Gannett Digital is holding a two-day meeting for top managers starting Monday, an event at Corporate's offices in McLean, Va., meant to pull together Gannett's far-flung and often fractious operations. Leading the "Accelerated Solutions Environment" workshop: David Payne, named chief digital officer in March, and his recently hired No. 2, Mitch Gelman.
Here's a memo summary: "This workshop will help facilitate business, technology, content and design all working together and thinking together to achieve a common goal. In order for this workshop to be successful we will need all participants to dedicate two full days to high-focus and high-activity processes."
I'm trying to gather the names on what I believe is an invitation list so we can see which divisions -- U.S. Community Publishing, etc. -- are represented.
Earlier: Editors of GCI's biggest newspapers to meet at McLean Aug. 16-18 to discuss newsroom future after layoffs.
Know who's attending? Post replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.
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I'm trying to gather the names on what I believe is an invitation list so we can see which divisions -- U.S. Community Publishing, etc. -- are represented.
Earlier: Editors of GCI's biggest newspapers to meet at McLean Aug. 16-18 to discuss newsroom future after layoffs.
Know who's attending? Post replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.
This meeting is the brain child of David Payne's "consultant", Trish Squillaro from Candor Consulting. Apparently, she is pulling the strings and has Payne wrapped around her finger.
ReplyDeleteDavis Payne has showed up at the office one day a week and has no clue how to run a business. He is jumping on Deal Chicken as if it was his own idea. So far, he has done very little. Maybe he should show up at work and he can meet his team.
6:31 that's Bullshit. This guy us working his ass off. Another example of a person who can't see the future, doesnt want to see the future and hates anyone who promises to upset his archaic view of life. Sorry but I am going to continue to call you Lemming Trolls out because YOU are what will doom are company not people like Payne. I support where we are going and proud to say so! Have at it haters.
ReplyDelete7:55: If you are one of the writers for Gannett, you're going to be the one to Doom ARE company. Are? Seriously?
ReplyDelete"work for the common goal" Is that the new catchphrase for make more money for Dubow?
ReplyDelete9:12 ooh that hurt. Is that the best the early bird hater has to offer? Next!
ReplyDeleteWill believe it when I see some kind of progress or innovative ideas from digital. Someone please give me 1 example of anything digital has done to improve content at the community papers. One!
ReplyDelete9:39, you sound so angry. It's tough when no one gets what's going on and you have nothing to show for it, huh?
ReplyDelete11:34, I'd just like to point out that your mother wears combat boots.
ReplyDelete10:33, I don't believe the content at community papers can actually be improved. And that's not Digital's fault.
ReplyDeletePayne is a ray of hope for Gannett, at least on the digital front.
ReplyDeleteLet's give him a chance. Everyone who sees his presentation about how to change Gannett's websites (less clutter, a better user experiuence, ads only where they make sense), comes away impressed. But will the company let him follow through?
But he is not an empty suit. It's the first new hire that has impressed people.
If Gannett really wanted to “Accelerate Solutions” it would stop trying to ram the same limited, late-to-market ideas and solutions equally throughout its very diverse market areas.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, if that’s the goal of this meeting, then Gannett will continue to fall further behind more nimble, creative entrants to its various markets.
What Gannett really needs to do is to unleash what little, remaining entrepreneurial souls it has left in some of its markets to do what they know needs to be done. It can be as simple as getting corporate the hell out of their way with its never ending edicts and lack of speed right up to setting up internal “Angel Funds” the monies of which would go to support the most promising ideas and projects throughout Gannett.
Of course, that’s not the way Gannett’s Borg-like management operates, exactly why it’s still testing tools and ideas in a space that its competitors have either long profited from and/or abandoned long ago.
12:03: Technically, the content at Gannett papers COULD be improved, but that would take, uh, bigger newsroom budgets and more employees. And possibly a vision.
ReplyDeleteIf there is a "Common Goal" and a meeting to get everybody on board, shouldn't that "Common Goal" already be something everybody knows?
ReplyDeleteIf part of Payne's idea for changing the web template involves removing even a quarter of the ads, it will be an improvement. If the goal with the current design is to draw people to the sites they are failing miserably. Gannett websites are practically unreadable.
ReplyDeleteLet me tell ya, this guy Payne is the real deal. I'm usually skeptical about Gannett leadership in general. But I've heard him outline his vision for where to take our websites, and between him and Gelman it seems like FINALLY journalism is going to matter in the equation. Say goodbye to crappy looking pages with push-down ads.
ReplyDeleteKeep your fingers crossed. If they can pull this off, it could be the "big reset" we need. And trust me, it's been a long, long, longggggg time since I felt like I could say anything remotely as hopeful as this.
Thank you, 10:47. I'm beginning to have hope, too!
ReplyDelete10:47p...is that you David Payne? I didn't thinkmyou had the balls to comment on here. Good job self promoting....short tail media...failure!
ReplyDeleteFolks 6:37 is what is holding are company back. Anyone in a senior position is stupid, they are under appreciated, no plan will work. Sad really.
ReplyDeleteI've been critical of senior management many times on this site (bloated management infrastructure, focus on distribution over content, horrible handling of employee communications and firings, etc.).
ReplyDeleteBut, Payne may be someone to rally behind. I saw his plan and think it makes sense. But, again...it about the CONTENT! If we continue to cut newsroom staff we will ultimately lose.
@2:37 come on now, the common goal is lay-offs!
ReplyDeleteANONMOUS SAID... LOOK FOR MORE CUTS AND LAYOFFS IN SEPTEMBER AND BYE END OF YEAR AT GCI. BRACES FOR MORE DOWNSIDING AND DEEP CUTS AS BUSINESS NOSE DIVE AND TANK.
ReplyDeleteWell put, @12:11. Encouraging and funding the "entrepreneurial" spirit of people like James Jackson, Mike Coleman, and Traci Bauer would be the best strategic thing Gannett could do to grow Digital.
ReplyDeleteI hope we dont have the duplicitious bs management is so good at. Rah rah announcements and new obtuse job titles on the upper end, followed by cost cutting and crimping on the editorial side. Can payne overcome the poseurs, liars and corporate culture? I fear he'll ultimately be too frustrated by the Dubows, Hunkes and their widespread ilk. Banikarim already has one foot out the door. She sees these morons for what they are, self righteous know nothings.
ReplyDeleteUsa Today will never get on the right track with current leadership. Too many chiefs who have no idea what they are doing. Many are simply unqualified and have no idea what to do.
ReplyDeleteThe first post here mentions Candor Consulting, which has nothing to do with the 2-day meeting. Another consultant is taking the lead on this one. Speaking of other consultants, Gannett has numerous consultants and consulting firms working on various part of the transformation. These include large firms such as the Boston Consulting Group, Booz Allen and The Purpose Institute. Engaging several firms on distinct projects such as this is the norm in corporate America.
ReplyDelete