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Friday, September 30, 2011
47 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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Now that Gracia and her posse have departed, guess it's OK to flub the lead headline on tallahassee.com: "Garnett Stokes off to a as FSU provost" Doh!
ReplyDeleteDoh is right!
ReplyDeleteA the second headline in the stack is
"Season's first blastof fall weather coming"
The creation of the GPS us actually a smart move. I recognize that any move Gannett makes is usually treated with sustain here but as our industry faces off with the myriad challenges associated with consumer tastes this is the first really aggressive move we've made. Like it or nit it's bold and aggressive. We need 20 more of these kinds of moves. It can't happen fast enough.
ReplyDeleteWould have been a "bold, smart" move 20 years ago, or even ten. Let us hope it proves to be a case of better late than never, but let's not get carried away.
ReplyDelete"treated with sustain" ???
ReplyDeleteLooks like one of the Tallahassee.com copy editors is posting here ...
I (heart) posters who treat this blog with sustain, like it or nit.
ReplyDeletePete was a great production boss at FT, too bad some others can't take his lead. Right now I would say that FT has the worst operations management & publisher that I have ever had to work for, I'm guessing my days are numbered because it is so poorly run. I'll work until I get my package like everyone else.
ReplyDeleteWhat's all the complaining about? In 5-10 years most of us will not have jobs who work in print. I don't know about most of you but I continue to look for something new and very much different than print. Do you really believe if you are in your 30's or 40's that you'll be retiring from Gannett? In all honesty my friends get out of Gannett, the soon the better. Start that new job as soon as possible. Just saying.
ReplyDeleteCan someone who truly understands the mechanics of this new move and especially its implications to the newsroom -- if any -- please explain them here. After reading the Gannett letter and FAQs, I'm lost as to what this means, how it works and what changes I will see at my mid-sized daily.
ReplyDeleteYour newspaper, the arizona republic, is constantly calling me to solicit. I have requested to be placed on the do not call list and have been assured I am on it. Your newspaper in Phoenix is terrible and I do not want to receive more calls. What do I do?
ReplyDelete10:43, sign up for the "do not call" list and report the Republic if you keep getting calls. You can sign up here: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/donotcall/index.html
ReplyDelete10:43am...
ReplyDeleteGo straight to the top! Call the publisher. Publishers hate it when things get dumped in their laps when it should have been handled by others. Makes 'em mad.
Unless you are one of the rare people in Gannett who have a job that is personally rewarding and brings you respect and praise from above, this company is not worth working for long-run. Why would anyone want to work for a company that freezes your pay, imposes unpaid furloughs, terminates your traditional pension, matches your 401(k) contribution with stock of dubious value, imposes greater out-of-pocket costs in your health plans, lays off good workers while keeping bad, pays an absurdly low mileage reimbursement rate for use of personal vehicles, does little in the way of worker training and professional development, exercises awful judgment in the selection and retention of executives, publishers and editors, punishes workers for disagreeing with policies and programs that are later abandoned by the company itself, has the reputation of being one of the worst companies to work for in the news business, and engages in the suicidal degradation of its products.
ReplyDeleteUnless you are among the chosen, if you are young, leave as soon as possible. If you have more than five years with the company, line up another job and get yourself laid off with full severance benefits and unemployment.
Check out the slick design studio business cards. They barely even mention Gannett. Probably a good strategy. http://yfrog.com/hsyl4yaj
ReplyDeleteJim have you actually seen the TWO letters that were sent to employees? The e-mail had two attachments.
ReplyDeleteThe second one talks about how the consolidation WILL lead to layoffs of "redundant" positions from the mashup of all these functions.
Some have already started; three people in USA TODAY's Circulation Department this morning, plus a manager who was as effective as anyone who works in the company.
You need to see BOTH documents.
"... lays off good workers while keeping bad ..."
ReplyDelete"... a manager who was as effective as anyone who works in the company ..."
Getting sense of a theme here folks?
That being that you may think you're keeping yourself immune by working so gosh dern hard for this company. But, in reality, it matters not. The visionless, gutless wonders who run the company and will order your future layoff have no idea of who you are, what you look like, what you do or how well you do it. In fact, you may say that if you did it really, really well for years and years, then you only made yourself a greater candidate for a layoff. Because you compiled a larger salary (in theory) that way. The relatively inexperienced and mediocre, on the other hand, get to stay.
Great way to run a company, huh?
10:34, here's my guess. If the newsroom or the design center is late, and the press starts late, the new production company charges the newsroom actual dollars for overtime. This is instead of people yelling at each other.
ReplyDelete12:34 p.m. I think that is one of the most intelligent things I have ever read on this blog.
ReplyDeleteGeez, even after this big bold move by Gannett, stock is still falling. Doesn't that speak volumes?
ReplyDeleteGannett is a sinking ship PRINT wise. The selfish big wigs only want to fill their pockets as much as they can and as fast as they can, they don't care how you are treated or how much stress you are under, they put their feet up on their desks-do nothing then ta.ke all the money that should go to the hard working people.
ReplyDeleteThey have you walking on egg shells when they should be grateful for putting up with their bull. Leave when you can, if you can. things will never change, I plan on getting out of here. these people are really selfish and mean!!!!!!!!
1:01 Yes, I've seen them both. In fact, I posted them yesterday for all to see. You can find a link in this post.
ReplyDelete3:50 - Interesting you should say that. I spoke with a corporate attorney the other day about the goings on in this company. He told me that when the "bigwigs" see a company that can't survive, they hire attorneys who specialize in bringing down the company so that these "bigwigs" can reap the money before it goes bankrupt. They have their trolls doing all the cost cutting they can do in order to make the stockholders think they're working for the greater good of the company. He said most times the trolls don't even realize they're being used for this purpose. Sound familiar? It was a very interesting conversation.
ReplyDelete1:38, many papers have tried that approach. Often it leads to more arguments about whose fault things were, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe subject was pensions at my production site today, Jim. Reassure me here... If this new spin-off company of Gannett goes bankrupt, would this action place our frozen pensions in jeopardy?
ReplyDeleteInteresting 4:28. The corporate pony show at my site yesterday was not genuine and served no purpose for those at the site. From the inside it feels like they are making moves to destroy us. Numbers are getting worse and worse.
ReplyDeleteMatt Jones, VP of Mobile with Gannett Digital, is leaving to join HomeDepot. Thanks to David Payne for indirectly demoting Matt, which led to the departure.
ReplyDeleteIt has to be hard to put so little meaning into so many words as I saw yesterday.
ReplyDeleteStarting tonight I think I will change my prayers. "in these difficult times lord I pray that you will present me with a new opportunity with a promising future. I have learned many lessons and made great friends but the time has come. There is nothing left to give. The weight of multiple jobs is too much to bear. With more cuts in store there is no way I can take on more. The stress is making me sick and robbing me of living a real life. To get everyhing done i work at least 9 hour a day - that is 1.5 hours above my 7.5 hour day. I am salaried so the extra 390 hours +/- a year go unpaid. That doesn't even include the hours I spend on my crackberry and working from home.
ReplyDeleteGannett doesn't care. I need a life lso please present me with what you want me to do. Please also help my friends who are suffering as well.
Hearing that 10 VPs gone today today, including 2 in Louisville & more to come. Details?
ReplyDelete@10:20 p.m.
ReplyDeleteThat sums up the way I feel too!
Thanks for posting!
@ 10:20 Amen.
ReplyDeleteThanks, 10:20!
ReplyDeleteI also asked the corporate attorney about a class action suit against the corp execs for their seemingly criminal behavior with their outrageous bonuses on the backs of employees. He said we have a legitimate case but a class action suit is not the way to approach this. He said to file a proxy suit which is very similar, but we need to find past board members who are unhappy with the decisions that have been made along with stockholders who don't think the board and execs are acting in good faith. I doubt this will be a difficult task. He said it would be a Herculean effort, but with this blog, I think it's possible. If Jim is willing to help organize this, we can pull it off.
ReplyDeleteMatt Jones was one of the few visionaty, make-it-happen digital people that Gannett and USA Today had. That's a big loss.
ReplyDelete11:04 why woyld Jim organize a campaign? He is an independent "Journalist!"
ReplyDeleteOh I just cracked myself up!
10:20, no offense, but instead of praying for something good to happen, did you ever consider that you are the one who is primarily responsible for your own career? Sure, we can all hope for the best: That things will some day get better at GCI (they won't) or that somehow the roulette wheel will spin in our favor when the next layoffs hit, then the one after that and the one after that (like those odds?).
ReplyDeleteWe can also wish for a $50 million lottery ticket to land in our laps.
The bottom line is that you either put your career destiny into the hands of a higher power (be it upon the mercy of the CP suits -- none of whom know who you are or care about your added workload -- or your deity of choice). Or you can take command of it yourself and DO something about your situation.
I have no idea what department you work in. I have no intention of advising you what kind of training/education to pursue or what kind of business to start for yourself. That's a personal decision. But I do know that you'll improve your lot in life if you get up from your knees, stop obsessing over the 1.5 to 2 hours you spend working unpaid OT for GCI, take stock in yourself, make some realistic assessments and get to work on Plan You. That's not belittling the need for a spiritual presence in your life. (Because I need that too.) But that spiritual presence may be offering you the same advice, and you're just not hearing it yet.
I was speaking with a corporate attorney who said sue the board for malfeasance in paying bonuses when others are laid off. The security commission would undoubtably help.
ReplyDeleteto 10:20 I haven't been on this blog lately, but I will tell you that I was at GANNETT for a very long long time, always gave 200 percent, people new my work, my great attitude, and my great friendship towards my co workers- in every department. I am no longer there due to cut downs in departments and I will tell you that now that I am on the other side, (and this is so truthful) it is the best thing that has happened to me. I could see all the changes that were being made at work and prepared myself for the transition. Got rid of my debt, did my homework on all that I would need to do if I were to leave, and then it happened I had a two months notice on my job elimination.
ReplyDeleteThat was ok with me.
Now that I am no longer employed at GANNETT I understand what all the posters were saying when they say there is life after GANNETT.
I love this life, MY life again. What a breath of fresh air. I am enjoying every minute.
NO more STRESS,terrible schedules,Nasty, lazy & rude bosses, favoritism, low morale atmosphere, watching backstabbing going on & every other unproductive effort transpiring.
HR was not there to help with any situation
(all very misinformed by this department)
The publisher only cared about certain departments.
Having said this.
I recommend, if you can, to leave GANNETT as soon as you can. Keep the sanity & enjoy your life--it's worth every minute NOT there.
8:39 - I meant to include the current board in that same lawsuit because they are probably more at fault for approving the bonuses and raises. The attorney I spoke to thought we had an excellent case. Think of the media attention. We could finally have something interesting to report in our papers!
ReplyDelete11:04. This may be somewhat similar to what you're talking about. http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2011/09/21/cincinnati-bell-lawsuit-can-proceed.html
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteRight on, 8:47. Nothing wrong with hoping for some divine intervention. But divine intervention combined with the human capacity to survive/overcome is even better. Like 8:47, I saw the writing on the wall and prepared for it. Today, can't understand why I put up with the CP crud for as long as I did. Making much more money now and the additional respect/dignity is an even greater value. It's great to be treated like an actual professional with something to contribute, versus one of the highly dispensable, unwashed riff-raff whom CD and his henchmen clearly consider as beneath them.
ReplyDeleteNot to get all spiritual here, but there's a lesson to be learned in this tale that applies to those still stuck in GCI-land:
A big flood is coming to the village. Everyone is evacuating. Except Ed. When his neighbors come to offer him a lift out of town, he declines. "God will keep me safe," Ed says.
The water floods his basement, then his first floor. So Ed goes to the second floor. An emergency crew in a boat offers to take him to safety. He declines. "No thanks," Ed says. "God will make sure I get out of here OK."
The water has overtaken his house. So Ed climbs on the roof. The last of the evac crews comes by in a helicopter and offers to send him down a ladder to climb aboard. "That's OK," Ed says. "God will save me."
Ed drowns, of course. When he gets to the pearly gates, he's a bit perplexed. "Why didn't you try to save me?" he asks God.
"Try?!?!," God says, exasperated. "I sent you a neighbor, then a boat, and then a helicopter!"
Some of you are grossly overstating what I said last night (10:20). 10:47 your post solidifies why I shared my thoughts. I am now OPEN to an opportunity that may present itself to me instead of being loyal to a company that is sucking the blood from my veins and the air from my lungs.
ReplyDelete8:24 is showing ignorance by making the lottery statement. Of course I have to take things in to my own hands and can't wait to win the lottery. The odds are stacked against me considering I don't even play. It is the sum of all the extra hours that i have given that saddens me. If you look at it as only 1.5-2 hours per it can seem minimal but the reality is i am paid for 37.5 hours and work 60+ when you factor in events, nights, early mornings, weekends, skipped lunches.
My job hunt just got serious and i am praying for the right opportunity to present itself and the wisdom to recognize it when it does. I am also praying for those within GCI feeling the way I do to find that as well.
thanks to those who were positive and encouraging.
If you guys are waiting for Jim to organize a proxy suit, then you're nuts.
ReplyDeletePeople here will do what they have always done -- nothing. Well, except post stupid things here anonymously.
You will never change. You will always be the company's pawns.
1:28: Don't bet on it.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI heard there were 14 VP's let go ---2 from Louisville...where else?
ReplyDelete