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Wednesday, August 17, 2011
51 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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Concerning the new ititiative in the Midwest.
ReplyDeleteDoes this effect the weeklies that are attached to the larger dailies? There are many of those pubs in the midweast group.
Slow day here.
ReplyDeleteEveryone must be even more concerned and worried about upcoming layoffs.
If the people at the Midwest weeklies use computers, they're affected.
ReplyDeleteBack to the Iowa City Press Citizen layoffs.
ReplyDeleteThe newspaper that now prints the Press Citizen,
since they sold their presses 2 years ago,is the Cedar Rapids Gazette. This is the major newspaper for eastern Iowa and just 18 miles north of Iowa City.The circulation for this newspaper has increased dramatically in the last 2 years in the area around Iowa City and has certainly hurt the Press Citizen's circulation.One other poster talked about the Press Citizen's competition being the college paper,the Daily Iowan,no way is that effecting the Press Citizen.It is just that,the newspaper for the U of Iowa in Iowa City.They are being hurt by the very newspaper company that now prints them.The Cedar Rapids Gazette did some re-organizing in the last 2 years ,and they made some layoffs as well back then. But now they remain strong and have had no layoffs since that I know of,and are once again growing.
As compared to the Press Citizen,whose really classy building and complex is now sold or for sale and half of the staff is gone, and they have moved into a rented office.
Just the opposite of Gannett Corp sites.
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ReplyDeleteSusie Ellwood just sent out a survey to usaters about how to better improve employee communications. Morale not addressed. It supposedly is an anonymous survey. Fill it out honestly or bag? Thoughts?
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ReplyDeleteHere's how the IT re-org will shake out. Regional helpdesks. Local IT downgraded to simple step'n'fetch techs who will be tasked with simple things to do, supporting multiple locations from a central point (see Nashville as it support multiple locals.) If something needs a physical fix, wait for someone to make the drive out. Some networking (mostly hardware) as dictated by the regional helpdesks, some desktop support as dictated by the regional help desks. Complete loss of autonomy. Techs will maintain titles which will allow Gannett to pay them on salary, but will not reflect their actual tasks. I believe I've said this before.
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ReplyDelete2:03, that's how IT "works" in Wisconsin, too.
ReplyDeleteI thought Don Lemire just moved. What happened?
ReplyDelete8/17/2011 1:14 PM As for Ellwood's survey, I would be suspect. Too identical to Ed Cassidy's surveys during that so-called Transition last autumn. Hard to believe it is anonymous or sincere with the Director of Employee Engagement monitoring every single word.
ReplyDeleteDont respond with anything resembling honesty in any "anonymous" gannett survey. Just pretend everything fine. Hillkirk, Heather Frank and their ilk always do. And you see how their careers are flourishing, dont you?
ReplyDeleteEllwood has little credibility as it is. If she uses survey data for anything other than hearing how bad things are, she'll have nothing but more disgruntled staffers. Otherwise, she is just an extension of Hunke, who did nothing to improve his image at last week's meeting.
ReplyDeleteWe learned a hard way last week there is nothing transparent or transitional or with any substance from Hunke or Ellwood. Detroit Partnership staffers will confirm.
ReplyDeleteBig promises, little action. But the b.s from ellwood sounded better than hunke's usual complete b.s. and hey, no new veeps were announced. That's progress. Isnt it?
ReplyDelete1:14 says: Susie Ellwood just sent out a survey to usaters about how to better improve employee communications.
ReplyDeleteUm, aren't we a communication industry anymore? Shouldn't someone at the top already know how to communicate with workers?
We need to monetize that communication. Going forward, you will be charged (through EZPay or payroll deduction) every time you receive an email from corporate. On The Road with Maryam will cost double to cover mobile service.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there will be special DealChicken offers in select markets, as soon as we can find enough email addresses to launch them....
Too bad Elwood isn't meeting individually with employee groups throughout the building. She's probably spending a lot of her time dreaming about what she'll do with all those millions she gets when she takes over from Hunke.
ReplyDeleteLemire is now in Rochester so that he can be on-site with Kane (headquarters of the East Group). This group still has another Group Controller (Klink in Indy) - why do they need two? Plus Cincy has a Finance VP that acts as a Group Controller for Ohio papers and Louisville. A lot of overhead.....
ReplyDeleteEllwood has had more than two months to meet with people. What is stopping her from introducing herself to people? Is most of her time being used to see who should be canned? I dont get the completely detached management style. Then again, this is classic Gannett.
ReplyDeleteIt appears that former Gannett board member Donna Shalala, the University of Miami president, was as attentive to what was going on her school as she was to what was going on within Gannett:
ReplyDeletehttp://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/6871050/ncaa-investigating-miami-hurricanes
There was a great shot of Shalala, one of the Miami coaches and the "booster in question" on Yahoo Sports yesterday. The photo showed Shalala holding a check that she was just presented at (bowling?) fund-raising event.
ReplyDeleteYou've heard of "management by walking around?" Here at USA TODAY, we practive "management by employee survey."
ReplyDeleteJust read the blog folks and you'll figure out what everyone thought of the publisher's update. Other than Beusse and Payne - it sucked!
So, where were all the writers when this Miami/Shalala stuff was going on? After all, we've heard here for days now about how writers have it so tough because they have to be out digging and producing. Yet things like this only come out when someone decides to spill his guts in some attempt to trash others.
ReplyDeleteAnother daily example of how today's reporters suck. They cannot write, and they cannot find stories.
The comment about the Iowa student newspaper was the usual non-credible crap that people try to push across here. They know Jim won't delete it or question it.
ReplyDeleteThis time, though, it was obviously biased because the person added the standard tag about the paper being one of the best college papers in the nation. This is a standard claim, usually made by some alum who has never read another college paper.
@4:44. Laughed at your post, that was good!!
ReplyDeleteAnon@532: ESPN sat on that Univ. of Miami story for 24 hours. Yahoo! Sports broke the story last night with lots of detail -- documentation, video, audio. It's the biggest story in South Florida and it's a good thing Gannett is nowhere to be found.
ReplyDeleteAs a point of reference, Yahoo! Sports took down USC over gifts to the family of Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush -- who coincidentally is now with the Miami Dolphins.
The Miami story is HUGE.
ReplyDeleteHUGE.
They could get the "Death Penalty" over it.
Not a resume builder, Donna!
Meanwhile, slowly, but just as surely, the buying public will give Gannett the Death Penalty.
Regarding the Miami story and Shalala . . . do you suppose that if USAT or the community papers run copy on that story that they will include disclosure that Shalala was then and for years was a member of the Gannett BoD? Should they? Is there any ethical issue there? Discuss amongst yourselves.
ReplyDelete8/17/2011 4:52 PM -- believe me when I say it will not be Ellwood that knocks out Hunke but Banikarim. She is on her way with the blessing of Dubow and Martore. Can't say any of us will miss Hunke when he's gone.
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to the picture of the Booster in question and Shalala receiving a check. http://deadspin.com/5831576/yes-donna-shalala-went-bowling-with-the-rogue-miami-booster-and-sebastian-the-ibis
ReplyDeleteDon't forget this goodie from 2006, when Shalala led fight against janitors who were asking for a livable age: http://wonkette.com/155515/donna-shalala-let-them-eat-mangoes
ReplyDelete5:03 Also, Small Indiana papers under Publisher Suisman in Lafayette IN is reporting to Buchanan in Cincinnati.
ReplyDeleteVery slow at my site too. Staff is scared and being stretched very thin. You can see the desperation bleeding from the communication sent from directors. I am looking for my life jacket.
ReplyDeleteThe reduction in IT services will further jeopardize the operation and products. A continuing sign that Gannett has no plans for print media. Gannett will spin off broadcast, newspapers and online into separate entities and the profitable will survive and the non-profitable will be sold or terminated.
ReplyDeleteComing soon to a community near you.
I ran into Crotchfelt today on the elevator. She stuck her nose up since I was a man and I got off the elevator on the 3rd floor circulation. What a bleep bleep bleep. That is why she is hated around here.
ReplyDeleteAt least she smelled nice.
Here I thought I was the only guy from circulation sniffing up people in the elevator.
ReplyDeleteSolidarity, brother!
Had a great time listening to Dubow and Gracia in Montgomery today.
ReplyDeleteHere's a synopsis:
a.) Dubow won't forgo even part of his bonus because he's paid to run this company. Just because there have been huge layoffs within community newspapers, that doesn't mean he isn't doing a good job overall.
b.) I stopped listening after that.
I didn't realize Dubow walks with a cane.
10:18, are you kidding? Did he really say that?
ReplyDeleteCan someone enlighten me as to why our site is in cleanup mode and painting walls bright new colors for a corporate visit?
ReplyDeleteThis cleanup money magically appeared to make things nice for the visit from people that dont care about us. More proof that those busting their butts are not cared about.
Oh yes, 10:40, he said it. I was there, too! We were all fairly stunned.
ReplyDeleteGreat article in usat does mention Donna's to Gannett. Nice work.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/acc/2011-08-17-miami-hurricanes-under-ncaa-scrutiny-and-talk-of-death-penalty_n.htm
11:33, did he volunteer that info or was a question asked that resulted in that answer?
ReplyDeleteSomeone needs to start cleaning house at the top!
That's a pretty amazing answer and props to the person who asked the question. It says a lot about the culture of corporate leadership in this country when it's okay to fire people and cut their pay for the sole purpose of fattening your own paycheck. It strikes me as the highest order of corporate corruption, but then I don't make more money when I fire people.
ReplyDeleteDubow, Martore and the rest of the Scooby Gang are pretty tone deaf if they think that answer is going to make us respect them. I hope that one of the media reporters at the NYTimes gets a hold of the quote and does a story about it like they did when corporate cancelled real severance and went to the abysmal TPP.
If Dubow actually said that, I would have liked to have seen some follow-ups questions, such as 1. If you're doing such a good job, then why has the stock price fallen so badly since you've arrived? and 2. If you're doing such a good job, why have profits fallen?
ReplyDeleteI'm no apologist for corporate, but I was at the meeting in Montgomery and Dubow gave about as direct and dare I say reasonable answer as he could have to a question that was pointed and provocative. I thought it was a cheap stunt on the part of the questioner and proved his own immaturity more than it said anything about Dubow's tenure at Gannett.
ReplyDeleteCheap stunt? You can't be serious.
ReplyDeleteThe reporter received a standing ovation in the newsroom when he returned, I'm told. I certainly was appreciative.
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ReplyDelete"Fools?"
ReplyDelete