Can't find the right spot for your comment? Post it here, in this open forum. Real Time Comments: parked here, 24/7. (Earlier editions.)
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
36 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."
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
What is going on with Tech Services at The Tennessean??
ReplyDeleteCan anyone get anything done here?
KPHO, the CBS affiliate in Phoenix, has ads on the air complaining about paywalls. The punchline is essentially "Why pay for your news and information? Our website is awesome and it's still FREE!"
ReplyDeleteThere's also a swipe at DealChicken when the narrator says "What's the DEAL with that?" (asking people to pay for web access)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NqrWI4hgEM&list=UUz1SGtnOtgpWd5-EJW7k_tQ&index=2&feature=plcp
Thing is, the KPHO web site is easier to navigate and find stories on. AZCentral has more "content" but KPHO's web site is better.
Today, as the despondent group of managers with leadership duties at The News Journal in Delaware gather with their esteemed publisher, Ron Burgundy, they will hold their annual offsite Operating Committee meeting to plot for the future.
ReplyDeleteThe question that must start and end their meeting today must be: "How did we go to dead stinking last in just 18 months?"
Answer? How long has the Anchorman been publisher?
Do you have a Purpose Wall?
DeleteSomeone asked in the previous thread why GCI leaves an industry joke like Carolyn Washburn in charge of a site.
ReplyDeleteOne reason is that they don't know how much money she costs them. That includes lost opportunities as well as lost productivity from her incompetent micro-managing and constant need to be the center of attention.
Operations that know how to compete, like winning sports teams, know what it means when a manager "loses the locker room." And they know what to do about it.
I worked for GCI for many years and I've never seen worse than Washburn. Not even close.
We have several like her in make work jobs at Usa Today. Mostly editors, of course. hamster wheel professionals.
DeleteTrue story about the quality of leadership in Cincinnati. It was layoff day and Buchanan made a rare appearance in the newsroom to speak with the troops. (Her bosses probably told her to. It's just not in her nature.) A raw, sensitive time. Everybody gathered round. She began mumbling and muttering so that she was barely audible to those in the back. Someone asked politely if she could speak a little louder.
ReplyDeleteShe said no.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteI agree with you about Washburn. She has lost the newsroom and the folks she has brought in are far from respected. In fact, they are resented, not because they are new, but because they are nowhere near as good as they think they are. It would be very eye-opening to find out how much Washburn's new Crystal Palace at 312 Elm St. is costing. I heard reports that it could be in $400,000 arena because of all the rewiring etc that needs to be done. Can that be true?
ReplyDeleteAlso, didn't see Washburn or Buchanan at Liebau funeral. Nice display of thanks for decades of service.
I'm sure both were too busy bossing underlings around.
YOU DECIDE
ReplyDelete" .. Someone asked in the previous thread why GCI leaves an industry joke like Carolyn Washburn in charge of a site .."
Well ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFdxesJUfDQ
When times are good, no one gives a rip.
When times get hard -- for a l-o-n-g time -- quarterly reports become extra-important. Patience lessens. Questions get harder.
Go on LinkedIn.com and search "Gannett" and "president" (will cover VPs). Hundreds of listings -- lot of folks, watching their backs.
Reading these posts about the enquirer makes me think we don't have it nearly as bad as I thought at the clarion-ledger.
ReplyDeleteIt's bad here -- don't get me wrong. But man, the Enquirer sounds horrible -- or kind of what it was like when Whitaker was in charge here. After he totally decimated the staffs, killed off circulation, dropped morale to an all-time low, alienated most of the advertisers w/ his pompous attitude, and let Judy Terzotis anger more advertisers and Bob Terzotis sign ridiculous delivery contracts, GCI finally dumped him. I can't imagine any one GCI publisher having a more debilitating reign of terror/error than he had in Jackson. We are still paying for it.
Good luck, Enquirer employees. I hope your nightmare ends soon.
Are the local papers still making cuts to make up for the lost revenue from laying off their single copy drivers?
ReplyDeleteNothing Washburn or Buchanan would do would surprise me. Interesting to note that neither one showed up for Monday's funeral of long-time editor Ron Liebau. They were either too humiliated after their nasty treatment or him by laying him off while he was on vacation or they were too busy dressing down some underlings. It would also be interesting to find out how much Washburn's new office is costing. Was told the price was going to be nearly $400,000 due to the huge wiring job that needed to be done.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn cares. She came in under a tornado of change. Her strength and tenacity will push through. She is a professional. In time, people will learn that she may not be a natural at the warm and fuzzy, but she gets excited about doing great journalism. She may have made missteps balancing corporate pressures and journalistic ones. She'll come around. Few have given her a chance since she walked in.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried just talking to her?
You can't . Many have tried but we are just the lower class underlings. Doesn't get through.
DeleteMany have tried. Doesn't get through. Of course she now has her favorite Randy the henchman Essex to run her show and it's up for grabs who is more narcissistic.
DeleteIt's a big reflection of Buchanan's inferiority that as she approaches what should be the apex of her career, she remains a mid-level manager at an inept corporation and a publisher of a dying newspaper. Look at all the media and new media openings and opportunities for someone with her experience, even if it is mostly in print. She should be able to parlay her resume and the fact that she's a she into a fairly high-level job with a company with a growing business and whose stock is liquid. But, no, she's trapped in Cincinnati, under orders from her corporate paymasters to lie to the people of Cincinnati about the future of the Enquirer. It's very likely that headhunters and potential employers have taken a look at her record and even met her in person, then took a pass. Enquirer employees bear the brunt of her frustration, and the longer she flails about in the job market, the bitchier she will become.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Nielson ratings most people ever watched the Olympics. So much for Television being dead. Also with Face book having problems because they can't take advantage of all the cell phone users, what does that say for Gannett websites. I know I have know interest reading a newspaper on my cell phone. Give me a printed newspaper in the morning or forget about it.
ReplyDeleteIn Wilmington..The News Journal was done in by the last wave of "New Sherrif"s in town. Riddle jumped shit and the rat-turds soon followed.
ReplyDeleteWill Craig Moon, Ken Paulson and David Hunke be invited to USA Today's 30th anniversary parties?
ReplyDeleteWhoops -- some truthful (yes they are) colleagues walked in on Maryam Banikarim trolling this blog. Though our esteemed CMO has her high rise desk and computer positioned just right so no one can see her screen she needs to be more mindful of her window reflection. She couldn't hit that esc button fast enough.
ReplyDelete9:52 Just wait a few more months and it will get even worse.
ReplyDeletePeople in Advertising, Finance, GPS, Customer Service and Newsroom should be thankful for what you have now. The future is micromanaging on several levels from distant sites (states), and the techies will have to justify their existence by a paper trail that is miles long.
You think it can't get any worse (my sentiment many times), just wait and see...
How do you get digital subs? The same way you get print subs . . . interesting that the Times runs this in Phoenix within hours of the meter going up. Has this been running in other newly "metered" markets?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.groupon.com/deals/the-new-york-times-phoenix?c=button&utm_content=all-deals_phoenix&division=phoenix&s=body&utm_source=newsletter&date=20120814&utm_medium=email&p=2&sid=11235747&utm_campaign=the-new-york-times-phoenix&user=92ab0316231c55356184258a9ee2c7c25746d630a54c6397b5c33b3a8ad42f3c
WTF? Maryam was looking at this site. As CMO, I would suspect she would like at many sites for comments and to see if there are any trends to make note of - she's the CMO. Why on earth would anyone think that would be an issue....go back into your little world and stop posting such idiotic observations
ReplyDeletewow. big ass smoke cloud over palm springs. any news on mydesert.com? Nope. Sure is a fire somewhere from the west.
ReplyDeletePENSIONS & AL FRANKEN
ReplyDeleteOf interest today for "seasoned" Gannetteers, still under the old pension rules --
http://blogs.wsj.com/bankruptcy/2012/07/26/sen-al-franken-talks-bankruptcy/
"A “dusty and dirty” steelworker inspired Sen. Al Franken to join legislators in seeking more protections for workers and retirees when their employers seek Chapter 11 protection .."
Why should Gannetteers care?
Hmm .. ever think GM would go bankrupt? (Which, BTW, GM did as a "controlled bankruptcy." And GM still owes taxpayers $40 billion -- good grief!)
IMHO -- this could be bi-partisan. This is about fairness and reason. In any bankruptcy, wages are priority claims.
It may result in hard conversations about the financial health of pension funds, including Gannett's. Well, better now than as a "surprise" later -- just ask the Delphi salaried retirees who are now suing the "new GM."
5:49 Have those guys back to stink up the place again? So they silently gloat about the $,$$$,$$$ they made for wrecking the joint and ruining careers?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know how Mark Winans is doing? Another real good guy. They don't seem to make it at Gannett
ReplyDeleteAnymore.
4:24 PM
ReplyDeleteThank you Mrs. Washburn. I'm sure you are proud of your daughter. I know her too and feel that the only thing she is interested in is getting her own way. There's no collaboration. There's no support. You can talk about good journalism all you want but she's shown in a little more than a year that she'll cater to the the points of view the business community wants to promote. Good journalism? I don't think she knows what it is. People used to criticize Tom Callinan, but I always felt he cared and wanted a good product but was hindered from the 20th floor.
11:17 I think your really angry about the fact she doesn't listen to YOU!
Delete"How do you get digital subs?" That is easy. Double the price at the newsstand. Crank up the delivered rate. Then maybe we could do the secret sauce, how about a digital subscription bundled with a Sunday paper at a rate lower than just basic digital subscription. The sheep will flock to our clever new scheme. Viola! digital growth and bonuses for everyone. We are business geniuses!!!
ReplyDeleteThose who led the drive to layoff loyal employees for the first time in the paper's history, and did so without an ounce of class of decency, should not be welcomed at the USAT anniversary bash. Period.
ReplyDelete12:31 you act like this is your private party. You don't make up the guest list. If you don't want to see certain folks then don't go. Oh that's right you weren't invited.
ReplyDeleteRandy Essex is still floating around? I thought he just stays at home and dreams of his child acting career as a member of The Bad News Bears.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete