"We have some savings, but very modest. This is really about building quality."
-- News Department Vice President Kate Marymont, speaking to the Chicago Tribune about plans for Gannett's five News Design Studios. They will design and produce pages for virtually all of GCI's U.S. newspapers by the end of next year.
BS. All the other newspaper execs and analysts said that cost was driving the centralized design studios. Only a Gannett exec would say with a straight face that it was about "quality." That's why no one believes Gannett execs and we need this blog to find out real information.
ReplyDeleteThat Blasted Kate Marymont is lying. This is all about cost. If quality mattered we wouldn't be losing experienced reporters, photographers and copy editors.
ReplyDeleteHow could a reporter interview any G exec with a straight face? You're interviewing a pathological liar.
Building quality? Get real Kate. Pitiful. We have lost high quality people -- and may lose more because they're so disgusted by GCI management. I guess that laid-off Pulitzer winner wasn't all that good?
ReplyDeleteEvery one of your properties has cut quality -- not just costs. And why is it that cutting costs never means cutting bonuses? Never mind about that.
If you don't see how you have squandered high quality resources -- people and properties and trust -- well, it's as bad as we think.
If building = destroying, then that statement is true.
ReplyDeleteSad to be in the news business and have to lie to keep getting paid.
ReplyDeleteOK Kate, you said that this will "Build quality". Build quality how?
ReplyDeleteDon't give corporate buzzwords. Give specifics. How will editing and designing pages hundreds or thousands of miles away "build quality"?
And that example she gave in the story? Gee Kate, maybe Brevard would have had that "firepower" if you guys hadn't cut so many jobs.
Please define quality. Said it before and I'll say it again ... look at the Shreveport Times any day of the week and you'll see poor design and more typographical errors than you can count. Nevermind that an enormous amount of money was spent on a new press and a re-design. The outsourcing of copy editing/design has thwarted the potential the paper had to grow because people want quality when they pay for it, not something that is a joke around the watercooler. As far as those editing/laying the paper out, they don't have an investment in it because they don't have an investment in Shreveport. Therefore, they really don't care. Too many pages to get out the door in too little time with too little resources - who can blame them. So it really is not all about quality and hasn't been for a long time. Whose heads are in the sand?
ReplyDeleteShe's right. It's about building a quality money-making machine. She didn't say it was about quality journalism.
ReplyDeleteQuality? Please Kate, you haven't said very much since you replaced Phil and now we know why. Next time, keep your mouth shut so you don't look like an idiot again. How will design centers bring quality to the print product? They'll likely be using templates and I doubt some manager in Des Moines or Loisville will break deadline to redo a page for breaking news with 14 other papers lined up like aircraft on the flight deck. Vertical photo tonight? Nope. Our template is horizontal on Tuesdays? Already the introduction of your design centers has been delayed. I can just see the train wreck when it's launched. I'm just glad I no longer work for this rapidly failing company. Cut, consolidate, fire good journalists. That's a real record for success. Kate, why don't you do us all a favor and retire to the Ozarks where you came from.
ReplyDelete11:41 is correct. Not just Shreveport, but the other Louisiana papers laid out by the statewide consolidated copy desk, suffer.
ReplyDeleteHeard from a department head editor that the Design Studio has resulted in more local layoffs than the plan said would be laid off, Design Studio folks are getting paid so well that the cost savings from the layoffs will be negligable and the Design Studio folks have no clue as to what they're doing. Yep, looks like a bright future for all of us.
ReplyDelete9:22 -- From the salaries I've seen, Design Studio folks aren't being paid particularly well. In fact, experienced employees who decide to shift to a job in the Design Studio are generally looking at a pay cut.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the BS about quality is also false. There are things that local designers do right now that the design studio won't be capable of (i.e. basic infographics). That means we will either lose those (cutting down on quality) or the local papers will have to figure out ways to create them with remaining staff, so the Design Studio folks can simply drag them onto the page. Essentially, for things like that, we've created another level of workflow, and it will take longer and cost more for the same result. That may be why the Design Studio isn't resulting in mass savings. Add in the fact that the Design Studio folks don't live in the region that they're editing for (meaning they're less likely to catch errors like the misspelling of a local street name or person's name) and you have a general clusterfuck.
If, indeed, Marymount believes this will increase quality, it speaks volumes about the type of journalist Gannett is willing to promote. They apparently don't need a brain if they're really good at saying, "Yes."
There seems to be an abundant amount of delusional speak coming from execs. Is the new motto in marketing and communications "Just say it and keep saying and it will be true"?
ReplyDeleteAny respect I had for Kate Marymont just went out the window.
ReplyDeleteShe used to be a damned fine journalist. Now she is just a corporate shill.
Savings are going to the awesome Ikea lamps at the Design Centers, not salaries.
ReplyDeleteIf Brevard had had couches, they could have done their own damn space shuttle section.
10:23: What are you hearing about the range in design center pay/salaries? I've been veeeeery curious what they are paying these pre-fabbed box monkeys at the expense of local employees.
ReplyDeleteIkea lamps? Well hell. I take it all back. THAT'S quality!
ReplyDeleteI think the starting salaries are generally $24,000 to $30,000. I'm sure it depends on where the design center is and whether or not you are a supervisor, but I've heard that the basic page designer jobs are don't come with a big paycheck. It might be a raise for people designing pages at the smallest papers, but it would likely be a cut for most with any degree of experience at the mid-sized and larger papers. And they, of course, have more page designers.
ReplyDeleteHoly crap, that's cheap! For shame, Big G.
ReplyDeleteLong ago, I came to the undeniable conclusion that to rise in Gannett corporate, you had to be willing to talk out your ass. The EE at my former paper is a pathological liar, who thinks anything that comes out of his mouth is gospel, because he's the EE.
ReplyDeleteThe community is so on to him.
That's why we have the Amish setting ads in Iowa - they might be getting paid slightly more than Joe Dirt was, down in Lafayette, but a hell of a lot less than anybody in New Jersey.
ReplyDeleteBig sites get savings, NT31's take it in the ass.
The Gannett mindset of quality refers to many papers looking the same, cookie cutter style. High levels of control to maintain branding and a consistent look and feel. That's great provided the growing lack of local focus is part of the "quality" equation. It will, unfortunately, speed the current declines as readers can get national news online if they want it and with reductions in local coverage I think people know where Google is.
ReplyDeleteI recently heard through my supervisor, who was pursuing a lead job at the Des Moines site, that it was filled by the executive editor at the Register after bringing in a buddy of his from Palm Springs, Calif. Think all these jobs are wide open to anyone who applies or wants to transfer? Think again. It's all who you know. Hearing turf war between editor there and chief who is supposed to be organizing the studio, and the executive editor is calling the shots. Just the buzz I'm hearing.
ReplyDeleteFollowing on the D.M. site, received an offer of keeping salary same and $500 total bonus. Maybe I can grab an apartment in a real sketchy neighborhood. Thanks, Gannett!
ReplyDeleteI applied to the Design Center in NJ, like 4 times... and I am a laid off artist from the papers in NJ, from the paper where the NJ Design Center is located... I know people there and still can't get in... makes no frigging sense at all... don't get it. They rather transfer someone, then take a former, good/hard working employee that live 20 minutes away from the location. :-(
ReplyDelete