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Friday, December 02, 2011
60 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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This one bears repeating...
ReplyDelete"We should all remember that GPS will be eliminating 100 additional positions that are considered redundant before years end. This they told us about two months ago."
Let's try something new: Talking about things we DO know... Our paper has converted to the new system and there are problems. Not only did people have to trade in their old Macs for crappy PCs (that are now being infected daily with viruses), but the design centers are understaffed. No one is reading copy. There are errors in the paper every day. People need software the company makes them share with someone across the room. So much time is spent on production-related stuff that there is less time for ACTUAL JOURNALISM. Art doesn't match stories.
ReplyDeleteSundry HAS BEEN LABELED MAYHEM DAY AT GANNETT PRINT SITES. LATE MAINS ARE ON DECK, WE APOLOGIZE TO OUR CIRCULATION PARTNERS, BUT THEN AGAIN A HANDFUL OF THEM WILL BE INVOLVED IN THIS SLOW DOWN OPERATION..THANK YOU TO THE TEAMSTERS AND GCIU FOR PLANNING THIS EVENT AND MANY MORE TO COME..LETS STICK IT TO THEM FOR A CHANGE. THIS IS A HEADS UP POST FOR THOSE WHO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON..THE PLAN IS IN OPERATION FOR THE FIRST QUARTER, JUST LIKE FURLOUGS. AUSTIN,BILL,GREG,AND PETE..NOTHING PERSONAL, IT JUST BUSINESS
ReplyDeleteSo what's new about a print slow down in Dec.? And you folks are trying to hurt whom exactly? Papers are losing sales for many reasons, one of which a lot of papers couldn't hit a press time if it was 24 hours. All you're going to do is hurt your own standing, what you might have left, hurt carriers who have the least to say about anything...or at least the least listened to, and depend on YOU to do your jobs, and lastly, what readers we have left. Constant late papers are one of the reasons people are quitting the paper and you want to pour acid on a cut?
ReplyDelete6:43 We hit our deadline 99.9% of the time. You can blame late delivery on circulation, who hires contract drivers, pays them nothing, and treat them like the scum of the earth. No wonder people and stores get the Daily rag late nowadays
ReplyDelete@6:43 AM-I agree! 12:56 AM why do you need to make it known to everyone? All you will do is hurt the carriers, DSM who will be delivering most of the routes since most carriers have jobs to go to and the customer who pays for the product. And what was your reason for doing this again? You'll hurt the top brass? Hell, they won’t know about it until they arrive at work around 9:00 am not at 2 am. So tell me again who are you putting it to? 12:56 take a chill pill and get some sleep.
ReplyDeleteMayhem Day? People still talk like that?
ReplyDeleteHey Jim, did you happened to see the "Ed Show" on MSNBC last night? Ed Shultz showed a map of the U.S. with the logos of about 10 companies that essentially treat employees like crap. One of the logos, positioned right over northern Virginia, was Gannett. Might make a nice visual for your blog if you can get a screen capture of that.
ReplyDeleteOutside of the industry, Gannett usually flies under the radar whenever anyone is talking about large companies unfairly laying off workers or paying employees next to nothing so that executives can be paid unbelievable amounts of money. But anyone familiar with Gannett knows the history of this company and could have predicted how badly Gannett would behave if a major economic downturn ever hit the U.S. Well, the recession came and we've all seen what Gannett is capable of doing to even its most loyal employees -- many who were at a stage in their careers where finding new jobs would have been next to impossible. Those who weren't part of the massive layoffs were also screwed in various other ways.
Meanwhile, was there any suffering or sacrifice at the top? Those who were cut loose had some pretty nice golden parachutes.
Gannett is one of the poster children for what is wrong in America and why people are beginning to take to the streets in protest. They control a large segment of the media, which is why you don't read about Gannett's bad deeds the way you do with Citi or companies, but make no mistake about it, Gannett is part of the problem and harbors many within the 1 percent.
"We should remember GCI will be eliminating 100 additional positions"
ReplyDeleteThat number will more than likely be the tip of the iceberg when the real layoffs numbers hit.
Just curious - has anyone looked into why Dave Morgan, the new sports honcho, left Yahoo and the LA Times?
ReplyDelete9:10,
ReplyDeleteNo idea, but you can add him to the long list of cast-offs hired by USAT because we don't have the guts or ability to hire real difference makers.
9:24 So what kind of difference are you making besides chief complainer?
ReplyDelete9:24 - Morgan's definitely a difference-maker. Yahoo Sports is a major brand, and his past employees love him. Most of them, anyway -- again, do we know why he left?
ReplyDeleteAlso, has he hired any women? He had a disastrous appearance at AWSM (women's sports media group) a couple of years ago.
7:44...I beg to differ since I am one who has to wait. Last 3 days especially...half hour late startup, then went down twice in the first half hour. Maybe YOUR books say otherwise but I know better. That's not to say you don't have stretches where you are great, but 99.9%? That's a stretch.
ReplyDeleteAs for carriers...I can't speak to home delivery but the single copy bunch is one of the better ones we've had in a while. We get our papers and we're out of here. Of course some of that is with production/insertion/zoning, but that's another story. It all starts with you.
Let production flex the muscle it has left and do what it must do to demand better work conditions. I work in the newsroom but knew to treat the pressroom crews with respect and common courtesy. It made all the difference in whether a web break got fixed fast or if it took forever. The production, pressroom and circ jobs are hazardous and they have horrible work schedules. They are as smart and dedicated as anyone else in the building and get treated as if they should be ashamed for being blue collar.
ReplyDeleteGracia,
ReplyDeleteLet's get one thing straight here. Rudd Davis and across Schaufelberger both sold BNQT to USAToday in 2007. BNQT has never achieved more than $2mm in revenue in a 12 month period.
Yet, Ross is a VP and GM and Rudd is another VP within USAToday. Are you kidding me? Is this really how high Gannett aims?
This is a company made up of a bunch of misfits and failures. David Payne, another failed entrepreneur that ran back to corporate. Maryam is a political crony and works the system "real well". She hires people who scratched her back.
Basically, we have the next leadership team of Gannett right here. What have they accomplished? What lasting mark are they going to leave on Gannett?
Gracia stop hiring rookies and start bringing in real talent. This should be your number one job as CEO.m STOP BEING A BEAN COUNTER
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ReplyDelete11:38 Please don't say someone was "fired" without offering some evidence.
ReplyDelete9:54,
ReplyDeleteComplaints? Is that what you think they are? I think the issue I raise goes well beyond the spectrum of a "complaint" and rather speaks to the future of our company based on the "leadership" we are acquiring.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteMayhem Day? People still talk like that?
12/02/2011 8:00 AM
The first rule of ...
news people rarely knew what was actually going on back in the press or production areas, I guess you could give them respect if you want your story out- but other than that newsroom people usually stay in the newsroom, they really don't have a clue of the abuse and crap, but then again press guys are paid too much.
ReplyDeleteGannett hires new vp and controller for $320k and$75k signing bonus.
ReplyDeleteCincinnati wants to move printing to a
ReplyDeletenon GANNETT site, go figure!
Watch out Florida Today the non GANNETT Orlando Sentinnel is just down the road!
Banikarim lauded by FastCompany as a "Bold Thinker." ZERO mention of Gannett (other than her current title).
ReplyDeletehttp://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/161/creative-business-people
Interesting story by WISH-TV about the Indy Star employee protest. http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/local/marion_county/indy-star-employees-protest-outside-hq
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteMorgan was terminated, not fired! Still a bunch of losers Martore is surrounding herself with.
ReplyDelete10:59 You are dead on, you hit the nail on the head. We want our raises back and treated like a human, not a number. late starts. it's just a show that we can get the paper out late if we want. We are treated like shit, but we can run Gannetts $50 million Presses with ease, Can a production Director, Publisher or Bill Bolger, Austin Ryan, Mark Winnans ( I know he can) or any of these other VP's step in
ReplyDeleteand do it? NOT. We want our some ada boys every know and then...goes a long way. Its a statement, not to hurt people getting papers, it a statement proving were worth our salt and treat us right and we won't have problems. Basically if the CEO can make millions and we take furloughs and no raise's. we want to put the screws to GCI every now and then to make them look bad. Why Gannett Sucks and were all looking for new jobs were I work. And we are far, and to another writer, we are hardly overpaid, do my job and I will do your for a week, you would be begging for your job back:)
NO press guys are over paid,stand around time, sit down time, walk around time, tv time, bitch time, smoke time,long break time. More than I ever got to do.
ReplyDelete4:28 apparently has never worked in a press room, given that judgmental fantasy. Then again maybe 4:28's site was/is badly managed.
ReplyDeleteIn my career, having worked in every aspect over the years in every department, my stint in a press room was smooth-running, efficient and thankless -- especially by the 4:28 types.
If we "stood around and bitched" it was because of a missed deadline for whatever reason... news, advertising, web break. Then again, that wasn't at a Gannett site, where every job is thankless from the get-go.
Gannett Co. Inc. has named Teresa Gendron its vice president and controller. She succeeds George Gavagan, who plans to retire in February.
ReplyDeletePrior to being named vice president of Gannett, Gendron served as vice president and controller at NII Holdings Inc., formerly known as Nextel International Inc. She works out of Gannett’s corporate headquarters in McLean, Va.
“We are pleased to welcome Teri as a valued member of the Gannett team,” said Paul Saleh, senior vice president and CFO at Gannett, in a statement. “With her extensive knowledge and deep experience in leading finance and accounting cross-functional transformation at NII Holdings Inc. her financial insight will be a strong asset as we continue to drive Gannett’s strategic and operational developments.”
Gannett owns the Democrat and Chronicle and USA Today, among its media holdings.
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ReplyDeletepress bitch because of schedules, stand there when they could help with an issue,keep their hands in their pockets walking around with duh on their face, sit in the office and do nothing,can be trained on new equipment but wait for the other guy to do it, don't pick up after them selves, whine about everything, and think that they are the only ones that do any work. Being paid to do that would be great and you are!
ReplyDelete6:49 so why do you find it OK to.turn on your coworkers? Aren't we all in this together? Maybe we need to change the subject.
ReplyDeleteSo here's the new topic: how many people at your site are drinking the koolaid because they think they can preserve their jobs? Lots in Cincy. It's pathetic to watch the stare from people who follow the leader without question while their anuses slam shut because they are so afraid.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteBanikarim has proven to be a master at self promotion. But that is all she seems to have accomplished other than bringing in old friends to Gannett. If Martore can't reign her in, can she at least get this pintmsized whirling dervish to focus on creating some money generating ideas for this company?
ReplyDeleteDrink the Kool-Aid in Brevard and they make you a department head or a social media producer.
ReplyDeleteDave Hunke will announce his resignation at a staff meeting scheduled for Dec.12. Our long nightmare is finally over.
ReplyDeleteHunke and Ellwood have just scheduled a 2pm staff meeting Monday. We can hope that you are correct.
ReplyDeleteFor this coming Monday -- or Monday, Dec. 12? Anyone got a memo on this?
ReplyDeleteGeez Jim you really are a fool if you bite on that post.
ReplyDeleteIt's Dec. 12. Sorry. I wasn't clear at 7:35.
ReplyDelete8 p.m. In journalism, there's no such thing as a dumb question. (Although there can be plenty of dumb answers.)
ReplyDeleteWell see who is right in a little over a week. Dead man walking.
ReplyDeleteOur CMO fancies herself as a player in a field she has no experience in. She has no operational or promotional budget to speak of. So any empire building will be the faux kind. All the Brand Week and Fast Company articles wont change that perception. Another pointless hire in a string of pointless hires.
ReplyDelete9;43 what exactly makes you a talent expert? Who appointed you judge and jury? Big talk from a nameless voice.
ReplyDeleteWhen Hunke is still here on January 1 what are you "journalists" going to say "oops?"
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHunke was a successful failure in Detroit. He has experience as a failure.
ReplyDeleteI used to read USA Today enthusiastically. Not any more. These days, I don't even touch it. It was always a shotgun newspaper, which is good as far that goes. Every every other day or so, a little ember burning bright. Not any more.
ReplyDeleteI read a lot of publications every single day, and take is from that fact: Where once USA Today was pretty much about the USA in all its manifestations, now it's not worth reading.
Just format parroting some status quo, usually, not always. Once in a while some spark but the whiles are too far for me and I would hope for serious journalism as well.
The thing reads like a magazine in a dentist's office.
Worse, the magazines to which one happily let their subscription lapse. Permanently. Just like everything else in Gannettland under these money-grubbing ass hats, certain their ego is a replacement for any talent.
One can see their demonstrated contempt for talent by their systematic refusal to acknowledge any. It has no place in their "vision."
10:44 I remove comments that include the word troll.
ReplyDeleteJim: You'll never allow Carolyn Washburn to be mentioned if you remove all comments that use the word "tr---." The two are interchangeable.
ReplyDeleteHunke needs to move on, so let's hope 12/12 is the day. Once that happens, he will be looked upon as the worst publisher in USAT history. Let's not add insult to injury by handing him a huge go-away package while layoffs and furloughs are right around the corner.
ReplyDeleteJim,
ReplyDeletetroll and lemming are off limits, but bitch is OK?
11:19 Sigh. The bottom line is: I don't want people calling each OTHER names.
ReplyDelete7:06 should be deleted. Get with it, Jim.
ReplyDelete2:37 . . . so now "hitler" is off limits? How about Stalin? Pol Pot? Mao?
ReplyDeleteHow about Andrew Jackson, who through The Great Removal caused untold suffering and death, nevermind the thievery of millions of acres of land?
Maybe all books should just say: "In the beginning . . ." and nothing else. Can't invoke God without honking off a bunch of people.
When we whitewash history, we forget history. And we know what that'll get us . . .
Forget "Can't we all just get along?" WE CAN'T!
The people who all "get along" live in China and Zimbabwe and Iran and Syria.
The use of words not only tells us the information we need, it also tells us a lot about the user. And that's too important to give away just because someone gets offended.
3:03 and others: My goal for months now has been to cut way back on readers calling each other names. They add next to nothing to a comment, and just inspire more of the same.
ReplyDeleteSome obvious examples: moron, troll, bitch and -- yes -- Hitler.
Like virtually all online publishers, I'm trying to keep things more civil.
I have a special challenge, though: I can't ban individual posters because I won't ask people to register; that's to preserve reader anonymity on a site that many at Corporate don't like.
For this, I need your help, understanding and patience.
3:03 great speech but I like Jim's approach. Name calling never advances the dialogue.
ReplyDelete