What's striking about the memo: Gannett is now so strapped for cash that employees apparently are supplying food for a company function. Here's the text:
Hi all --
Just to get into your calendar. Our corporate visitors will be here next week Thursday, August 23rd. We will hold a town hall meeting in the conference room starting at 11:00. Immediately following, we will have one of our traditional potlucks. [XXXXX] will coordinate sign-ups for food. Please be sure to spend some time cleaning up your desk/office. Please have this done no later than cob Monday, August 20th (that gives you the week-end to clean up your area). If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
By the numbers
The Californian's circulation is 9,355 on weekdays, and 11,853 on Saturdays.
Nothing impresses a corporate bigwig like a clean desk eh? I'll bring my famous seven-layer bean dip. What's Garcia bringing?
ReplyDeleteAny chance that cake might have Ex-Lax frosting?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely weird.
ReplyDeleteCake and coffee would have been easier, for everyone involved.
And clean desk memo -- used to get those, once a year. Not a bad idea, really - in moderation. Some folks need to get rid of those three-year-old WSJs -- like the TV show "Hoarders."
We have potlucks, but the corporate visitors always get breakfast pastry and lunch sandwich trays.
ReplyDeleteI was the circulation manager in Salinas in the early '90s, Saturday circulation was 24,000. Times r a changin!!
ReplyDeletePotluck is a great way to build community. We loved 'em when we used to have, and it disarms the bosses so we can have close-to-real conversations. Having a traditional potluck with the corporate folks - if the community gets into it - can be a grand thing. Small papers have made their day-to-day efforts work on a low budget with things like potluck bringing everyone together. If you have big budgets and no sense of community, move on.
ReplyDeleteSo amazingly mean. Shame on all of you. This company has been and is still built on every day people. When GCI comes to visit they lexpect nothing more than that. Shame on all of you
ReplyDeleteI wonder if overtime will be paid to those who come in over the weekend to clean their desk/office?
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ReplyDeleteAny word on whether the brass will arrive via private jet or will they travel commercial? Probably not staying at the local Motel 6 either.
ReplyDeleteIt's pathetic for a company this size not to spend $300 on sodas, sandwiches and salads for all.
If the publisher, editor or entire operating committee had a lick of sense, they would spring for if corporate will not.
But they're all too busy fattening up their bank accounts and readying their parachutes. And kissing corporate's a--
Sorry, 8 p.m., you are well meaning but miss the point. And 10:35, please start your own blog - bye.
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ReplyDeleteHow great is that -- the opportunity to feed the Big G C-suite crew. I'll bet there will be some special dishes prepared.
ReplyDeleteBon appetit, Gracia & entourage!
If a potluck is the paper's tradition, and if all are welcome, why not have one for corporate guests?
ReplyDeleteLaughing my ass off. I would love to see a potluck lunch served. If I were the corporate folks, I wouldn't touch that "special" chocolate cake for the life of me. I can almost guarantee you they will insist on purchased sandwiches and drinks. Please post pictures if a potluck is served and they actually eat it.
ReplyDeleteThe way most of our properties are staffed, they could hold a barn dance and pig holler too, with room left over for a kissin' booth.
ReplyDeleteThe "clean your desks" memo. We used to get those multiple times a day from our executive editor and publisher whenever corporate would visit.
ReplyDeleteMade you wonder what work the publisher and editor could have been doing instead of 3 or 4 "clean your desk" memos a day.
When folks here condemn potlucks you know they are jsut haters. Salinas is a great paper with a great team. THis is how they roll. Back off haters.
ReplyDeleteI'd bake some Metamucil brownies.
ReplyDeleteFitting, considering the visitors.
What a small time operation. I'll bring the lemon squares.
ReplyDeletePotluck....like the future of this company.
ReplyDeleteGracia and Bob hate seven-layer salad so they thought they could holler about it on G-Blog and get Salinas to hit the local Little Caesar's for trade-out pies...
ReplyDeleteA BIG pot of beans, bread and water!
ReplyDeleteWouldn't that be more fitting considering the overall style, morale and mentality of the management; i.e. "JAIL-like"?
day old bread. so it matches your headlines along with USAT.
ReplyDeleteWhen we got those "clean your desk" memos for a corporate visit, yes, lots of us came in after hours, on our own time (of course unpaid), to do so because we simply didn't have the time during work hours. That's how they got in that state: we were WORKING.
ReplyDeleteIf I were some exec, I'd be concerned if someone's desk was a monument to fastidiousness. I'd be asking myself "What do they do with their time? What do I pay them for?"
But Gannett culture isn't like that. It's all superficial, snooty ass-kissing.
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ReplyDeleteIT DEPENDS
ReplyDeleteAt my site -- profitable -- the custom was Election Night pizza and pop, Sunday bagels, and cake and coffee for retirements. Just easier and faster.
Potluck? Whatever .. just hope no one gets (accidental) food poisoning.
Potlucks! Killer spreads waiting to take you out! Several states have tried to ban them as too many folks do not follow sanitation rules. Good luck in Salinas. Hope that potato salad was properly refrigerated.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember Terri Travelstead? You got a golden dustpan if younwere the clean desk winner. Better than a President's Ring!
ReplyDeletePotluck Fear and Loathing story from Los Angeles Times in 2008. http://articles.latimes.com/2008/dec/15/health/he-potluck15
ReplyDelete"But for some people, it's a minefield of food-poisoning bacteria waiting to wreak havoc."
People here are old, out of touch, and obsolete. A whole thread about potlucks? Come on. Seriously?
ReplyDeleteIt's not 1975 any longer. Please jump into the present day.
Assuming potluckgate 2012 is over, a question for those in the know: How'd the big visit go?
ReplyDelete