore comments to azcentral.com. Wow, unbelievable!!!!!!

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  17. Evidently if you mention Zidich's name in a comment you get banned. What a bunch of hypocritical loosers the Arizona Republic is!!!!

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  18. And the website is so Slooooow and intolerable to navigate it's like a throw back from the early 90's. I will never go to that site again. If it is representative of Gannett newspaper sites (and I suspect it is since AZ Republic is their largest newspaper) then it is no wonder the company doesn't have a grasp on the digital age.

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  19. MB in Cincy is still acting like she is the CEO of a major corporation instead of being the publisher of a 3rd rate newspaper in a flyover state. The Enquirer lacks content and service while she acts like she is the Queen of the Nile.

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  20. Geez Jim where is My Boss these days. Is she cowering in the back because the new CDO has her number?

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  21. So Jim when the word gets out about the limited furloughs will you spin it that the Gannett brass won't share this "Benefit" with the rest of the workers??? After all you ahve to make that last few hundred for the quarter. You've got to demonise the senior team.

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  22. 1:25, that same thing happened in my paper recently. However the page 1 article jumped to page 2 and that same article was repeated on page 2. If there were anyone to fire they probably would have been.

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  23. The senior team demonizes itself daily far beyond anything Jim could. Just go back and read Dubow's memo from yesterday. A more clueless bunch of twaddle would be hard to find anywhere. Someone who writes like that can't think.

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  24. That would be great news Jim. Better yet cut corporate pay by 10%

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  25. It would make sense for only corporate to furloughs. They don't make or sell our products. They just cost money.

    It would make sense. So we can all assume it really won't happen. When was the last time this company did anything that made sense? Hello. Did anyone see the memo this week? Literally.

    Do you think any of them are going to be the ones to take the hit? More likely it was a rumor floated to see who was posting on the blog.

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  26. Another reader has just told me that word is circulating about "targeted" Q2 furloughs at one of the West Group newspapers.

    Also, some sort of announcement may be made in the South Group as early as this evening, according to a third reader.

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  27. This just in from another West Group reader: Q2 furloughs may be limited to those making $80,000 or more.

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  28. A great newsman, the RGJ's John Smetana died this weekend. He was old school, never suffered fools and put this grizzled HR guy through his paces. The journalism world is worse off with the loss of John. Rest In Peace Brother John. That's 30!

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  29. Oh bother!
    http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/03/28/top-10-dying-industries/?mod=e2tw

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  30. Some things never change. Jim begs for money, and the lemming trolls talk about how the sky would fall if it weren't for the blog.

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  31. Heh how come no mention of the various employee awards. They were announced yesterday!

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  32. Each site should take poll of the employees and offer up 1 of the heads of a top paid title instead of furloughs. Wonder who it would be at each site.

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  33. 8:29, who gives a crap about a stupid award in a dying industry (haven't you heard?)

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  34. 8:34 since you will never know the joy of being recognized for your work I understand where your negativity comes from but fir all the winners.....congrats on your big day! Order the prime rib!!!

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  35. Doubt some kind of announcement will be made in the South group tonight. The only people still working are copy editors, designers, a reporter or two and the press workers. Everyone else is home or getting drunk.

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  36. rumor is correct $80,000 and above 2nd quarter furlough. pitty the work horses left to cover yet again.

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  37. 8:19 Yes, I've thought often recently of how much longer we have to go before the whole newspaper industry collapses and newspapers go the way of the dodo. The WSJ story indicates the industry will still be going with diminished revenues in 2016, or five years from now. I don't think we will make it that far. There's just too much production costs.

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  38. Found this interesting:
    http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/philadelphia-media-network-joins-three-media-companies-in-introducing-savings-spree-extended-reach-program-118854264.html

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  39. 8:49 you found a way to take news that us great for the majority of folks in USCP and still make it sound like the company is screwing the masses. Wow you are a negative fellow

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  40. Anonymous said... westcheter site major Announement coming soon Heir Apparent Tony SIMMONE will become NEW PUBILHER AND PRESIDENT HE IS READY FOR THE CHALLENGE.

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  41. 9:09 Someone is going to have to cover for them, or things will just lock up for lack of decisions.

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  42. Who is going to convene the meetings when the heavies are on their furloughs?

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  43. Sorry that anyone has to take furloughs, but gotta be honest that I'm glad if it isn't me 2nd quarter. Keep us posted!

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  44. Jim, your note of 5:31 p.m. sounds accurate based on what we were told today.

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  45. I tried the Wilmington web site and it's true, it won't load the Next link for a very long time -- but the reason is that the initial page takes forever to load completely, and you can't follow the link until it's finished. I left it alone for about half an hour and then, when everything's loaded, the Next link works. You can watch the things that are holding it up in Firebug

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  46. 9:09 Someone is going to have to cover for them, or things will just lock up for lack of decisions
    •••••••••
    Lack of decisions is right. What is keeping the company back? THE COMPANY. It's hard to be nimble and quick in a rapidly changing industry and time when you have to hurry up and wait. Required approvals take so long that those ready to buy change their mind. The latest fad is out and the compeition is competing while you are still developing something to catch up with the fad from 3 years ago. GET WITH IT G A N N E T T before you get gone.

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  47. Jim, re your 5:31pm comment, the entire tip-toeing, prima donna GCI corporate staff should be furloughed.

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  48. For once, corporate has the foresight to only make people who make the $$$ take the furlough. I have to say “Thank you“ because honestly, I don't know how I would of made it taking another week without pay. I am still behind from the last one. I know everyone talks about taking vacations or enjoying time off but I was working every job I could on my last furlough just to stay ahead of my bills.

    So from one very tired Gannett worker: Thank you Corporate. You finally made the right decision.

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  49. So much for keeping pay confidential! Yes, it's nice that they aren't making it universal, but what will be the fallout of people finding out who makes $80,000 or more?
    Also, are they suddenly realizing that they don't have enough people left at the lower pay grades to get the work done properly during furloughs?
    Another thought - does this mean it's the people earning over $80,000 who are essentially expendable?
    Just saying......

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  50. A really dumb idea: with managers furloughed, the staff will just take a week off work as well. We will see. Nothing will get done.

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  51. Not all managers make $80k. This should impact upper management who doesn't do jack crap but stroke each others and corporates ego. Make them all take it at once across the company and I bet we have the most productive week ever.

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  52. Hey, I just tried checking on my 401K at the gannett benefits website and it has a note there from LAST YEAR when the change was made to ACS.
    Did I miss a memo? I cannot get my information and it says it is in blackout til Oct. 4, which obviously is from last year when the switch was made.
    Anybody know what gives?
    Also, on the $80,000 for furloughs, geez, a bazillion reporters and editors at the AZ Republic make that and well above.

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  53. 9:13 -- At my paper, having the few people who make $80,000 a year or more take a furlough will only boost morale. They're all on the executive team and they're some of the few people who have almost nothing to do with the actual production of the paper. Sure, they make some decisions, but often they're the wrong ones and they just create more work for people below them. Having them out of the office is generally a pleasure and I suspect the operation will run more smoothly in their absence.

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  54. It's good news that people in the lower pay grades don't have to take furloughs, so we should all see it as such. Personally, I'll miss taking one, but I know not everyone is fortunate enough to be in that position, so this is a good thing.

    Here's hoping this isn't simply an indication that they're planning mass layoffs instead. The furloughs save a little bit of cash. Layoffs save A LOT.

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  55. Also, on the $80,000 for furloughs, geez, a bazillion reporters and editors at the AZ Republic make that and well above.
    3/29/2011 11:36 PM


    Easily half 1/3 of all the employees at the Arizona Republic make $80,000 or more EASY!!!

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  56. You don't have to be a manager to make more than $90,000. They're in editorial in Westchester's operation, and it's not like they're doing any heavy lifting.

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  57. Re 10:53 a.m....Don't forget the high cost of living in the NYC burbs. Then again, I wonder how those folks making half of that get by?

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  58. That is the most ridiculous statement I have ever read. You obviously don't work where I do. We are swamped and it is our responsibility to get our work done or we are accountable. I can never imagine not doing anything when my manager is gone. If anything — I have more work to do!


    A really dumb idea: with managers furloughed, the staff will just take a week off work as well. We will see. Nothing will get done.

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  59. Anonymous said...
    Also, on the $80,000 for furloughs, geez, a bazillion reporters and editors at the AZ Republic make that and well above.
    3/29/2011 11:36 PM
    Easily half 1/3 of all the employees at the Arizona Republic make $80,000 or more EASY!!!
    3/30/2011 9:48 AM

    Not true for their KPNX colleagues that have moved into the building. Experienced staff on the TV side of their newsroom make much less. Guess we'll know who makes what on furlough days.

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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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