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.)
Saturday, December 24, 2011
39 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)
I agree with 5:20
ReplyDeleteLafayette Indiana's newspaper management staff is a joke. All for one and screw the blue collar worker. These clowns are like cyborg computers with no brains, just chips in their head that control all emotions based on newspaper production. Our Operation manager is a blow hard , self control freak who doe's nothing but figure out ways how to screw his worker bees. What a loser, a rich one at that, but you know what, his day is coming and when he gets canned, he will have no life ( not that he has one now)Poor rich a hole, hope he get stuck in the chimney Christmas night as he slivers down the chimney at the company x mas party to make his grand entrance..what a d--k
Jim, Can you do some checking for me on your wealth of knowledge in what seems to be gong on at GCI and GPS? Cincy is going to Columbus in the 4th Quarter of 2012. Rumor has it Indy need's 10 million in Press upgrades ( Press manager stated this) and they will eventually print in Louisville, saving million in labor and only a slight increase in trucking, also this is a way to bust the pressman Union and the Teamsters as well (we all know GCI thrives on this type of agenda) And last, when The Enquirer goes to the smaller format in Dayton, will they pull The Community Press papers from Lafayette, In, print site..sure Lafayette is Berliner format, but Dayton will be much smaller and so much closer to ship back to Cinncy Total Circulation Cincy about 110k, Kentucky 75k, this is in 2 separate runs, one of which is a classified section, the other runs range from 18k to 1990 papers per edition Total separate print editions with plate changes 16 for Cincy and 10 editions of the KY versions Jim I will send you the downloadable version so you can post if you want
ReplyDeleteTake care
Heh 3:50 other than taking dues away from the union how would a move to Louisville be union busting? The production facility is union.
ReplyDeleteHeh 3:50 the day Frankie Vega brought helicopters into Detroit to fly papers over the union blockade the unions were busted. They have done NOTHING since then to protect wages or jobs. Go Frankie, go Frankie, go Frankie!
ReplyDelete3:50 Over 90 Union Press ops in Cincy, the teamsters and mailroom,,,shall i go on. Do the math. Pay 1 Union shop, shut the other down. Simple
ReplyDeletethis is 3:50. I thought Vega was a maverick and I liked the guy, He had some nuts, and he was a crazy son of s gun, just the kind of guy Neuharth loved. The company would be better off today if we had more guys like Vega, and im not just talking about union busting..which I'm not found off, but in Cincys case it makes sense for the future of the company
ReplyDeleteJim,
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine who works at a very successful VC told me that former Chief Digital Officer, Saridakis personally made over $200 million on his investments in LinkedIn and Zynga and stands to make more on Facebook when it IPO's.
Why wasn't this guy running Gannett. Clearly he is a smart investor. Instead we have Gracia and her minions doing M&A here!
Hey 3:50 Look where the Detroit papers are today. Circulation down 50% and still shrinking. They cannot stop the downward spiral no matter what they do. Frank may not be entirely responsible but he sure as hell helped. Same thing in San Fran where Vega is today.
ReplyDeleteSmart investors do not know how to run newspaper companies. If you believe otherwise, Google "Sam Zell."
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete8:31 my experience has shown me that whenever a person accuses another individual of "thinking they're better than us" the problem lies with the accuser. You don't think you're good enough.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteNeed more Vegas around- he runs a hell of a great game! Go Frank! Miss ya!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully put, 8:44.
ReplyDeleteAnymore secrets someone once to reveal about Frank Veas?
ReplyDeleteAnother day, another issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer and another day without a staff-written editorial. Is there nothing going on in this city of almost 2 million that the city's only daily newspaper should be weighing in on? Aren't there some pretty suspicious bills lining up for consideration by the Ohio General Assembly? Isn't there a Fortune 500 company that's reneging on a $50 million economic development deal? For a major daily newspaper to go nearly a full week without speaking out on something is a waste of its First Amendment right. This is what happens when management lays off all but one editorial writer, the one most in the pocket of fascist kooks. Better to use the page for news hole than syndicated columns, reader letters and one long letter disguised as a "guest column."
ReplyDelete7:56 That sort of information is non-public and very closely guarded. While it could be true, I'm skeptical that any credible VC with direct knowledge would share it in such a way that it could appear here.
ReplyDeleteI live in Phoenix and recently cancelled my subscription, I feel terrible seeing the delivery person in the neighborhood knowing I and so many others no longer get the paper, (and don't really miss it). How do I find circulation numbers for the Republic? I'm curious to know how they're doing.
ReplyDelete2:21 why do you care. I've worked in the business almost 30 years. I'd brt even in the best if times less than 30% if the newsroom subscribed to home delivery. It's like a guy at Ford buying a Toyota. The newsroom has never felt obligated to support their paper. You can attack me but you know it's true.
ReplyDelete2:21 To find current circulation for newspapers, go to this ABC lookup database.
ReplyDeleteI find it's easiest to use the state/city selection option.
2:34 illustrates a problem quite correctly. When I was at the paper I felt it an obligation to read the overall product. Every day. Front to back. "I work there" -- this is what I do -- was the only rationalization I needed.
ReplyDeleteI read the wire stuff, the local stuff, even the classifieds and all the ads. I even subscribed rather than just pick up a free copy in the press room. I was into ethics then.
I thought it mattered. And now some contributors here can freely call me "people like you," good riddance to your attitude, deadwood. "Glad you're gone," from some corporate troll with their own foot and future just that far out the layoff door.
Yet, turns out, hardly anyone in my building actually read the paper, this "daily miracle."
To most, their job was "just a job" -- which explained the lack of any interest in the profession in all of its varied aspects.
It was depressing to me: Such stuff used to matter.
But a certain disconnection crept in, not so much from the staff at the bottom at first, but from these opportunistic and officious jerks at the top.
I watched all my superiors dump their Gannett stock, and chuckle about it. I would complain about a gaffe and be admonished with "who the hell cares," some mistake that would cost either in revenue on the ad side or credibility on the news side.
I would remark to my colleagues, or "the gang" as HR used to address us, about a story in the paper only to get "I never read the paper."
The people who write and/or produce the paper never read it. I would have replaced the lot, if anyone every bothered to poll its staff. They used to. At lest at my site, the staff polls were pink-misted around 2005.
No wonder, then, is it, all the cynicism now more of an insidious cancer. I'm thinkin' Stage 4.
The Enquirer also failed to give its hometown Congressman, John Boehner, a dressing down for his "leadership" on the tax/unemployment extension. We all know the Enquirer is a PR machine for the Republican Party, but even McCain, the Wall Street Journal and others jumped all over Boehner for his ignorance.
ReplyDeleteTo 4:26 - well stated. When I first began in the business, I was "forced" to read the paper every day, cover to cover. Needless to say, it quickly became a habit, and one I actually enjoyed. We were quizzed daily on the paper, so everybody read it. And yes, we felt "obligated" to subscribe, proudly so. Those days are long gone, as you well stated. I now haven't picked a paper up in over a year, and sadly to say, I don't miss it.
ReplyDeleteDear 2:34, I wrote the 2:21 post, I don't know if you currently work for the newspaper and I don't wish bad on anybody, but your "why do you care" attitude would get you fired in any industry that includes a customer. I do not work in the industry and was simply interested, both in the livelihood of the delivery person, (who I suspect has no control over the product), and my local newspaper. Thank you Mr. Hopkins for the web site and to Mr. 2:34, in whatever industry you may be involved, your attitude would be a detriment. And in most cases, an employees attitude is the visible part of their character.
ReplyDelete5:09 I will repeat the question. Since you so proudly announced you cancelled your subscription why do you care about circulation numbers? If you cared about your former carrier so much you would still subscribe. I'm not buying your sanctimonious response.
ReplyDeleteI just received my United Health Care cards. Thanks Tom Burgum and team!!!!
ReplyDeleteWilmington is doing great! Sunday circulation numbers are best in Gannett. Helps we are the only game in town but it does say tons for our people. We are at over 110% for Sunday.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas
ReplyDeletehttp://bnqt.com/photos/photo/Girls-of-The-North-Shore/21943
Nice to get a bonus, how ever after raking furloughs the last 3 tears and no pay raises, why was The Lafayette paper not included in this program. From what I understand out numbers are great, were making money..but who got the bonus,the OC members, the Publisher who is in charge of nothing anymore sense we went to GPS division and I'm sure his executive assistance. So we just keep working harder with no reward, just paycuts and furloughs. I would like to call out the Publisher of the Journal and Courier and the Operations Manager who know works for GPS, these 2 guys are like machines with no feelings for their employees. We are just numbers and our Op Manager is a ruthless SOB who only cares about himself, if he only new how much he is despised by the entire staff at The Courier. He sucks to work for, no at a boys ever, only bitching if a color ad is out of registration only to a glass lens. I only hope he departs sooner than later, people will be much more into their jobs without this a hole not being in the fold. enough I can go on for ever
ReplyDelete4:26...I feel your pain to an extent. I am a carrier and I remember the days that everyone cared about the product. sadly, I also remember, and currently even more so, watching how the "I don't care" attitude seeped through everyone.
ReplyDeleteI was/am into what we put out so much so that I would look up the rack makers (Sho-rack)to check out what made them tick, in store vending racks to try and find a "better" one...only to always be told in effect "we know better". Check out industry sites to see for myself what trends were happening...only to be told "this is how WE do it". I wanted to learn all I could to sell more papers and make more money. Of course now all that is mute as we are now only delivery agents with only stores to deal with. I still pretty up the stacks in stores to still try and sell as much as possible. Theory is to seel as much as possible to keep the ship afloat, and if it does not it won't be because of me. I still catch crap over that attitude but one should do what they do with their best, regardless.
Obviously the heirarchy at Gannett has a different agenda but they'll have to live with what they choose in the end.
I've worked at four newspapers, in addition to the CP, and not once, ever, did any manager or corp leader ever even imply that we should be obligated to subscribe to the product. It was there in the morning for all to read for free. We never even had any idea that doing so was questionably ethical or non-supportive of our company. It was just a fringe benefit of working for a newspaper company, like free food for being a waiter or 10 percent discounts for working at a retailer.
ReplyDeleteHappy holidays all. Makes me recall two Christmases ago, how just a couple weeks before, the vast majority of my colleagues were laid off with just three days notice. (Ho ho humbug, huh?)
ReplyDeleteThe good news: Nearly all of them have landed on their feet and are far, far happier now. So stuff that in your stocking, Gannett.
6:18, I cancelled my subscription because I simply got tired of the product with too many errors and too little quality content. Regarding your "sanctimonious response" comment, I'm sorry you didn't understand I was simply interested in a product and industry I've been enjoying for 40+ years. I was simply curious... That said, and in the spirit of Christmas I'll be polite- If you still work in the industry, an industry in decline and in need of as many supporters as possible, you should shut up.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Jim! A huge thank you for all you do.
ReplyDeleteStaffing the police beat is a chore on the holidays but there was a shooting around 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, leaving one person wounded and shooter at large, massive manhunt. TV news had it on 10 p.m. newscast. Appleton Post-Crescent website has nothing yet as of noon Christmas Day.
ReplyDeleteHaven't visited this blog in about a year and hit it by mistake...same unhappy campers with limited perspective and no drive. If you don't like working for Gannett just move on. Nobody is holding you hostage. Where are you today is a direct result of choices YOU have made in the past. Blaming others is a no win game.
ReplyDeleteAs for the 12:50 comment sounds like the Appleton Post-Crescent should partner with those TV stations for coverage of spot news.
What's the deal with the UnitedHealthCare Cards? Just got ours too. Thisretiree wonders.
ReplyDeleteCincy doesn't have a staff-written editorial every day?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete