Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Nov. 14-20 | Your News & Comments: Part 2

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49 comments:

  1. There have been more than a few comments in this thread about the possibility of layoffs in December.

    I have not written this before now: A source who has been dead-on in the past says, indeed, layoffs are planned as early as January at some U.S. newspapers.

    My source did not give any more details, including whether these layoffs would be division-wide, or only at select newspapers.

    It's important for me to note that this is a tip from just one person.

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  2. Media critic thumps Gannett (and for good reason, of course, given what Jim is hearing...

    http://open.salon.com/blog/jake_highton/2011/11/15/media_critic_thumps_gannett

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  3. USA today has laid off 9 people today, so far...

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  4. Yes, USAT has laid off 9 people. Nine more VPs are to be hired in the next few weeks and they had to make room.

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  5. "Moreover, the paper is run by third-rate editors whose unredeeming characteristic is dullness, a characteristic inculcated by Gannett."

    How true, how true ...

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  6. So what were the changes in the Phoenix ad division that was posted last night?

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  7. Lee Jones can't stop the bleeding. Taking everybody down

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  8. Were the nine employees laid off at USA Today all in the same department -- or were they spread across the newspaper?

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  9. From my understanding, all Sales VP's.

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  10. Jones & Jacobson Q4 #'s are putrid. Hunke needs to show Martore something positive & they don't care about hard working people.
    Leadership has been suspect since those 2 joined.
    Sad day

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  11. 3:47 I found this on USA Today's website:

    Advertising Vice Presidents

    Lee Jones
    Sr. Vice President/Advertising

    Lori Erdos
    Vice President/Advertising Sales

    Tony Hill
    Vice President/Advertising Sales

    Chris Wilcox
    Vice President/Advertising Sales

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  12. Tony Hill is gone.

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  13. All good people, those being let go, but these are not to cut costs but a recognition of USA TODAY sales people just not getting the job done.

    Whether anyone can get the job done is a good question, but this is a different kind of layoff. We shall see...

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  14. "Moreover, the (Reno) paper is run by third-rate editors whose unredeeming characteristic is dullness, a characteristic inculcated by Gannett."

    Same can be said for almost all Gannett editors, all the way down the ranks. Good editors know better than to work for Gannett. Reno's top editor's previous job was running Gannett's God-awful alt-weekly in Cincinnati.

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  15. 4:52 Were all these positions eliminated -- or will these people be replaced?

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  16. So Lee and Andy too?

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  17. I think Chris Wilcox is still in

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  18. I've heard a lot of sniping on this blog about the fact that the Patch and Main St. Connects startups are hiring inexperienced reporters to create content and "that is a job for real journalists". Interesting... now Gannett is looking to pick up amateur journalists to help the "real journalists"compete with the kids.

    This is from one of Poughkeepsie Journal's latest headlines;

    "The Poughkeepsie Journal is looking to partner with community members to provide hometown news from all Dutchess County communities. We'll provide basic journalism training and the audience and reach of the largest website based in and about Dutchess County. Journalism experience is preferred but not required."

    http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20111115/NEWS01/111115006/Journal-seeks-community-partners-enhance-coverage?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|PoughkeepsieJournal.com

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  19. 5:08 and others: Are you saying that Lee Jones himself is out?

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  20. So much for your first post Jim. Your great source didn't tell you about today?

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  21. Maybe someone from Cincinnati could post Washburn's memo to the staff about spelling and grammar? Love to read it. It was sparked, no doubt, but the many, many complaints about poor editing posted on publisher Buchanan's column Sunday.

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  22. 5:56 USAT isn't part of the U.S. community newspaper division.

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  23. Define "hiring" 5:36 - they aren't paying anybody, they are trying to get filler for the Towns pages for free.

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  24. Lee Jones is just taking orders from Mariyam & Tom Beusse.
    He's next. He cut all VPs including Hill & Erdos.
    USATODAY must be a takeover target so fat must be cut. USATODAY produces less than 5% of GCI market cap

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  25. 6:16 I can imagine Jones is being influenced by Banikarim -- but responding to orders?

    And Beusse? That seems even less likely.

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  26. Sorry to all that lost their jobs I know it is devastating. Good luck

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  27. Jim-
    It's Beusse/Bankrim show now. Everyone in Sales/Mktg knows it/fears it

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  28. No matter what one's sympathies, posts such as 6:27's are good to see. Some rubber-meets-the-road humanity! There is an understandably deserved tendency for schadenfreude, but still, a job is a job as 20,000 employees before them can attest, all, each and every, bathwater to Gannett.

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  29. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  30. Eddie, Hill and Wilcox gone. When your people cant sell ads, who you gonna call. Not these goners. The Martore & Mariyam Show is just starting, kids. Fear these two. They are chummy on the outside, snakes on the inside. No one is safe.

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  31. 6:27 I actually know that it is more devastating to stay with GANNETT

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  32. Word is ad dollars in November looking good, much improved.

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  33. More upset Gannett readers...

    http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20111115/NEWS01/111150310/Readers-weigh-livingstondaily-com-changes?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage

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  34. That's right haters! Things are turning around for Gannett. Future is looking good!!!! Check the numbers!

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  35. Keep hearing weird rumors about The News Journal in Wilmington Delaware being put on the chopping block to be shut down which I find extremely odd since we have great numbers. Heard corporate gave us a year to get in order but think this is just a crazy rumor out of control. Makes no sense at all to me.
    Anyone have any insight on this?

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  36. How can the numbers be checked when you won't disclose them? It's easy to say, harder to prove.

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  37. 10:54 p.m. thanks for the link. Here's a reader comment from that story. We're not pulling the wool over anyone's eyes, are we?

    "I have to agree that some people go a little overboard with how crude and insensitive thier comments are. But this will not work because as others have pointed out you can create a fake name on facebook as you can on this current site. If they would moderate the posts a little better we wouldn't be having this problem. I think it is a failing paper's attempt at reaching a broader audience. It has people talking already... so it has obviously worked so far."

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  38. 11:06 Don't get your hopes up, where not haters,
    we just have our eyes open. But it's always good to see YOuR reaction to anything, better watch out you could be that deer in the headlights, GANNETT continues to NOT print.

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  39. 10:52
    You say that your numbers are up.What site are you at?
    Our site is down so low is incredible that the doors are still open.
    Ad sizes are expanded at no charge just to fill space and make the impression of real ad sales increases.Ads are duplicated on differnent pages
    and sections,color is added at no charge,all to
    give the impression of having successful ad customers.It is just ridiculous!!

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  40. circulation up year over year cherry hill unbelieveable

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  41. I'd love for our papers to give super deals on advertising - free duplicates, supersizing ads, new account offers. So much of sales is psychological.

    Just as a family will cut spending if all their friends and neighbors are, even if they're financially secure - our healthy customers will cut back if they don't see their competitors or neighbors in the paper. Newsprint is a relatively cheap way to boost results of advertisers, in turn polishing the reputation of the paper, and giving us more inches of newshole for readers.

    It's the best form of stimulus - as long as it's managed well and pushes new growth.

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  42. USA TODAY always had an excessive amount of managers. 40 sales reps managed by 5-6 directors and 4 VP's? Complete overkill.

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  43. Lori Erdos and Tony Hill were two of the best at USAToday. What a bunch of idiots who keep firing all the good people.

    Lori and Tony brought in millions of dollars into USAT and Gannett over the years.
    Maryam, where is your revenue stream? Not a single penny.

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  44. 9:34 a.m.: Whoever told you that is lying.

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  45. Jim, your comment that USAT is not a part of USCP does not seem entirely correct, and perhaps needs some clarification. Aren't the USCP and USAT (printing and circ) all one group now, headed by Evan Ray, under the moniker GPS?

    I have stated here before that Gannett wants nothing to do with presses and printing, so they formed the GPS... which, once that unit is sold off in a year or so, will ultimately allow Gannett to shed 10,000 people and all the property, presses and mailrooms associated with newspapers.

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  46. 2:24 To me, that doesn't mean USAT is part of U.S. Community Publishing. They remain separate, with their production and distribution operations now comprising a new, separate division, Gannett Publishing Services.

    Here's what I meant about USAT being separate from USCP, which is lead by President Bob Dickey:

    Historically, there was a USAT Group, which I think included some or all of the following: USAT; the Detroit operations; Gannett Government Media and Gannett Offset. (Gannett Offset is now part of Gannett Publishing Services.)

    The USAT Group was/is run by USAT's publisher, now Dave Hunke, which is one reason why that executive is a member of the powerful Gannett Management Committee, led by CEO Gracia Martore.

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  47. To 9:34. Cherry hill's circulation (daily) is not up. Per the most recent abc report, daily average has fallen to a pitiful 50,800. And those numbers for period ending 9/30 are probably as phony as hell, and, have fallen further since.

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  48. Massive failure on all fronts at USAT.

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  49. Will USAT still go to Cannes without Erdos? She held the whole damn thing together. There's no one left that can do it.

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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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