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Thursday, December 01, 2011
55 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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Robin Pence was fired by Maryam and now Robin is suing Gannett. Gracia hasn't spoken with her and left the dirty deed of firing up to Maryam.
ReplyDelete6:05 is a liar. The information is absolutely false. Another wannabe
ReplyDeleteIs this because she let the tap this ad campaign get through?
ReplyDeletePence left on her own. Banikarim has not replaced her yet. Had Banikarim fired Pence, a replacement would have likely been announced by now.
ReplyDeleteThere is no way that Robin left on her own accord. First of all, Robin is no quitter. Second of all, Maryam has spent most of the last 8 months hiring her cronies, so I am sure that she would want one of her buddies in Pence's old role too. Finally, there was a lag between other firings and new hires - Wilkes to Micek, Cassidy to Cronin, so the fact that there wasn't an immediate replacement doesn't mean that it wasn't a firing. From what I have observed so far, Maryam is on a total power trip and is using this position to build her public profile and to hire her yes men/women. Maryam is likely to mow down any one who will get in her way. She doesn't really care about improving GCI, she is just interested in improving her visibility.
ReplyDelete8:31 maybe Gracia will wake up and realize Maryam is capable of mowing down anyone, including Gracia. This woman is a serious political animal and cares about only herself. She's a fish out of water at Gannett and won't last.
ReplyDeleteThe Gracia's of Gannett will get their money,their power and whatever else they want.
ReplyDeleteDoes that really effect you? No.
The only way they can effect you is when they start laying off the masses later this month.
That is the only concern that should on employees minds.Everything else is trivial.
This will be another Merry Christmas! And oh by the way ...your services are no longer needed!
Happy New Year!
Typical of Martore to let someone else do the firing: that's the Gannett way.
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ReplyDeleteAnything new on Brevard this morning? I started out there in the 1990s and moved on long ago, but it will always be home for me. Sad to think this paper is struggling for survival. It was the first Gannett paper created from scratch and not purchased from another publishing company. The loss of the shuttle program must certainly hurt, but it's the only media in the area, so why is it in the shape its in right now? Can anybody tell me that?
ReplyDelete8:46 Here
ReplyDeleteYes ,crazy things.
I was layed off last December.
Up until that point,I was engaged with all the
latest corporate crap just like you all are today.
When the lay off day happened it became very clear.Nothing else about Gannett really mattered.
But now,a year later everything is great,life is good,post Gannett.
I gave a lot of years to Gannett and will not ever forget the stressful hell.
Ouch.
ReplyDeletehttp://jimromenesko.com/2011/12/01/oops-f-word-slips-into-greenville-news-story/
A little more on the Greenville f--- up:
ReplyDeletehttp://apple.copydesk.org/2011/12/01/why-the-greenville-s-c-news-needs-a-copy-editor-and-perhaps-a-bar-of-soap/
Has anyone seen the gaffe in today's (12.01.11) The Greenville (SC) News?
ReplyDeleteHere's a link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/01/greenville-news-major-copy-edit-fail_n_1122972.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003&ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#undefined
This has been confirmed by residents in the Upstate. There are rumors about how it happened, but I won't repeat rumors.
That's pretty F'ing funny!
ReplyDeleteWarren Buffett's purchase of the Omaha World-Herald for $200 million boosts the argument that there is value in local newspapers and their websites. The catch is whether or not the papers have an intact operation and subscriber base. As the Times reported today:
ReplyDelete"The purchase also makes business sense for Mr. Buffett, said Donna Dudney, an associate professor of finance at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
"Mr. Buffett 'looks for companies with a durable competitive advantage,' Ms. Dudney said in an e-mail. 'The World-Herald is in the top 10 newspapers in the country in terms of the percentage of subscribing households in its market, and its digital news site dominates the Omaha market.' "
Since Gannett newsrooms, customer service functions, finance staffs and now printing plants have been eliminated, downsized or outsourced, they won't bring the same dollar-for-dollar valuations in sales to buyers. Some Gannett papers are so downtrodden that it would be more attractive for prospective buyers to start web-only news sites from scratch, rather than overpaying for assets of questionable value and no "durable competitive advantage."
9:59...From what I've seen it started with different columns being cut, then changes with the TV section. Then sections were either eliminated or moved, which people hate. The complaints started before the price went up due to the paper getting smaller. They made it through the 35 cents to 50 cents change but when it went to 75 cents, along with more thinning of the product. It hasn't stopped that domino effect yet. On top of all this, circulation's moves have contributed. Pulling many, many racks off the streets trying to send people to home delivery. Then putting some back out, but then taking all of them away from single copy to have home delivery people do them...to prop up their money. Take product off the street and have carriers deliver them who have other priorities. Never understood those moves. Oh yea. Having Tennessee do the S/C draws haven't helped either. I know the waste has had to have tripled. Sure did on Thanksgiving. Carriers all came in with 600 to over a thousand returns. We're still treading water and still can be a good paper, but there has to be a major overhaul with higher ups...and it wouldn't hurt to have Gannett leave them alone.
ReplyDeleteRE Buffett buying Omaha . . .
ReplyDeleteWhat it proves is that plutocrats once again see value in having their own microphone. Rupert Murdoch has said many times that Ted Turner's biggest mistake was giving up control of his media (CNN).
If there IS indeed value in publishing, then you believe that Poynter will survive how long with its primary asset being a newspaper?
By buying a publisher, Buffett is restoring the old order on newspapers being controlled by local families. The assets are dirt cheap! And if Warren wants to do what Murdoch is doing with the New York Post and subsidize it as a vanity project, he certainly has the cash to do so. Heck, Buffett could be Poynter's sugar daddy.
Interesting that many see Murdoch as the devil and Buffett as a savior. I suppose it depends on your definition of "Benevolent", in the term benevolent dictator.
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ReplyDeleteJon Friedman @ MarketWatch weighs in on the Warren Buffett newspaper purchase:
ReplyDeletehttp://finance.yahoo.com/news/citizen-buffett-smart-loyal-crazy-050128338.html
From The Tennessean in Nashville: "Maria DeVarenne has been named executive editor and vice president/news of The Tennessean. DeVarenne comes to Nashville after having served 10 years as vice president/news for The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, Calif., an A.H. Belo media operation."
ReplyDeleteWondering what the Tennessean staffers can expect from this new editor. Anybody?
Meanwhile, Tallahassee continues to get beat in the biggest story to come its way in a while.
ReplyDeleteAnother AP-bylined story, which discusses the 911 call made as FAMU band drum major Robert Champion lay dying after allegedly being hazed:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-12-01/famu-band-death-hazing/51548558/1
"Excerpt: "In the 911 recording obtained by The Associated Press,..."
To 9:59, poor management is the chief culprit for the downward spiral in Brevard. With all of the layoffs and cuts, the staff is simply trying to keep its head above water as the poor economy and a shrinking pool of print advertising has resulted in reduced content and weak sections. Bad personnel decisions were made in August's grand layoff with many hard-working people let go while others less capable and less productive were retained. Overall planning for the future is meager at best and then you top that off with a dictatorial out-of-touch leader, things are not shaking out as once thought. Many of us are just going through the motions, waiting for the inevitable summons to HR for the great Gannett kiss-off. Those of us who survived the last layoff are overworked and it will get worse in Q1 with furloughs. If I could find another job right now I would. The tension, stress and worry about this place is taking a toll on everyone and I hear that constantly from my co-workers. I for one would welcome a change in management, but I seriously doubt that will happen.
ReplyDelete3:53 I second and third that- Brevard management is a laugh at best, wanna bee idiots driving. Bad part is you have to do as they say. YUKIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWho cares about the corporate clown firings and bringing in cronies. It has no affect to the lay worker, so let the politics at Corp. stay at Corp.
ReplyDeleteI can give a shit who's a VP and who is a new pee on. Lets keep this blog for the blue collar workers who make the money for this hell hole, they call Gannett,
As far as Mr. Buffett goes, he owns The Buffalo News and purchased a new press a few years back, the paper is doing very well. I wish he would buy Gannett! And clean house, he does things the right way, no politics, if you are qualified to do the job your in, if your not, your out..GCI does not follow that business model, do they Gracie,Bob, and you other Directors
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ReplyDeleteWondering why a top editor in Gannett didn't want or get the Tennessee job. Has the farm team dried up.
ReplyDeleteMark your calendar folks, Thurs Dec. 8 is the magic day for layoffs. Thank me for the heads up later.
ReplyDeleteCorporate is hiring mediocrity all over the place in order to bring the company to its knees so they can get every cent out of Gannett before it goes belly up.
ReplyDelete3:53 - Are you talking about the publisher or the editor?
ReplyDelete4:11 who are you to dictate what people can and should post on the blog? This is a huge company with people working in broadcast, newspapers, digital, local, national, USAT, etc. We are all impacted on what happens at Corporate. And it's at Corporate that decisions are made that affect every single one of us, not just the "blue collar". I'm glad people in the know at Corporate post stuff here.
ReplyDelete4:47 BOTH
ReplyDelete4:54. you live in a dream world brother. Peps from Corp. only post BS, and if you think their politics and phony appointments are news, you got life messed up, Wake Joe and smell the coffee.
ReplyDeleteNot one of Corps decisions is anything but bad news. You must be a troll. So long Craig
4:43 And your source is??? Dont't post if you can not even bring some facts to the table. Too mnay people on here have no clue what's going on ans posts like yours just gets others worried even more. Facts,Facts,Facts
ReplyDeleteOr you are a troll huh Craig, heard your retirement is going good so far. Hope your back goes out for good and your stuck in a wheel chair with a tube stuck up your ass for the rest of your life.
We love you Craig, your wonderful, dedicated GCI employees
RIGHT ON 6:17 The great remarks about gannett are laughable. they think they are valuable all the way around. SO DID I! I got laid off and I considered myself an excellent employee!
ReplyDeleteNow I'm just having a blast not being there. Fun to watch the bull that's going around!
The people that kissed ass & brown their nose to the helm even got canned- I wonder what other oddity there is to be able to float on the ship! GROSS
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ReplyDelete6:23
ReplyDeleteYou doubt that there will be layoffs?
The precident that Gannett has set with every
revenue loss trend is layoffs as the way to offset budget declines.
The 3rd quarter losses were the largest revenue percentages of declines so far.What would lead you to believe that there won't be layoffs just as there have been for the last 3 years plus?There certainly is no trend as to an uptick in ad dollars, at least not in print products.
I think to believe otherwise is not being very logical.
6:26 It's a joke compared to the old days, what a mess the company is in. It is so bad it is funny,
ReplyDeleteSome new bull crap daily. Never ends:)
7:11 Show me the beef brother, never said that layoffs were not on the agenda, but this guy picked a date and stated no sources to his statement..just the facts
ReplyDeleteRe: 7:11
ReplyDeleteThe only thing mitigating against more layoffs is that so many papers have been so gutted there's no one left to layoff. Personally, I agree with you, I think they're inevitable. But a lot of newspapers are at less than skeletal staffing I don't know they could absorb more cuts.
That said, please lay me off. I hate this fucking company.
This Sat night will be interesting..Company wide major Press problems, sorry circulation, but its time to show some muscle in production.We can do it right and we can also screw things up pretty good as well. Lots of phone call's to PD's Saturday night, going to be a long night
ReplyDeletePress lines do break down you know:)
SABATOGE?
ReplyDelete7:23 - I will believe it when I see it! All talk and no action so far, why would this weekend be any different?
ReplyDeleteI too heard from someone in the know that the layoffs were on that date.
ReplyDeleteIt was bound to happen now anyway.
the more people you pay the less there is for the big kahunas
Asked my manager for my furlough paperwork and was told that we can't choose our dates yet. Means layoffs.
ReplyDeleteHoliday Deals - I need to hear from other sites if you are selling this and when you found out about it. Did anyone fully explain it and why are we given such short notice to turn this stuff around when there is other things more pressing? Why are we kissing the ass of our digital leader here...why doesn't he get his top notch digital team to sell it????
ReplyDeleteTo 7:31...The Courier-Post employees, in Cherry Hill, NJ have been given their paperwork, for furloughs. We can pick the week we would like and they will try and accomodate our requests
ReplyDeleteAny more news on publisher payoffs on the small dailies? Is that what's happening Dec. 8?
ReplyDeleteFacebook- What is the real story? This is not about civility. Why has no one posted about this? In those famous Gannett buzz words- this is a way to create a revenue stream and monetize content. There is some deal with facebook in the background. A better way to collect demographic data and deliver Chicken Little Deals or email blasts. There is much more here and everyone thinks it is about playing nice in the sandbox. Stay tuned.
ReplyDeleteWe should all remember that GPS will be elemenating 100 additional positions that are considered redundant before years end. This they told us about two months ago.
ReplyDeleteDoes Bob Dickey have a college degree? On the gannett management website all other executive bios mention their corresponding college degrees. not necessary of course, but curious.
ReplyDeleteBob Dickey, USCP's president, bio on GCI corp website: no mention of any higher education affiliation for Mr Dickey. not so with most GCI top execs past and present. usually top brass at multi-billion dollar companies, including Gannett, is an Ivy League lineup. where's the beef?
ReplyDeleteI'm not defending Bob Dickey, but plenty of highly intelligent people do not have Ivy League educations. Additionally, several examples exist of people that don't have four year college degrees and are/were highly successful......Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, etc. I believe in education, but please stop the BS and stick to the real issue. We are an industry that believes in the shiny new objects instead of the fundamental belief that we are simply a delivery platform for news and information. Who cares how the news is delivered as long as people desire our quality, credible content???? No other media outlet can deliver what we can.
ReplyDeleteRE: Bob Dickey Gannett Bio - no mention of any college. no mention of any college degree. not even junior college or community college. nor University of Phoenix. does anyone know if Bob Dickey has bio of any educational background at all? or not? fair question for an exec making $3 million + annually of a challenged publicly traded company.
ReplyDelete