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Wednesday, March 09, 2011
41 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."
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For Part 2 of this comment thread, please go here.
ReplyDeleteRe. Dubow's bold prediction of doubling digital revenue as a percentage of whole on Fox Biz:
ReplyDeleteHe also said he'd double GCI stock within his first year of being CEO. Now, how's THAT working out?
Had Joe Namath had been as equally accurate in his predictions, the NFL and AFL would never have merged.
Has anyone seen "The Company Men," a film about older workers losing their jobs with little or no hope of getting another?
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen it, but it sounds like it shows the effects of abuse of senior employees in the workplace. It's about a huge conglomerate that mistreats people in its quest for higher profits.
Kevin Costner, Ben Affleck and some other credible stars tell the story of a how a company's short-term profit taking and abuse of workers ultimately caused its demise.
My hope is that films like this might encourage changes in laws covering senior employees.
If nothing else, Gannett managers ought to check it out.
Jesus, I just watched the Dubow interview on Fox Business. Talk about a reporter gushing and fawning over his subject. Not once did he cite how the company boosted its profits on the backs of laid-off and furloughed workers. Nor did he ask why Gannett's market cap -- its net value -- is so meager compared to upstarts like Facebook, Groupon and Twitter. This was basically an ad for Gannett. Did Gannett buy some ad time on Fox for its logo campaign? Maybe they just did a trade.
ReplyDeleteThe Company Men is a great film. I couldn't stop thinking about Gannett during the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteGannett is as anti-union as any company in history. Fox is run by Murdoch, a smarter and foxier version of Al Neuharth. Fox is as right-wing as a company can get, and we know what the right wingers want to do with unions these days.
ReplyDeleteAND MAYBE THE IDEA WAS TO GIVE A LIFT TO THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE. What sounds good for Gannett would be good for News Corp.
In the last thread somebody posted something about company cell phones going away. Hope that's not true. At my site very few people have company paid phones, but the travesty is that every reporter isn't assigned a smart phone.
ReplyDeleteIn an environment where the reporters are expected to Tweet, maintain company-related Facebook accounts, etc., etc., company-paid smart phones should be the standard.
I'm not going to pay for a data plan that I don't need for personal use out of pocket. And that means I'm not going to be Tweeting, etc., on the road. If the company was willing to pay for what it was asking, it would be a different story.
Getting rid of cell phones that aren't even Web capable would be one more move reinforcing the fact that we're a 20th century media company operating a decade into the 21st century. As Facebook and Google have proven, you can't afford to be one or two decades behind in the current world.
At least we have a shiny new logo. Perhaps we should amend the slogan. "It's all within reach ... unless it requires a phone or Web access."
Is this exciting or what?
ReplyDeleteFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Laura Ramos named vice president of innovation and design for Gannett’s Center for Design and Innovation
Gannett announced today that Laura Ramos, director of innovation development for Gannett’s Center for Design and Innovation, has been named vice president of innovation and design, reporting to Gracia Martore, president and chief operating officer at Gannett. She succeeds Michael Maness, who is joining the Knight Foundation as vice president of journalism and media innovation.
“Laura has played an important role in leading innovation successfully across the company, identifying future trends and relating innovation to customers’ needs. Her efforts have contributed much to the consumers and business customers we serve. I am happy to welcome her to this new position,” said Martore.
“At the same time we will miss Michael’s insight and willingness to experiment with new approaches and new thinking. While championing innovation, Michael also put consumers front and center as he sought new ways to enhance products and grow audience and sales. In his new role, Michael will be able to have an impact on the industry as a whole, furthering his passion for extending innovation in journalism across new media. ”
Ramos joined the company in 2002 as senior business analyst for USATODAY.com and later served as the director of advertising administration for USATODAY.com, where she designed, developed and implemented a sales operations and analytics infrastructure. She was promoted to director of innovation development for Gannett’s Center for Design and Innovation in 2008. Ramos is a graduate of the University of Virginia where she received a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Economics. She is pursuing an MBA in Design Strategy from the California College of the Arts.
Maness was named vice president of Innovation and Design for Gannett’s Center for Design and Innovationin 2007. He had been vice president of strategic planning for Gannett’s U.S, Community Publishing since 2006 and began his career with Gannett as market development coordinator at the Springfield (MO) News-Leader in 1997. He served as online and new media manager at Springfield before becoming director of online services at The News Journal in Wilmington, DE.
About Gannett Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) is an international media and marketing solutions company that informs and engages more than 100 million people every month through its powerful network of broadcast, digital, mobile and publishing properties. Our portfolio of trusted brands offers marketers unmatched local-to-national reach and customizable, innovative marketing solutions across any platform. Gannett is committed to connecting people – and the companies who want to reach them – with their interests and communities. For more information, visit www.gannett.com.
# # #
For media inquiries, contact: For investor inquiries, contact:
Robin Pence Jeffrey Heinz
Vice President, Corporate Communications Director, Investor Relation
703-854-6049 703-854-6917
rpence@gannett.com jheinz@gannett.com
Anyone have an opinion on this guy?
ReplyDeleteMichael Maness will become Knight Foundation's vice president of the journalism and Media Innovation program. Maness comes to Knight after more than three years as Gannett’s vice president of innovation and design.
http://www.knightblog.org/knight-welcomes-new-vp-journalism-and-media-innovation-detroit-program-director-promotes-journalism-exec
Knight is the 800-pound gorilla of journalism foundations. They make of break programs and people. If they give you money, you must follow their agenda - or else. And their agenda changes all the time.
Yes, the do a lot of good. Still, no one dares to criticize them, because they fund so many groups and even most so called independent journalism review magazines/Web sites.
Knight has very close ties to the Newseum. Contributed at least $5 million and Knight president Albert Ibaguen is chair of the Newseum board of directors.
12:18, Manness was one of Martore's favorite pets.
ReplyDeleteI'm working from my iPhone, so can't post much.
ReplyDeleteMsness' departure is very interesting -- as is his being replaced by Laura Ramos; I know less about her.
This makes me wonder: How many direct reports does Gracia Martore have with Ramos' appointment?
This is a rumor too delicious not to pass along: Anyone else hear that corporate is interested in recently resigned NPR head Vivian Schiller as the new digital czar? She's been pulling in about $700,000 plus a $100,000 bonus from NPR in the last two years, so she's in the Saridakis ballpark. She also formerly headed up digital operations at the New York Times which is why I think this rumor staarted. I think she's a little too pedigreed for Gannett and is much to the left of our editorial policy. She's a notorious b* as a boss which would mean constant arm wrestling with Gracia. But now she's quit NPR, she's available.
ReplyDeleteWhen Manness was in Westchester, he was a soulless bootlicker, attentive to those above him and utterly dismissive of those below him. He fired one guy from the website with an "oh, well, this is your last day, be on your way" sort of attitude that was, actually, textbook gannett. no wonder he became the darling in virginia.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDelete12:18, Manness was one of Martore's favorite pets.
3/09/2011 12:40 PM
Not so fast: Hired by the infamous Sue Clark-Johnson it became clear shortly thereafter that they really didn't have a job for him. Yep, he was her pet alright: good looks and that's about all he brought to the table. After a year of being in the Newspaper Division and not knowing what he really could do there, he was finally spirited off to the 11th Floor and given the Innovation Department. Shortly afterwards Sue Clark-Johnson retired, but had taken care of her pet.
I am still astonished how somebody that didn't do anything, much less innovate (if we forget the cloud thing) get's their own department??? But then, looking how that turned out, I don't blame him for leaving. Few people even knew that he was still with the company.
Yeah, he was pretty arrogant - but then so are most Executives at Gannett. I believe he did Gannett a huge favor by leaving. At least that bonus and pay-check is saved. LOL! We can put right into the branding campaign! ;))
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteYo Lemming Trolls do you have any idea how prestigious the Knight Foundation is? Do have a clue how BIG this job is? Do you have any concept what the true Digital world thinks of Manness? This guy is major player in the new media universe. You can spew all the venom you wish but MM is a Playa!!! Good luck Michael.
ReplyDeleteTo 2:22
ReplyDeleteI take offense to your comments.
I am one who left and started a now successful business.
Just because your own self esteem is so very
much in the tank does not mean that other
people with ambitions beyond Gannett cannot
excell outside of a worthless JOB at Gannett.
Do you really think that I care that you do not believe????
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteClearly someone sees something in Manness. The Knight foundation is indeed stellar. Manness has not shown any stellarness while at Gannett. But Ibarguen is not one to suffer fools lightly. What is the missing piece here and how do I find this fast track?
ReplyDeleteNPR's own story on CEO Vivian Schiller's resignation is an interesting read... well, you know, for a radio piece. Reporter quotes his 'sources' which aren't his 'bosses.'
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/4svuhxu
3:25 What counter did Martore offer Maness? If Gannett has a shiny future, as Martore & Co. believe, what did Knight offer that GCI does not? Was Maness ever considered for the chief digital officer's job? What happens to The Bold Italic entertainment site in San Francisco without Maness?
ReplyDeleteBecause Knight is a foundation, Maness' annual pay will likely be disclosed in its annual IRS report.
ReplyDelete11:58 and others: How was the Maness/ Ramos press release distributed? I don't see it on Corporate's website.
ReplyDelete"If the company was willing to pay for what it was asking,..."
ReplyDelete@11:35
Former Gannettoid here. I was IT. I refused to allow the company to piggyback on my home internet access for the same reason. If they wanted me to dial in to work, they needed to pay for the access.
Jim where us My Boss when you need her. The Manness change was known by insiders.
ReplyDelete@Jim: It came via email to employees from Gannett Communications this morning. Note the typo in the 5th graf. Guess their copy editors are on furlough, too. Here's the text:
ReplyDeleteFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Laura Ramos named vice president of innovation and design for Gannett’s Center for Design and Innovation
Gannett announced today that Laura Ramos, director of innovation development for Gannett’s Center for Design and Innovation, has been named vice president of innovation and design, reporting to Gracia Martore, president and chief operating officer at Gannett. She succeeds Michael Maness, who is joining the Knight Foundation as vice president of journalism and media innovation.
“Laura has played an important role in leading innovation successfully across the company, identifying future trends and relating innovation to customers’ needs. Her efforts have contributed much to the consumers and business customers we serve. I am happy to welcome her to this new position,” said Martore.
“At the same time we will miss Michael’s insight and willingness to experiment with new approaches and new thinking. While championing innovation, Michael also put consumers front and center as he sought new ways to enhance products and grow audience and sales. In his new role, Michael will be able to have an impact on the industry as a whole, furthering his passion for extending innovation in journalism across new media. ”
Ramos joined the company in 2002 as senior business analyst for USATODAY.com and later served as the director of advertising administration for USATODAY.com, where she designed, developed and implemented a sales operations and analytics infrastructure. She was promoted to director of innovation development for Gannett’s Center for Design and Innovation in 2008. Ramos is a graduate of the University of Virginia where she received a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Economics. She is pursuing an MBA in Design Strategy from the California College of the Arts.
Maness was named vice president of Innovation and Design for Gannett’s Center for Design and Innovationin 2007. He had been vice president of strategic planning for Gannett’s U.S, Community Publishing since 2006 and began his career with Gannett as market development coordinator at the Springfield (MO) News-Leader in 1997. He served as online and new media manager at Springfield before becoming director of online services at The News Journal in Wilmington, DE.
About Gannett Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) is an international media and marketing solutions company that informs and engages more than 100 million people every month through its powerful network of broadcast, digital, mobile and publishing properties. Our portfolio of trusted brands offers marketers unmatched local-to-national reach and customizable, innovative marketing solutions across any platform. Gannett is committed to connecting people – and the companies who want to reach them – with their interests and communities. For more information, visit www.gannett.com.
# # #
For media inquiries, contact: For investor inquiries, contact:
Robin Pence Jeffrey Heinz
Vice President, Corporate Communications Director, Investor Relation
703-854-6049 703-854-6917
rpence@gannett.com jheinz@gannett.com
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteManess spoke well and sold himself better. A great sniper in internal Gannett wars of old.
ReplyDeleteTo his credit he convinced management to try and to accept the risk of failure. Never got around to succeeding though. He exited without ever being accountable for results. Maybe they just aren't public. Can anyone name some of the results of projects or 11g led acquisitions?
Ramos might be stuck holding the bag when the Board actually wants to see results in business terms. What is her history? Any tangible leadership roles or innovative successes? Could she hold the same the job outside of Gannett? Maybe her promotion is the equivalent of the PointRoll retention deal. What else could Gracia do to cya with the board? Laura will have less time than Maness to leverage this title into her next job.
Was Jennifer Carroll in play for this role or is she still forced into the background?
Maness = MyBoss, maybe? Think about it.
Nope My Boss is a woman in Digital. She doesn't have a clue. You will see. She only repeats what she hears her boss say.
ReplyDeleteJim I'm glad you raised your journalistic standards. Lovely post by 7:43. Yeah you're not biased!
ReplyDelete8:06 Thank you for drawing that to my attention. By way of explanation, I'm often offline, so can't always remove comments as quickly as I would like to.
ReplyDeleteManess's accomplishments:
ReplyDelete1. Cozi
2. Ripple6
3. MakeTheCharts
4. DIG
5. Bold Italic
6. NewsJournal website
7. Sticky notes
8. Magic Markers
9. Digital speak
10. Great slides he copied from IDEO
Seems like he will be missed by corporate. After all, these are ALL very important initiatives!!!
Why no details about Cavone. Seems Tommy Donovan has his hands full between westchester and NJ ... How much can this Superman handle?
ReplyDeleteOh geez, how can we forget DIG? What a joke.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Donovan, what's he planning in Westchester/Putnam/Rockland these days? Or is he just minding the store until corporate comes up with another suit?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI always thought My Boss was closely tied to Maness. (and yes, I knew him.) Many argued that wasn't true, and that he/she was digital department. I'm still not convinced. If it goes silent.... it means something.
ReplyDeleteGannett also has trouble with press releases. Its Investor RELATIONS, not Relation.
ReplyDeleteSo much time, so little to do. And they can't even proof their own release. I mean releases. If they just focused on getting the little things right, the big things might fall into place.
A round of Tiger Blood for everyone who needs a shot of inspiration at CP.
1. Cozi
ReplyDelete2. Ripple6
3. MakeTheCharts
4. DIG
5. Bold Italic
6. NewsJournal website
7. Sticky notes
8. Magic Markers
9. Digital speak
10. Great slides he copied from IDEO
Seems like he will be missed by corporate. After all, these are ALL very important initiatives!!!
3/09/2011 10:14 PM
You forgot the annoying cloud pop-up on the Corporate website. It was really important for the employees to know the temperature at any given day! ;)) Innovation at it's finest. LOL!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete