Monday, July 18, 2011

USAT | Bad news, and good, in today's Q2 report

Nearly a year into USA Today's high-profile reorganization, here's some of what today's second-quarter earnings report says about the financial health of Gannett's best-known brand: "At USA Today, substantial growth in the quarter in the telecommunications and financial categories was more than offset by declines in the travel, technology, automotive and retail categories. . . . Digital revenues at USA Today were 22.9% higher."

25 comments:

  1. Too bad the verticals have contributed so little go overall digital revenue increase. And in terms of profitability, a major dog. Several six figure management salaries for do nothing GMs and handsoff managers.

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  2. Too bad usat has so much useless managerial overhead on the editorial and business side.

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  3. Too bad they're running bullshit 32-page papers.

    What a disaster.

    Circulation's tanking. The advertising's wa-a-ay overpriced & a sales staff that can't sell squat.

    Is there really - honestly - any management there?

    Gath

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  4. Looks like the USATers who read this blog are too embarrassed for their newspaper to post the latest outrage: Heather Frank has managed to kick the editorial page people out of their longtime digs so she can have Brian Gallagher's choice office and her people can snarf up the rest, including the bookroom in adjacent Life, which has the misfortune to have a wall of windows. Three of her cronies are going in that area after they take all the books and shelving out, cut out and hang doors, build walls and remodel. Where's the money coming from for all this, you ask? Got me.

    The books are going to be inconveniently housed on the second floor, while the editorial page staff is being exiled to the fifth floor.

    If you're a newspaper journalist and you have an office with a view, start putting your stuff in boxes. It's only a matter of time before some covetous ex-AOLer shows up and tells you it's time to go.

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  5. @10:43, yet another example of Hunke asleep at the wheel. I'm amazed that he gets seven-figure compensation for roving around the country speaking to Rotarians and Kiwanis. Must have an important cousin someplace.

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  6. Once these people have offices, theyll function much better. Steering clear of real journalists with actual newspaper experience makes a lot of sense. I just hope we can create enough offices for all of Heather's future hires. Now that editors are driving off experienced reporters on the print side, Heather can expand her empire with Her BFFs from the good old days at AOL.

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  7. Useless expense for an equally useless management crew. Can anyone tell me if these people are qualified at their jobs? I see no evidence.

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  8. Copy editors moved during the Great Transformation have been complaining if you talk too loudly near their desks. Perhaps Hunke can authirize offices for these out of touch primma donnas, too.

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  9. Haha 8:23. That's just one copy editor. So let's not paint the whole copy desk as out-of-touch prima donnas. And try not to alienate your hardworking co-workers. Clearly you need them since you can neither punctuate nor spell.

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  10. Punctuation is no longer in the budget

    Spellin neither

    internetz dont need no grammer

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  11. You are correct, 10:35 a.m. I could pick any story on my Wisconsin Web site right now and find at least one error.

    "When pressed to answer more specifically whether local governments should control their tax rates, Hopper said he supports local control but was cut then cut off by the forum moderator due to time constraints."

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  12. 11:04 - no, actually we are bringing knives to our debates - he was cut, then cut off. :)

    First and wrong is still first.

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  13. "First and wrong is still first."

    Sadly enough, all too true.

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  14. Even if one copy editor complained about newsroom noise, it is one too many. She should find a job in a library. Or a morgue.

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

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  16. 8:23 must be one of those people whose copy was always getting put through several reviews because his writing sucked. Tough break, 8:23. Try to man up, though, you whining baby.

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  17. The last two posters are obviously the copy editors in question. They are the whiners. A boring, dead end job with little responsibilty doesn't require you to be nasty. And while you chose not to engage with others in the newsroom, dont chide the rest of us for conversing in your hallowed work zone. Newsrooms are supposed to be places of energy and lively discussion. Pardon us if that bothers you.

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  18. You gotta laugh at the absurdity of the no talking mantra around copy desks. Complaining about too much loud conversation in a NEWSROOM? I hear there are openings at Vows of Silence Today.

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  19. You can tell by the numerous mistakes in 1:54's post that he's bitter because his writing is terrible. So he blames others. Typical newsroom clown -- no wonder he wants a circus environment.

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  20. 9:14. Miss Oh-so Sensitive: No one wants a circus environment - unless you are auditioning for the freak show. So check your ego and anger at the door when you come in for your pressure-filled shift on the copy desk.
    Ask yourself who is "bitter." Sounds like its you. And feel free to copy edit this blog item, you obviously don't have enough to do to keep yourself busy, besides standing by anxiously worrying if someone is going to break your concentration by talking too loudly. Perhaps some noise cancelling headphones would work for you.

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  21. Copy editors doth protest too much. Find some actual work to do and you won't be bothered by 'voices.'

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  22. It's funny to see all the mediocre writers here bitching about the copy desk, especially with more mistakes showing up now that the terrible writing is going straight to publication. Guess the "writers" who never learned the language are going to have to improve.

    Speaking of which, the sentence "Sounds like its you" should say "it's." This has probably been fixed a couple thousand times in your copy, but you are too dumb to notice. Start noticing.

    Writers who make the same basic mistakes over and over are funny when they try to get aggressive.

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  23. @4:20, um, not all of us work gravy shifts. Some of us still work nights, weekends and even holidays. Gasp. Better not to assume, "dumb dumb."

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  24. I assume nothing, unlike your assumption that I am a reporter. I saw you come in today and post on this blog. Not very smart, but then that is why you are where you are. So go on hating. Just make sure it's for the right reasons.

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  25. 4:51 could use some copy editing of her own. Maybe one of the mediocre newsroom clowns can be of assistance correcting your typos, grammatical errors and punctuation when they get off the 'gravy' shift.

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