Can't find the right spot for your comment? Post it here, in this open forum. Real Time Comments: parked here, 24/7. (Earlier editions.)
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
43 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."
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Did anyone get a clear expanation as to what Gannett Publishing Services is all about? More to the point, who exactly is employed by this branch and now at greater risk of being laid off?
ReplyDeleteThere should be big news later today.
ReplyDeleteA reminder: I sign my posts with my first name; my photo, and a link to my Blogger profile. Any other post isn't from me.
ReplyDeleteGPS entails all production,all circulation, and all Pre=press. The unit will not report to the Publishers any longer, they will report to 5 regional VP'S. We are know a separate group, how it all works is still not completely understood
ReplyDeleteSo what do publishers do now other than the high and mighty ego act most aspire to. If this restructing keeps up Margaret Buchanan may have to wash her own car or ask a regional VP to use one of their employess to perform these tasks for her.
ReplyDeleteDid the newsroom transaction take place at Florida Today on October 11, and also were there any more cuts?
ReplyDeleteMost small paper Publisher's will be gone soon
ReplyDeleteJim, can you compile a post of how the Design Studios are working. Our site is launching and I am curious how it works on both sides. What works well? What are the problems? Is design better? Thanks. I haven't heard much discussion about this.
ReplyDeleteMeant to say our site is launching next year.
ReplyDeleteNo need for most publishers now. They do not supervise circulation, production or human resources. They also don't oversee credit or collections, advertising prepress and, in most cases, information technology or marketing. Coupled with the Design Studios, the Digital Production Center, the Client Solutions Teams and the corporate veeps over every other thing, what exactly can they do locally other than meet-and-greet, help sell ads, receive motivation from group officers, take responsibility for failed revenue plans and implement policies from above? Oh, yes: They are needed to fire people so we can add expense relief to the bottom line ($28 million in 2010, which went to raises in top executive compensation; the $28 million saved from those fires this year will cover all but $10m of Craig's disability package).
ReplyDeleteThe quarterly report comes out on Monday.
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean that there will be changes announced this week prior to that report?
Something such as more expense cuts that might ease the pain of the probable and once again terrible news.
Any speculation out there?
The commenters are right -- it really does seem that Gannett is on track to make most publisher jobs irrelevant. When you centralize everything, you don't need a publisher.
ReplyDeleteMost publisher jobs? Why not all of them?
ReplyDeleteLets all get together and have everyone call in sick on a certain day. This will be in protest of CD golden buyout. They can not fire you for calling off, so lets do this...who has an idea of some dates, How about on a Saturday night, for Sundays main. Or the middle of the week prior to the Thanksgiving paper ramp up? Who's in? I will get things going, just need some response from my fellow workers
ReplyDeleteOffing the publisher positions? Another bone-headed move. Instead? Off the entire corporate staff, let the newspapers go free, and let everyone from the publisher on down work to undo all the damage. But first replace the Gannett-installed publishers -- and VPs -- with competent ones.
ReplyDeleteFired Circulation Director in Elmira Star-Gazette today.
ReplyDeleteAll I want to say is fate has started to catch up with the trolls one of them no longer is a pain in my back. He is gone and the lord above gave him a pain in the back that he can live with forever. To the big guy upstairs thank you for this as that Jack ass gave my family some real challenges when he let me go.
ReplyDeleteIndy Star was given a 9% expense reduction target. I do not see where it will come from. This should assist with the bonus that Crotchfelt will get in January for meeting her objectives for 2011. WTG Crotchfelt.
ReplyDelete8:26, how will you get together? Everyone here is anonymous.
ReplyDeleteLike someone said on another thread, you are cowards. You will not act. You will hide and criticize, just as you have done for the last 3 years.
Email Jim your names and sites. If he's willing to, he can help organize this without corporate or the site execs knowing when or where it's happening.
ReplyDeleteSo you'll just dump it on Jim? You guys are priceless.
ReplyDeleteFrom Newspaper Death Watch:
ReplyDeleteMoney for Nothing
Gannett CEO Craig Dubow (right) resigned last week for health reasons, saying that back and hip problems prevent him for fulfilling his duties. He leaves a job that could pay him as much as $9.4 million this year, but don’t feel too bad for Dubow: He’s eligible for severance pay of up to $37 million.
The irony of this kind of executive compensation for a company that has laid off nearly 40% of its workforce over the last six years isn’t lost on former New York Times columnist Peter Lewis, who posts a savage send-up of Gannett’s extravagance on his blog. Lewis is particularly brutal in contrasting Dubow’s performance to that of Steve Jobs, who died last week:
Annual base pay: Steve Jobs $1. Craig Dubow $1.2 million.
Stock price during CEO tenure: Apple, up 4,000+ percent. Gannett, down 85 percent.
Job creation during CEO tenure: Apple, plus 28,000. Gannett: minus 20,000.
Notable new products as CEO of Apple: Macintosh, iMac, MacBook, iPod, iTunes, Apple Stores, iPhone, iPad, etc., etc.
Notable new products as CEO of Gannett: ?
Executive pay has been out of control at US companies for decades now, but the practice is particularly offensive at companies in dying industries that are downsizing their way out of existence. Is it conceivable that a talented and motivated executive could be found to lead Gannett at a salary of less than $9 million? How does a company look its employees in the eye and ask them to accept yet another layoff or salary freeze when it nearly doubled the salary of the head of its US newspaper division?
We might just go occupy Wall Street over this.
8:26 pm…Right, count me in. If I'm not there just start without me and I'll catch up with you.
ReplyDeleteBut if they get rid of publishers, who will have to do the United Way campaigns?
ReplyDelete11:21: United Way benefits the community. Gannett doesn't care about that. Employees can't afford to give to a local charity when the corporate execs are in need of that money for themselves. Furlough anyone?
ReplyDelete11:58 bullshit. You never gave when you worked 52 weeks a year. It's you and your pals who could care less about people in need in your community. I've been a UW coordinator for years. There is a certain dept that historically NEVER gives. You know who you are.
ReplyDeleteOur United Way campaign is a lot more effective now that we know the people in the posters. Their work is still here, but their jobs aren't.
ReplyDeleteI'll continue to give directly to our food bank though. United Way has to pay a CEO, they don't.
(Confidential to Bill B. - Is that really your kid in the picture? Don't worry, I won't tell the Mrs.! :) )
No guts, no glory..I WILL SPEAR HEAD A SICK DAY FOR ALL OF US. i HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE AND YOU DO NOT EITHER.. I need help to get names and contacts to organize. I am all in, who has some ideas to help me get this thing rolling
ReplyDeleteJim, can I email you and get your thoughts
Thanks
The Press Op
Come on Jim. It's put up or shut up time. You've successfully whipped all of your minions into a lather. They are waiting on you to lead them to the promised land. We are waiting expectantly for you to say "charge!" Will you or won't you?!?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteGannett employees are just amazing whiners.
ReplyDeleteComplain,find fault,blame management.Blame Jim,blame publishers,too much money for CEOs.
How does paying top management so much hurt you?
It does not effect you at all.If management would not get paid so much money,that money would not trickle down to workers.So Class Warfare here.
If you all channeled the energy in finding a new
job,you could get the hell away.Why in God's name do you stay? Myself,as well as hundreds or thousands of former Gannetteers have found the good life after.Why do so many stay and put up with this evil company?
@8:58am
ReplyDeleteCD, is that you?
9:12 Yes it is. But I have to run, my back
ReplyDeleteis still hurting from carrying all of those
disability greenbacks!
Agree with 8:58.
ReplyDeleteThose of us who have left Gannett agree.
You all have had the constant threat of being laid off for 3 YEARS. Not 3 weeks or 3 months.
Every quarters' end you deal with the same stress of how many lay offs and will I be spared,God please let it not be my turn to go.
You stay and do the work of maybe 3 or 4 employees yet you stay, and say yes sir Mr. Gannett,I'll do whatever you ask.
You have all contributed to the bonuses of top management.Without you doing the work of 3 or 4 and improving their bottom line this would not be possible as the losses would be huge.
People stay because they are waiting to get their package, which is better to do. Thats a lot of other money. I waited and it was worth it. I put up with more crap and work then others did- but you know what, I am no longer there, waited for my package.
ReplyDeleteBaby I am living the GREAT LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GANNETT sucks.
CD didn't care about anyone but himself,
so what!!!!
Do what you can and leave!!!
I know people are stressed and work is terrible but your saying to yourself, but at least I've got a job.
ReplyDeleteWrong, it's better to have a LIFE.
Gannett is a blood sucker.
an anchor
a dead weight
leave as soon as you can, you'll feel better.
A national sick day for Gannett would definitely make some headlines and bring some much needed national attention to the egregious compensation of the corporate execs.
ReplyDelete8:10 A sickout doesn't make any sense. It's highly unlikely to draw enough participation to be effective: i.e., slow or stop production of news.
ReplyDeleteFor those interested, I would suggest brainstorming a more creative solution: i.e., one that will draw the attention of major media and, especially, the investment community.
In the end, Corporate cares only about the opinion of Wall Street. If you can't capture their attention, and bring that to bear on management, little is likely to happen.
10:00: I understand your point of view. What I don't understand is why you, and the person who commented before you, can't emotionally move on the point that you don't come back here any more. If I had to guess - and I'm not trying to provoke you, just pointing out - I'd say the sole reason to come back here is to be vindictive. Just be nasty to a company and execs you hate. But in doing so, you aren't making life better for the thousands who remain. Many people, like me, come here to see if "anything is new" that will affect our lives in GCI. But for all the folks who come here, who are ex-Gannettoids, who just show up to be vile and lob grenades, I ask this: Is THIS the LIFE you keep talking about? If yours is an example of what life after Gannett is all about, I'm staying put.
ReplyDelete6:51 Historically, newsroom employees are told they should not get involved in organizations that may be the subject of news stories. That includes providing financial support. To do otherwise is unethical.
ReplyDeleteUnited Way chapters do a lot of good -- except in those rare cases where funds are mismanaged. But those rare cases occur when newsrooms don't cover UW as aggressively as they should cover all non-profits.
No I am not vindictive nor do I hate Gannett.
ReplyDeleteJust curious as Gannett was my life !
I left on my own accord in 2009 after a lot of years with the company.My 401K Gannett stock,which I sold was at $18.75 by the way.I saw the handwriting on the wall and did not want the agony of waiting until Gannett determined it was my turn to go.It can be done, I am not a rocket scientist.
I still have friends at my former site and I realize what they go through on a weekly basis.
This is not in area where unemployment is high and there are jobs available.In my new venture
I am not worked to the bone and I come back to this site occasionally to find what is going on.
I am still very curious as to why so many stay
(with the exception of those close to retirement) and put up with all that you all go through every day ,every week,every month.And how you can have a good quality of life with the super amount stress being daily thrown at you.
10:24 -
ReplyDelete8:58, 9:48, 9:56, 10:00, and 10:47 are all the same poster. He/she posts in every thread, and it's the same schtick every time, including the same bad typing skills.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete