Wednesday, July 18, 2012

July 16-22 | Your News & Comments: Part 3

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34 comments:

  1. How are things going for the Wisconsin sites that are moving to the design hub in Des Moines?

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  2. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-07-09/victim-1-sandusky-witness/56278226/1

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  3. Please stop comparing Griffin to Ron Burgundy. As a devoted Burgundy fan, that comparison is a devious insult to both Will Farrel and Ron Burgundy.

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  4. LATimes: Most pension funds stressed

    http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pension-shortfalls-20120718,0,2745757.story

    Fellow old-timers: ALWAYS know your status in pension fund. Hint: take photo of pension statements with smartphone, e-mail them to yourself. Keep on file.

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  5. Here's a big change coming up for
    The Arizona Republic's Sports section:

    The redesigned Sports section, which will launch in August, is named azcentralsports, which is a unified brand for all sports news & information across the Arizona Republic, azcentral, 12 News, the azcentral news and sports apps for smart phones/tablet PCs and social media.

    A section of the paper named after the website - that's a big step.

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  6. Jim: I am surprised you haven't reported on the official end to the President's Ring program. No more golden Gs, no more Editor of the Year or Publisher of the Year.

    You may recall they took a step toward ending this annual ritual when they eliminated the Top 10 rings in each discipline and created a multi-discipline pool of honorees (except for Publishers, which still got a winner and two runners-up).

    No word on a replacement attaboy program. I guess the real prize is that you keep your job.

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    1. Why do you care about a program you despise? Just looking for something to stir up

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  7. And that prize could be taken back at any time !

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  8. And that prize could be taken back at any time!

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  9. Zanmiller has been gone less than one week and Griffin already making unethical production decisions. I have been asked to cover up something that I am not going to be able to live with. Can someone give me the number to the person I need to call to report this. I knew of an 800 number but cannot put my hands on it. Do I just need to send an email to Gracia?

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    1. Send it!! Get corporate involved!!Zanmiller is gone. No hope now

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  10. 2:45: "I guess the real prize is that you keep your job." Exactly. And I've considered the program to be a smooze fest to begin with: very little variation from year to year.

    In fact, all of Gannett's "recognition" atta-boys throughout the employment stratum may as well be made from Pluto now.

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  11. Maybe instead of rings they will give them free popcorn like they used to give us once a week. Now even that is gone.

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  12. Pension fund! 12:50's got prudent advice. I have had nothing but bureaucracy trying to get the pension. This was my life - years! - this was the deal in all the documentation (although this was back when corporate actually communicated). I still have the original figures, corporate letterhead, regarding a lump sum. Guess what: it's not the same figure in play - if one can call stultifying, molasses-speed processing "in play." It's smoke and mirrors. And I think if it's not criminal it's at least unethical. Then again, no surprise.

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  13. Next month USA Today launches Sports on Earth, a web venture published in conjunction with MLB Advanced Media. Given the current standard of USA Today sports coverage, it wouldn't be a stretch to say Sports on Earth will emphasize brand names, cheerleaders, hotties and WAGs.

    I found out about this only now while casually surfing media-business website Fishbowl NY.

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  14. 100 layoffs reported today at the Aussie papers:
    http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/guardian-and-observer-to-lay-off-up-to-100-reporters/story-e6frg996-1226428961806

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  15. Can't get over people who post questions here rather than just looking it up.

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  16. 2:45 you need to contact Bob Campbell. He is the one that can help you. He is a true game changer and we are blessed to have him.

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  17. Wow. The handing out of brass knuckles has ended. Sadly, there are so many easier ways to intimidate and threaten employees now.

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  18. Was looking at the Asbury Park Press FB page, at the article about that poor kid who died when the sand tunnel he was building collapsed around him on the beach in Long Branch. Right next to it on the APP feed? A story with a big picture of the sand castle building contest in Belmar. Juxtaposition fail. News providers need to think about the timing of posts of non-breaking news content carefully so as to not create that kind of weirdness

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  19. Are you sure what the Anchorman did was a conscious decision to be unethical? Are you certain it wasn't because he simply doesn't know any better?

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  20. Whats going on with Deal Chicken? Is it making money?

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  21. Same here, 5:39. They need to do their own homework.

    My other favorite is when people ask Jim to find out details about things at their site. Jim is in San Francisco and no longer with Gannett. Seems the people making the requests would have an easier time getting the details.

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

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  23. There is nobody left to give a ring to. It's hard to award mediocrity, which is what Gannett is hiring these days. All of the award winning Top 10 executives in each discipline have left the company.

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  24. Jim, shouldn't we have a special section on this blog to talk about pension? Big bucks here.

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  25. Way to go, Tennessean. All AP stories on the front page:
    http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/hr.asp?fpVname=TN_TT&ref_pge=gal&b_pge=1

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  26. Who really gives a crap about Griffin. He hasn't a clue and his ship is sinking. I could care less about him or any issues you have with him. Get a life and get the hell out of Gannett. His Advertising side kick is rarely in the building and has a way of side stepping everything and makes sure he is never around to answer any important questions cause he doesn't have the answers. He needs to take a stage left and let the advertising revenue be lead by a true leader which certainly is not him

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  27. Jim, about pension --

    FAQ page is option. Probably draw advertisers and even NYTers. Lot material probably already exists on Web. And you already have a lot of experience with topic. Capt. Gannettoid might even appreciate it.

    Al-head forever!!!

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  28. Comparing notes is good and well up to a point, but the idea that anybody would actually rely on this on any similar site for factual information about any matter as serious as pensions — well, that's just downright terrifying.

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  29. The pension will be gone in a couple years, so be prepared. Using that money to fund other endevers. It's just the way it is.

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  30. Have you ever tried to get info from a govt site? Really?

    Think. Really.

    ---

    Comparing notes is good and well up to a point, but the idea that anybody would actually rely on this on any similar site for factual information about any matter as serious as pensions — well, that's just downright terrifying.

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  31. Most employees are woefully ignorant about the pension plan. They didn't realize they were getting screwed in 1997/1998 when the plan changed to a cash balance plan. They should have been at the gates with torches and pitchforks, but they sat quietly while the security they had been promised fizzled before their eyes. What had been a very nice retirement benefit became, relatively speaking, a pittance. I suppose you can blame the employees, but the company made every effort to present the change in such a way that no one would realize what was really happening.

    It is important to share stories about the difficulty of accessing benefits, pension or otherwise. If a critical mass of current or past employees reports they can't get a straight answer to pension questions or the numbers have changed from the paperwork they were given, there may be something to these ad hoc complaints.

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  32. Jim, about pensions -- there's a great story about how, in L.A., there were questions about how to fund homeless centers. As in, no one knew how many there were.

    So, someone got a grant, and actually documented the number.

    Which is what an FAQ page might accomplish. By actually documenting the process, it would be helpful. If it was organized properly. AARP probably has stuff on that.

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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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