Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Feb. 6-12 | Your News & Comments: Part 2

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36 comments:

  1. Quote of the day:

    "Now currently . . . digital represents about 21 percent of our company-wide revenue, and we are absolutely committed to growing that. Now in order to do that, we must customize our content to the delivery platform, because that allows us to maximize our engagement with our audiences and opens up new opportunities for investors. Uh, excuse me, for advertisers."

    GRACIA MARTORE
    President and CEO of Gannett, in a webcast to employees on Feb. 2.

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    Replies
    1. No, she meant investors. I'm begging you, please take a business course!

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  2. Bonuses in the USA Today newsroom? Seriously? I guess it didn't make it down to us who do the actual work.

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  3. gameing....my husband recommended football and baseball fantasy more than 6 years ago..espn is making millions from this now...my husband was told it would never work by the editor

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  4. So lets get this straight. For over 8 years of REALLY TRYING to get digital to the forefront of the company, it still represents only 21% of revenue.

    My money says that the 21% is NOT organic digital growth, but by the SHRINKAGE of print circulation and advertising therein.

    Look at the dollars, lady. That will tell the real story.

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  5. Total different subject:
    What happens if Gannett sells out or goes under in regards to those of us with pensions? Not the 401K crap Gannet does now, but the old-fashioned pension you became eligible for after your vesting period.

    I'm not longer with Gannett, but I was looking forward to a little something-something when I retire in 10 years.

    Will there be anything in the way of a pension fund left?

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  6. I would say you have cahed out that pension the day after you left.
    I did.

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  7. Does anyone know when the layoffs and or buyouts will begin.
    I am anxious,qualified time wise, and can't wait to get out of here.

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  8. I submitted my request for the days I want to take my furlough. The reply I got back was "we are too busy durning that time, you need to pick another week" Of course we are too busy, there are only 2 of us doing the work of 4. So there really isn't going to be a "good time" Plus I'm being forced to take a furlough were others are not, so I will take my furlough When I Want. Thank You Very Much!

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  9. The digital revenue thing is a numbers trick. The only reason it is now 21 percent is that print revenue is much larger, and falling much faster than digital is growing.

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  10. You work at the pleasure of the company - we're not required to let you pick when you take your furlough, when you take your vacation or even if you get vacation.

    In return, you have the complete freedom to leave whenever you like, with or without notice.

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  11. Print revenue is much smaller ,therefore ditital is a larger percentage now than,say 3 or 4 years when print revenue was strong.
    Therefore print revenue very weak,digital just as weak and together it equals layoffs.

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  12. The Journal News has given up... second day of coverage for other local media about the news that. A senior aide to the former mayor of the biggest city in Westchester (Yonkers) is being investigated by city police for allegedly stealing thousands of $$ meant to buy thanksgiving turkeys for the poor and laundering the donations through a city agency. The local television station has been covering it all day, so have local blogs. The Journal News has not even a mention of it on their site.

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  13. Digital revenue is a pathetic trick. More importantly, digital readership has leveled off at many Gannett sites.
    Take a look at North Jersey, where all the sites rolled into Asbury. Numbers are down 25% or more.

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  14. 6:16, whatever she meant in her statement, those were the words she said.

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  15. 8:14 I cry for you. Your pension was frozen. If you wait ten years it will go up insignifcantly. You need to request it now and then roll it over into a qualified investment. Folks how on earth can you criticize management and not have a clue about basic business. Come on already.

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  16. Day 191 of the Clarion-ledger newsroom held hostage, minus a managing editor and executive editor. Brian tolley of the Lafayette Advertiser interviewed Saturday-Monday. Could this hostage situation end soon? Will the once-great CL get a little leadership again anytime soon? Stay tuned

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  17. Wow! 2 days and counting. The Journal News is becoming comedic in its coverage....they finally mention the mayoral aide who is under investigation for stealing $8k from a city run charity but...wait for it...its in the context of prison sentence for the guys that beat her brother to death last year.

    http://www.lohud.com/article/20120207/NEWS/302070077/2-men-sentenced-fatal-beating-outside-Yonkers-bar?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

    Still no mention of the investigation...JN still asleep at the wheel on the corruption story. This is getting silly now.

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  18. From land of "oh, this should be worth a chuckle."
    Dear colleagues:

    On Feb. 22, Gannett’s senior management and I will hold an Investor Day at our offices in New York. The event also will be webcast via www.gannett.com.



    During that time we will present the company’s business strategy, highlight new significant growth initiatives already under way and discuss Gannett’s clear advantages in the digital era.



    Immediately following, we will hold a live employee Town Hall at 4 p.m., Feb. 22, to share with you highlights of what was discussed. You will be able to access the companywide Town Hall meeting through our intranet at http://gannett.gci.



    Gannett is on the offensive and your participation in our next steps is central to our success.



    I look forward to sharing this with you.


    Best regards,

    Gracia Martore

    President & Chief Executive Officer

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  19. TJN gave up covering Yonkers a couple years ago under a "restructuring of coverage areas" or something like that.

    Pretty much, someone in Yonkers has to die in an extraordinary manner to make it to TJN coverage.

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  20. Speaking of the collapse of Westchester, the photo gallery on lohud of the Giants parade shows just how clueless editors really are by letting 8 photos of fans at the parade holding up DAILY NEWS section fronts, why give a competing newspaper free advertising on your site.

    I guess the photographers could not find any fans holding up TJN section fronts, show how irrelevant TJN has become when covering local professional sports

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  21. I would like the VP title of Vice President of Secrecy and Bullshit

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  22. 2:58 p.m. I guess working 70 hours a week for peanuts at Patch isn't making you happy. A little sour grapes, or what?

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  23. 3:49 - let's hear your business strategy for promoting your competitor on your own Web site. After all, that's the point of the 2:58 comment.

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  24. 3:49, Again with the PATCH thing, and again your wrong, I do not work for PATCH. Seems like you have sour grapes with someone who is trying to make an honest living at PATCH.

    And what is with the pompous attitude you work at TJN, you are the laughing stock of the industry, maybe on your up coming furlough you can venture out into the community and notice how many people are reading the NY TIMES, NY POST, DAILY NEWS and WSJ

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  25. Best regards. really?

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  26. How many people have left The Journal News for Newsday so far? I heard three, with several others about to give notice. Could be the person sitting next to 3:49pm

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  27. Wow, Crotchfelt spent a lot of dough to impress the Gannett Brass that was here for the Superbowl. I thought we were all supposed to watch our expenses closely and that expenses must be tied to revenue growth. WTF. Things never change

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

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  29. Really 7:53 ???
    Yes, you have a firm grasp of it.

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  30. Gannett has never umderstood the market of The Journal News - or else it would not have stripped the resources so much that it was forced to abndoned REAL coverage of Yonkers - the 4th largest city in New York.

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  31. Many people from Det. Media Partnership have had their medical insurance canceled by error. Called Gannett Benefit Services and was informed that there were mailing issues. Cannot speak with anyone in Benefits in Detroit about this because they were told not to speak with any employee directly. Has any one else had these issues?

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  32. I've explained the pension issue before, but let me explain it again for those new to this blog. The COMPANY PENSION (not 401k) that was frozen in 2008 is what's known as a Defined Benefit Plan. That means you get the benefit without any contributions as opposed to a 401k which is a Defined Contribution Plan where you do. Your pension is there until you leave the company. You cannot withdraw it prior to that. That is governed by federal law and not some silly rule GCI made up. Once you leave the company, you'll get paperwork from GCI on what you want to do with your pension in about 9-12 weeks. At that point, you can choose to take it as a lump sum distribution (costly on taxes), rollover into an IRA, or, depending on the amount, a monthly annuity.

    Your pension is covered by the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, which is like the FDIC for pensions. That's how you'd get your pension if GCI went under.

    Feel free to ask more questions.

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  33. 10:26 - I didn't have any pension questions but I appreciate your knowledge. Thanks for sharing.

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  34. 10:26. At that point, you can choose to take it as a lump sum distribution (costly on taxes), rollover into an IRA, or, depending on the amount, a monthly annuity.

    I don't think everyone has the choice of lump sum or monthly distribution. Only very long time employees still get monthly payments.

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  35. The fact that they are rolling out paywalls proves that digital revenue is an accounting trick. If it were truely 21% they would not be able to risk the loss of the page views. It is an add-on to the print buys, and is an arbitrary allocation. If the print goes away the most of the digital will go with 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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