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Wednesday, February 01, 2012
49 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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Jim:
ReplyDeleteYou must be working on something good given your absence lately. Can't wait to see it.
I agree with the post from yesterday.Just close the under performing sites that are draining resources and causing across the board layoffs.
ReplyDeleteThose sites that have no chance of being profitable should be shuttered for the good of the corporation.Those folks know that the writing is on the wall anyway and it's just a matter of time.
Just like furloughs supposedly save layoffs,this would save many more.
iPhones are being issued at my site today. Our site is on Verizon, others are using Sprint. We got unlimited data for $25 per month, including mobile hot spot tethering. That's a great deal. Verizon normally charges $50 for four gigs of data.
ReplyDeletePost 9:49am is correct "just close the under preforming sites that are draining resources" The first place to go which fits this statement is the Palace!!
ReplyDeleteWe could dump Detroit using Deal Chicken. I'd even buy it if somebody could break a $20 for me.
ReplyDeleteDefine underperforming as too many corporations like Gannett have far higher profit goals than what private ownership would demand, especially when one takes into account the paltry returns all get from retail financial instruments like CDs’ and other like investments.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, instead of closing them as some routinely suggest, donate them to local professionals and/or a non-profit entitiy that actually cared about the role newspapers can and should play in communities. And why not as the tax advantages to Gannett for doing it are many.
Anyone who questions whether or not some of these “underperformers” would survive need only look at the “costs” Gannett added to many of the newspapers they acquired.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteMy dream is to win the lottery so I could buy my paper back from Gannett and make it decent again.
ReplyDeleteHere is the dirty little secret about "underperforming" newspapers - most Gannett papers are "underperforming in Ganett's eyes... and in Media General's eyes, and Cox Newspaper's eyes...Trib Media's eyes, and on and on.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, the operating margin (profit after all expenses are paid) is usually 15% to as high as 30% for most newspapers. That includes the Gannett ones.
I cannot imagine ANY Gannett papers actually operating at a genuine loss. Gannett just wants that operating margin through the roof each year - and that ain't the real world in 2012.
Hey 12:15, that sounds like a plan some of us at our former paper have. In fact, we have been waiting for years for one of our former co-workers to win the Powerball to do just that - She already has a staff in place. Now how does that song go ?????
ReplyDeletePrices are lisited today on FT's front page of the online subscriptions. Also listed are the varying degrees of home delivery print editions you'll get. Such a bold faced move, once again by our circ. leaders to prop up home delivery and kill single copy. Will they ever learn? People leave home delivery for single copy, not the other way around. Just makes you want to puke.
ReplyDeleteOK, first, nice to see that 9:48 agrees with his own comments from the day before. Consistency of thought is important.
ReplyDeleteTwo, quick poll. "Bold faced move": Neologism or malapropism?
I think it's wonderful that the business-model for DealChicken was submitted by an employee to the "DIG." I hope the Gannett will consider another employee-idea box. DealChicken has been a successful employee-contribution. It has been preserving and creating sales-jobs within our already established local markets. It is an ingenious business-model that offers both local and national sales with an internet-based media product. The ability to offer both local and national based advertisements gives a needed stability in our revenue sales.
ReplyDeleteDealChicken has been a beacon of hope to many, and a source of true revenue generation. It's the type of marketing solutions that advertisers are now seeking with the internet.
ReplyDeleteDealChicken is the answer to all our problems. It is a gift from the gods. All hail the financial solution to everything, then sit back and watch the money roll in!
ReplyDelete9:25 I'm taking a small vacation.
ReplyDelete1:43...neologism. As in, in your face. Here it is and I don't care if you know. Not a bold face lie....a bold face move. OK, maybe should have been "facED". I'm tired. sat 4 hours getting tires put on my car when it should have been 2.
ReplyDeleteAnd wow....such heady words for this forum!
S/b Bold Italic move? :)
ReplyDeleteThe Florida Today is a very successful location. I am very excited About the introduction of pay walls here. It is about time we start charging for the excessive quality content we offer our community. As for the printed product Mr.Campbell has done an excellent job at maintaing the quality of the product considering an ageing press crew amd nonexistent maintenance staff. He is a true visionary and problem solver.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI'm in a Gannett Broadcast Market and Deal Chicken is not laying squat. We're giving tons of free air time to promote it and spendning good money on outside media and not seeing any return on our investment. Add in the fact that our news talent is having to hawk "great deals" of auto detailing and frozen yogurt during the news and I would say say this deal stinks.
ReplyDeleteOh, you people, just be thankful you have a job.
ReplyDeleteI could take it away from you with the issuance of a memo.
Bwah ha ha ha ha
Would someone in corporate finance please provide Jim with the operating profit margins for each Gannett entity, including newspapers, TV stations and any digital ventures that can be broken out?
ReplyDeleteAnother day another NewsGate outage. Yes dear friends the bulletproof system bought by Gannett is down again.
ReplyDeleteToday's S-1 filing reveals that Facebook, set to be come one of the most highly-valuated tech companies in history, pays its $500,000 (at the CEO level) or less.
ReplyDeleteWhat excuse does a dying newsmedia company have to be so extravagant, other than greed?
Sorry, 5:27 should read "..pays its EXECUTIVES $500,000...". That's what I get for not hiring a post copyeditor.
ReplyDeleteAll the Tech Service / Systems Administrator folk in Nashville ,The Tennessean, get paid a nice chunk to do nothing.Got one that was made a Supervisor but has no one he Supervises, Good ole Boy network at its best.. Cut some of these High paid guys that roam the paper Hitting on women all day and maybe they can save a lay off or 2?
ReplyDelete3:22, you don't have a clue. Under Bob Stover's reign of terror at Florida Today circulation is down more than 50 percent. Online traffic is off more than 1/3 from a year ago. Morale is poor and I challenge anyone to say the content is so thrilling that people are flocking to buy, more less read this newspaper. On any given day there might be five original stories. You are dead wrong and Florida Today will not attract any new redaers by erecting a paywall.
ReplyDeleteInteresting: While the Cincinnati Enquirer is being sued for age discrimination over their meat-handed layoffs of older workers, down the street, P&G is offering early retirement to 1,600 workers: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120201/BIZ/302010142
ReplyDelete"The downsizing is voluntary, and there will be no layoffs, spokesman Paul Fox said."
3:26,
ReplyDeleteGannett Broadcasting has given air-time for DealChicken advertisements, because "cross-promotion within Gannett-owned properties," was part of the initial business plan and a very clever business strategy. These broadcasting stations are owned by Gannett, therefore we are not loosing money in advertising. Since it's cross-promotion within company owned properties, even the news broadcasting stations have agreed to promote the new Gannett product.
-- Since we have in markets where DealChicken promotions are available to the community:
ReplyDeleteIt gives viewer-awareness of local-businesses and community support of the local economy, through promotional announcements.
I mean to say:
ReplyDelete-- Since we have "BROADCASTS," in markets where DealChicken promotions are available to the community:
It gives viewer-awareness of local-businesses and community support of the local economy, through promotional announcements.
have early retirements been offered anywhere yet?
ReplyDeleteNEWSPAPERS AS A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION - how could this work, is this really a possibility?
ReplyDeleteWould advertising then be able to start selling competitive media, as a service? After all, we are a pretty mean media sales organization, we could probably really work that.
Which parts could be turned into Non Profit, and which parts would be for Profit? Obviously GPS and Circulation Sales/Production is for profit. Advertising could be a Media Sales company. Newsrooms would be customers to the other divisions, but where could their revenues come from? Revenue sharing with advertising?
At Florida today...people are not reading the paper because of the price first of all. Now, they insist on putting stories from USA Today, Gainesville, anywhere but Brevard on the front page most days. People I hear say if they wanted to read the USA Today, they'd buy IT. Other's say why buy the USA Today for most relevent stories are in FT. As others have said on here, there's no reason print and online can coexist except for the blindered eyed people running this show.
ReplyDelete9:48 submits the worst attempt at sock puppetry yet.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's not really sock puppetry, though, when everyone is anonymous.
More NewsGate misery. What a loser.
ReplyDelete"The Poughkeepsie Journal has launchednew digital products foryouto sample."
ReplyDeleteLet's bring back the little old ladies with the blue hair to proofread.
If this is any indication of what I'll be receiving, I think I'll go elsewhere.
Is Gannett still rolling out Newsgate at 1-2 papers per month given the problems that have been happening with it?
ReplyDeleteBased on what we tell advertisers, deal chicken must be the most successful business ever...because it has gotten how many millions worth of newspaper ads?
ReplyDeleteWe spent piles of cash promoting "It's All Within Reach" on other people's media outlets, and our own.
ReplyDeleteWe spent house ad time on DealChicken.
I'm no fan of DealChicken, the business model sucks and we missed the window. But at least there's overall revenue (if not overall profit) there.
How much has 'Reaching' brought in so far?
That whole "Reaching" farce has gone down the tubes.
ReplyDeleteI floated out the newspapers as non-profit idea eight years ago just as casual discussion. A colleague at the CP said it would never work solely because the top newspaper execs would never let it happen because of the compensation factor. I was naive enough to think that even well paid news execs would see the value of keeping the industry alive as a public service. Then the reign of CD took hold. Suffice to say, it opened my eyes as to the level of unchecked greed and moral bankruptcy that starts at the top.
ReplyDeleteHello...Hello..Jim
ReplyDeleteJim are you out there.
There should be news that you are hearing outside of this blog concerning the announcement of layoffs and buyouts.Normally as in the past these have come soon after
terrible profit reports.
I've confirmed that buyouts are scheduled to be announced at one newspaper site next week for employees 56 and older.
ReplyDeleteI suspect buyouts also will be offered at other sites, but I haven't been told anything about timing.
Re. Deal Chicken: All I know is that you shouldn't run a promotion called ChickenLove in the South.
ReplyDeleteTo add to the conversation that 6:19 alluded to, the age discrimination lawsuits at the Cincinnati Enquirer include ...
ReplyDeleteNews: The Day the Music Critic Died
Firing at The Enquirer prompts age-discrimination lawsuit
By Lew Moores, Cincinnati CityBeat
So why is Larry Nager out of work? The Cincinnati Enquirer fired him.
He says he was told he was not doing his job, not showing initiative, not being aggressive. His take was different.
Nager, 50, talked with a law firm, and two weeks following his dismissal filed suit in U.S. District Court claiming he was the victim of age and gender discrimination.
Rock of Aged: Transcript
Media Matters
BOB GARFIELD: This is On the Media. I'm Bob Garfield.
BRIAN WISE: Rock critic Larry Nager had just turned 50 last January when he was fired from his job at the Cincinnati Enquirer. The paper claimed that he wasn't being aggressive enough in his reporting, but Nager believes that his age was an expiration date in a business obsessed with youth.
LARRY NAGER: Turning 50 was not a problem, but being unemployed and turning 50 - terminated without a dime in severance pay - I mean, after 8 years and after - I mean, Best of the Enquirer for the entire year of 2000, and then I need to be escorted out of the building?
Frampton is shocked by Cincy Enquirer music critic’s firing
Jim Romenesko
Music critic Larry Nager, 50, believes he was fired from the Cincinnati Enquirer to make room for younger female writers. His lawyer says: “My opinion is age discrimination motivated the firing. We believe there is something very, very wrong here. Larry’s record speaks for itself — the awards he’s won, his immense knowledge of the music business.” Meanwhile, musician Peter Frampton calls Nager “one of the paper’s greatest resources” and says “Cincinnati is the big loser here.”
Former Enquirer Reporter and Newspaper Reach Settlement over His Termination
By Lew Moores, Cincinnati CityBeat
James McNair has been unfired.
"My termination of last August has been converted to the voluntary acceptance of a buyout,” McNair wrote in an e-mail last week. "That's all I'm legally able to say about the subject."
McNair had been the award-winning, aggressive and hard-hitting business reporter at The Cincinnati Enquirer who was fired Aug. 16 because, as his termination letter stated, "(i)n light of recent complaints, our confidence that you could improve in this regard -- to report in a fair and balanced manner -- was severely shaken."
McNair, who had been with The Enquirer since 2001, conceded to CityBeat back in August that "I've pissed off a lot of companies" (see "Too Tough for The Enquirer?," issue of Aug. 29, 2007).
Contacted for further comment, McNair, 54, said he couldn't go into any detail on the terms of this development.
Larry Nager, who was fired by the newspaper four years ago. Nager filed an age discrimination suit; his case was settled out of court.
If you want an example of how Gannett can gut and ruin a once-respected newspaper, look no further than the Clarion-Ledger in Mississippi. What was once a fine statewide newspaper with multiple zones and bureau writers across the state is now nothing more than AP wire copy and reprinted articles from USA Today. Even coverage of the statehouse is laughable. Single copy pricing has increased 100 percent and a paywall would be disasterous.
ReplyDelete