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Sunday, August 21, 2011
29 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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Back to the layoff situation.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone heard anything new at their site.
Actually, I am one who has been waiting for the my name to be on that list.I am ready to take my chances out there in non-Gannett land and get the hell away from this stress filled life of making money for Gannett .Actually have a couple offfers out there and waiting to jump.
But wouldn't mind some unemployment checks as I have worked my ass off for Gannett and devoted my life to them.I (stupidly) have not taken a vacation in three years because I have been so dedicated.
Yes,a salaried low level manager,How dumb have I been? Do you think my dedication means a damn thing ? Hell no.By my judgement ,I am at the top of the list next.Good by stress,hello life!!!I am certain that I speak for very many who have done the same thing.
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ReplyDelete10:29AM you know that's going to be deleted. Why write it in the first place?
ReplyDeleteClearly some folks have nothing constructive to say or add and just like to see posts removed so they can claim Jim is censoring them. Go play somewhere else.
Has there been any news coming out of the editors' meeting in the Crystal Palace yet? Wondering what catch phrases, besides "passion topics" we need to prepare for.
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ReplyDelete10:04 AM - If you have an offer you like jump now as Gannett’s employer centric termination packages no longer guarantee X amount of cash for years of service; just a guarantee to pay you the difference between unemployment and what that amount would equal each week for the weeks you’ve earned. Plus, don’t forget those payments immediately end as soon as you take a new job.
ReplyDeleteHence, if you’re fired (writing layoffs only makes Gannett look better) and you take a new job immediately you’ll get zip.
Therefore, you should consider this especially if you think you’re on next round’s list: raise your hand to go now for x amount of cash. Since you have new jobs waiting you really have nothing to lose but a job you’re more than ready to leave now.
I'm not sure "passion topics" was ever mentioned in any organized way. What is happening with the papers is so structurally intense (off site design, centralized desks, revamped websites, smaller staffs), that coverage was given just a passing mention.
ReplyDeleteInnovation at the Enquirer...http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110821/BIZ01/308190115/Innovation-Enquirer?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News
ReplyDeleteAnd given the atmosphere that's developed over the last month or two, I think it's a good thing that Jim is approving comments before they go live.
ReplyDeleteI also think it's unfortunate that he has to do so because a few irresponsible people insist on posting puerile crap want to draw attention away from the Gannett's downward spiral.
When commenters simply make fun of someone's name, it isn't productive and actually is hateful. During tough times, it is understandable that some might digress into childish behavior like this, but it certainly isn't the sign of intelligence or reason.
ReplyDeleteWe should all realize that people who might make bad decisions are still human. They have children and family you hurt with some of your horseplay. The individual may deserve to be relieved of duty, and we can discuss that here, but we should discuss the merits of the strategy and rollouts -- not the color of their hair or way they walk.
In a declining industry, we will see good people do bad things and we will see the cream of the crop leave the company, leaving us with some good and some not so good leaders. I think we've all seen the loss of what little autonomy a local property has in making key decisions about strategy. They can't secure vendors on their own nor negotiate experimental (innovate) ideas for mobile or digital without 65 people blessing them.
The local properties are distribution outlets for digital and print. They struggle to preserve some news and real journalism in the fight for expenses to do so. Its a losing proposition when growing types readers goals no longer lead some decision making.
The any type of reader mentality leads us down a road to digital growth, but a mix of readers who might not really serve the advertiser. Local advertisers will buy digital, but will churn greatly unless the audience coming gives the advertiser soem results -- and their is evidence on return for value.
So, what managers get this? What media properties are working on this? The paid model is one way to build a loyal audience, but there are others. Simply, Gannett is moving too slow in developing 'decision-maker" audiences in the mobile and other digital areas.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteVery self-indulgent piece in Sunday Enquirer about all the wonderful, innovative things happening at the paper. Company's response to community reaction to announcements about paper downsizing and moving printing to Columbus. You can read it here:
ReplyDeletehttp://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110821/BIZ01/308190115
Anyone really think this will assuage concerns among advertisers and subscribers that The Enquirer is circling the toilet?
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete2:46, at least they replaced the horrible video still that had been there! The comments are priceless with that article!
ReplyDelete10:04 am - If you have a good offer somewhere else, Take It. If you don't, you might as well hang in there. Finding a job is not that easy, the Gannett benefits end way too soon, and then there's the insurance to consider. COBRA is **really** expensive.
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind that your new company, if you are fortunate enough to find a job, might not have a great health plan, and it might be more expensive for you.
Plus, any costs you incurred that applied to a deductible while you were with Gannett are now out the window and you start over with the new deductible on a new plan.
However, if we've all learned anything it's that there's no such thing as a company being loyal to its employees. When they decide they don't need you (you're too expensive, they want to restructure your job, whatever), you're out. There's no appeal.
We all need to remember to look out for ourselves, first and foremost.
Take all of the vacation time you're entitled to. Plan the time off in January, just in case you have one of those bosses who can't approve any time off because there's no one else to do your work. If you plan ahead, there's time to arrange back-up, even if it means training your boss.
If you get laid off, you'll get paid for any unused time. If you don't, you'll have every day you're entitled to.
I have landed on my feet, but that doesn't mean there were some anxious weeks there when I thought I'd never find something.
Best of luck to all of you.
Nice 2:46
ReplyDeleteThis young lady who wrote that article in Ciny.com is young and dumb.. She failed to mention the elimination of well over 100 Production jobs, and not doubt she will be one of them soon enough. This is why the company is going down the drain, young and brain washed , don't know nothing about the real world or our lousy joblessness model, which I call it. SO SAID
1:49 pm, didn't your mother ever teach you "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"?
ReplyDeleteWhat is your purpose in making comments like these? If you have a specific complaint, maybe you should be corresponding privately with Jim, rather than posting vague hate mail on the blog. I don't understand the point of these hate comments.
I also don't really care for an explanation. Just cut it out.
Thanks.
are they required to say "easy to use" every time they mention the new format?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI've heard many comments about Karen Crotchfelt and am a little tired of hearing some of the nonsense. I'm not a fan of Karen's management style at all. Having worked for her in the past, we had a couple of large philosophical differences. That said, I really believe she will be an outstanding Publisher. She is extremely smart and very passionate about our industry. If she can learn how to motivate without fear, she could become the best. Just two cents from someone that has worked for her.
ReplyDeleteThe NY Times today has a story about expansion and rebound of local TV news after the advertising collapse a couple of years ago. Quotes Gannett broadcast extensively and uses KSDK has an example of what's happening nationally. Coincidently (maybe not coincidence) KPNX is Phoenix is also expanding its local news coverage.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/22/business/media/newly-flush-local-tv-newscasts-are-expanding.html?_r=1&hp
Holy cow. That Cincinnati video is pretty bad. The audio is so bad it makes the video virtually unwatchable.
ReplyDelete10:04, Take the job. Many of us learned the hard way that having the newspaper industry on a resume isn't necessarily considered a value as it's perceived to be unique to the newspaper industry which isn't viewed positively at large. Move on and add any new skills to your resume, it shows value outside a dying industry and even a horizontal move is a value at this point.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck to you and forget the vacation time you didn't take. Take the new job and don't look back!
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ReplyDeleteLayoffs coming in fourth q to offset the overhead a usa today. Streamline across the board. It will be the deepest yet, so those who are on the bubble need to justify what they do or produce. Ass kissers no longer welcome.
ReplyDelete1:31: The fourth quarter could be Sept. 1 or Dec. 24. Assuming you're in the know and not out to spread panic, can you be more specific?
ReplyDelete6:14, he can't because it's gossip. No source = gossip.
ReplyDeleteToo much erroneous information here. That, plus all the kiddies running loose lately, means this place is spinning down the drain.
I liked this post a whole lot better than the one you wrote before. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAdvertising Cv