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Tuesday, October 11, 2011
42 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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If one were to retire from GCI today, are there any health benefits other than COBRA?
ReplyDeleteOther than death, I mean?
Not unless your initials are Craig Dubow.
ReplyDeleteA breakdown of the new US Presswire / Gannett contract. Although it is just for photographers who choose to work with USPW/Gannett, it is a pretty onerous contract and gives you an indication of the way company is headed. Pay rate is $100 per day. Not per game. No expense reimbursement. Shoot two games or events that day, work 14 hours, here's your $100.
ReplyDeleteThey have Narrative Science for the words and now USPW for the photos. Soon they will have no need for writers or photographers.
http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/2011/10/contract-analysis-gannettus-presswire.html
8:25 What's scary is that there are photographers who will actually sign that contract. Most will be guys with a camera who have high-paying day jobs who just want a credential to get on the sidelines. A similar thing happened back in days of film. A lot of shooters were content to get a credential and a pocket full of free film. Not a nickel for their time, expenses. The difference: then everyone had to manual focus on moving targets (rather tricky); now you just press the auto focus button. A sad day.
ReplyDeleteHey..Gannett is hiring
ReplyDeleteEditor/VP of News in Nashvillehttp://www.jobs.net/jobs/gannett/job/editor-vice-president-news-nashville-tn/J8C6VR6BNX1HKM6XQ85/
President/Publisher in Shreveporthttp://www.jobs.net/jobs/gannett/job/president-and-publisher-shreveport-la/J3T6R6648KHQ3HW06G3/
For 7:07 AM:
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago, I posed that same question to corporate HR. They informed me that retiree health insurance would be available to my wife and I for premiums of upwards of $14k per year. I don't know if even this is still available. Death is looking better and better.
9:26 Both of those jobs should be listed under: Sell you soul and ethics, but grab a comfortable living for yourself in the meantime.
ReplyDeleteJim's reporting on Dubow's parachute is starting to get wide pickup on the Interwebs.
ReplyDeleteI just saw one commenter who suggested hiring a private detective to trail Dubow and make sure he's really disabled, not out playing tennis. That's a pretty funny idea.
This 61-year-old male ex-Gannettoid is paying $6,384 this year for Gannett retiree health insurance. I would expect that going out and getting insurance on the private market would be just as costly, if not more so, and would probably have a $1,500 or $2,000 deductable larded on top.
ReplyDelete10:10, That's a great idea, who wants to start taking up a collection to hire the P.I.?
ReplyDeleteStill waiting on names Jim, If not less than 20 were let go, who are they? VP of circ in Louisville is all I got. You bloggers have to have names or my assumption is right, their were no 20 let go, just a PR move to make the average joe think some big shots were getting canned
ReplyDeleteThe hiring of a PI to do this sort of thing happens all the time. Many PIs specialize in disability insurance fraud. It's common. It's easy to do too, because if people aren't really as injured as they claim to be, the natural inclination is to get out and do things. As a reporter, I once had to report on a kid who claimed a school employee broke his wrist. When I drove by the kid's home (unknown to the kid or his family), I couldn't help but notice that he was literally doing cartwheels on the front lawn.
ReplyDeleteSuffice to say, it certainly gave me needed perspective to report my story. PIs do the same sort of thing. It's actually a good idea.
"now you just press the auto focus button"
ReplyDelete8:42, you have no idea what you're talking about.
Also, that other word is "deductible." If you're going to talk about it, know how to spell it.
No need to reply with the standard silliness about how no one cares about spelling or they know what you're talking about anyway. Just fix it.
@11:49 - Since the only 2 things you could point out were spelling related, I'm assuming you can't really find anything wrong with the content of the post? And as for mistakes, I am NOT on the editorial side, but the mistakes I'm forced to endure on a daily basis in EVERY form of media is appalling to me today, but apparently is just a fact of life.
ReplyDeleteJim, Any idea about the size of Martore's parachute?
ReplyDelete11:38 I've been given the name of what I believe is another one, at USAT.
ReplyDelete12:25, seriously? Commenting on someone's ignorance about photography is spelling-related?
ReplyDeleteI guess you zeroed in on the autofocus typo and thought that was the reference. It wasn't.
Dubow could be the poster boy for what is wrong with corporate America. Run a company into the ground and retire on $31 million.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the financial company CEO a few years back who said publicly that he deserved his multimillion bonus because he felt his company's multiBILLION losses would have been worse without his asture leadership.
Shareholders should demand that directors be held accountable for these outrageous parachutes.
@ 12:52 - I'm 12:25, and apparently you missed the point of the post. I was poking at 11:49 because ALL he/she pointed out about 8:42 was the spelling...I was merely saying, "get over it", it happens daily EVERYWHERE...pay attention to the CONTENT!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletePresident of Minneapolis Offset Printing facility was let go.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info about the higher up's let go, so know we have 3 names..17 to go. I herd rumors that the smaller paper's publisher's will be next on the list. At my site, the only departments that report to the Pub is Editorial and advertising. Since Production and circulation were spun off to a new unit, my Operations manger reports to the VP of Production of the region. Publisher is not in the loop he has less to do than the less he had to do prior to the new unit..poor guy
ReplyDeleteLayoffs at St. Pete:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tampabay.com/blogs/media/content/layoffs-underway-st-petersburg-times-editor-sends-memo-staff
12:59, you should take your own advice. The first part was making fun of someone who thinks all action photographers do is push autofocus and take the picture.
ReplyDelete2:46, good to see that info, but it was here yesterday.
1:46 - The publishers have to be next. With only Advertising and Editorial reporting to them, who needs them. The Ad Director and Editor can report to a regional person. Gannett will save a lot of money and the corporate bonuses will be huge.
ReplyDeleteWhy tiptoe through this baloney and let the workers know why Gannett is really dividing themselves from the Print end of the business. My guess is write offs without affecting the real direction this company is heading in. They are not stupid and don't want to be in the print business anymore. How about it My Boss? What's going to go on for the New Year without all this pondering.
ReplyDelete@ 3:14 - you still miss the point.
ReplyDelete5:09, the point was and still is that anyone who thinks action photographers just push autofocus and click is ignorant.
ReplyDeleteThis has been explained a couple of times now. If you still can't figure it out, then there's not much hope for you.
"Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete5:09, the point was and still is that anyone who thinks action photographers just push autofocus and click is ignorant."
Hey 6:13, if you DON'T think this way, you'll never be a newsroom manager!
The new poster boy for corporate greed:
ReplyDeletehttp://paidcontent.org/article/419-ex-gannett-ceo-dubow-eligible-for-37-million-pay-package/
MomsLikeMe was closed because they failed to find a buyer for the business. David Payne and Josh Resnik ran the business into the ground. Another failure that David Payne put his finger tips on. Good job!
ReplyDeleteSoon you will hear about Planet Discover and BNQT closing down as well. Cozy is pretty much dead and it seems like DealChicken has lost it's feathers. More of our local advertisers are upset they are buying their same customers. Fucking mess!
7:26 That's pretty shocking if they couldn't find a buyer at any price. Surely the database and list of subscribers would have been worth something.
ReplyDeleteBNQT closing, really? Interesting. Any more info on that? Ruddman???
ReplyDeleteThe Circ Director at USA TODAY in St Louis was let go with the GPS announcement. Also, a woman in HR and the guy that headed up subscription sales at USA TODAY.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite line from the following piece: "These people are liars."
ReplyDeletehttp://www.peterlewis.com/2011/10/10/to-the-barricades/
A treatise on the obscenity of corporate greed...
In earlier times, retirees were offered medical coverage, however I believe it was people at sites acquired by Gannett, at least it was at my site.
ReplyDelete8:45 here
ReplyDeleteSorry. The exact quote is: These people are lying.
My guess is all Circ Directors at USA TODAY will be let go. There just isn't a need for that type of a position in todays market for USAT.
ReplyDelete8:29 you are wrong. No one in HR was laid off. Please get your facts straight. Oops it's the Gannett Blog silly me
ReplyDelete7:26 are you really that ignorant. Folks this guy has no clue. Deal Chicken just passed 1.2 million in sales, and as for the rest no truth to it. Sorry but someone has to call BS
ReplyDeleteWait, there's still a USA Today?
ReplyDeleteDeal Chicken? really, who the hell would buy something so stupid- 1.2 in sales wow that should support it for a month. Moms like me tanked because it sucked- these sites gannett makes are all z list sites. no one gives a shit about them and never did.
ReplyDeletedeal chicken and moms like me are chicken shit.