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Friday, October 12, 2012
45 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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Monday..Monday...No good for me(Gannett) (Mamas and Papas song).
ReplyDeleteLet the layoffs begin,
Yee Hah!can't wait for that unemployment check to roll in for 99 weeks or maybe more !
I have saved and saved just waiting
for it to happen,I am prepared and will sell my Gannett stock and enjoy!!!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure about conspiracies by corporate to intentionally support the lame redesign of the print version of USA Today, but I will say this. There is no doubt that the powers that run USAT have been unloading staff and resources that were responsible for making the newspaper pretty darn good just a few short years ago.
ReplyDeleteIt's no secret that as soon as the online version begins making real money, the print version will disappear. Has that phasing out of print already begun? Absolutely. Is the horrible redesign a step in that phasing out process? It's not beyond belief. That's how devious this company has become. While some question why USAT keeps shooting itself in the foot via some God-awful personnel and product decisions, I say there might be a method to this madness. Unfortunately, that method probably includes a lot more layoffs in the not-so-distant future and newspaper that is becoming an embarrassment.
are the rumors true? are there more layoffs coming? we just switched to Gannett's DPS system which has the rumors flying right now that we don't need so many people anymore...
ReplyDeleteOh, goody - the "where is the news about layoffs" poster is back.
ReplyDeleteYay.
No system is implemented unless there's a return on investment. Unless the DPS is creating revenue, it's reducing a cost.
ReplyDelete12:23/12:35 Ugh.
ReplyDeleteJim, your three-letter comment leaves a lot to interpretation.
ReplyDeleteLayoffs.
ReplyDeleteWhy would anyone in the Gannett world be interested in layoffs?
They have only been on everyone's mind for more than 3 years.
It speaks a lot about this company, its long history of rumors, because corporate is never up front about anything. Before I landed in Gannett, I at least had some reliable idea of what was up with my career. Management was always forthcoming. At Gannett? We might as well be on Pluto. Interaction, Gannett style, is always a "surprise" meeting "before you hear any rumors" (which everyone already has).
ReplyDeleteThe best meeting in the "weeks after 'rumors'" vein was held by a manager. This individual said one thing at the meeting, and then confided in me as a personal friend the exact opposite since he liked my work, my effort.
In fact, despite the song-and-dance the staff was treated to, he was disgusted with the company, covering his ass, and was leaving it ASAP --- and advised me to do the same.
I am fed up with the lies and the mistreatment of Pointroll employees. I hope Gannett takes note of what is going on and does something.
ReplyDeleteTake a look at Sarah Ripmaster's limited experience prior to Pointroll. She was a pharmaceutical sales rep. And this is the person running our sales team into the ground. In fact, we hear Sarah is on vacation for 4 weeks in the fourth quarter the busiest quarter for Pointroll. When I hear about how poorly Pointroll is doing financially, I wonder why Gannett doesn't step in to stop this behavior.
Clearly there is little interest in Gannett changing the crude behavior of this executive team. It is disgusting.
I will continue to expose Pointroll on this blog and to our clients if nothing is done to clean this place up.
Gannett has paid Ripmaster over 475,000 in 2012 alone and she has been on vacation most of the year.
ReplyDeleteI'd believe that Jim's "ugh" refers to what seems to be just spreading of more rumors about layoffs. Anyway have actual insight? Anyone been to a meeting in which you were told how bad advertising, online metrics, print circulation was?
ReplyDeleteAll but certain Kramer will be forced to weild the axe in January. Got to clear out the brush before you can get to the tall trees. anyone above 100k needs to justify their existence.
ReplyDelete5:23 you obviously have no idea how funny that comment is! Jim tell him how much you made when you took the buyout as a no name reporter.
Delete/FedEx/
ReplyDeleteLook out the window. FedEx & UPS are cutting jobs. That's a forward-seeking indicator of possible hard times ahead.
http://buswk.co/OWQcF0
Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst. And for God's sake, don't play the victim, if things go south - you've been warned. Wake the F up.
Start with the overpaid no nothings who were hired to develop Hunke's failed vericals. Now? They are barely putting in any hours at Weekend and their editor is galavanting around the country on the company's dime doing silly stories on rollercoasters.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of layoffs, what will happen to those who refused the buyouts in 2012? I fear for their careers. Tick. Tick. Tick.
ReplyDelete10:56 one more bitter former employee spreading rumors. What a crock.
ReplyDelete10:56, they will take after you and spend their time posting rumors here.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, they will be even less productive than they are now.
Sad to say, the non productives are the ones that keep their jobs. Productivity be damned.
ReplyDeleteWhy be productive? You'll get the same raise and the same furlough either way.
ReplyDeleteRip is gone... Pointroll has no CEO and no sales lead.. Awesome for us in Q4! Rip will end up at ak with gatto.
ReplyDeleteListen to them talk about no layoffs on Monday.
ReplyDeleteThen in November the managers will start fine tuning the lists.
Then shortly after,the great and loyal employees will be told their services are no longer needed.
Just like in recent past history.
And just like in past history employees will be so surprised.
It couldn't happen to me, I am too dedicated,I love this company, I have given my life to this company.
They couldn't do this to me!
Just like in past history.
Jim,
ReplyDeleteJust getting back to you from my post of 10/10: Gatto IS President at AK check his linked in.
www.linkedin.com/pub/robert-gatto/2/397/27a
7:35 has the attitude that has made Usa Today such a shithole. Goes to meetings, pontificates, sends loads of messages and second guess decisions, does not actually write or edit content.
ReplyDeleteGet lost. There are too many of you.
People over 50: you have two months to freshen up your resumes and hire attorneys for possible age discrimination lawsuits. Get going NOW.
ReplyDeleteUSAT has hired a new SVP of Advertising Sales. Don't know him from a sharp stick, but it's nice to see revenue is so robust that we can hire another 500k suit.
ReplyDeleteDear Layoff Crowd: try reality. To boost stock value, layoffs are typically announced BEFORE the quarterly report.
ReplyDeleteSo -- no layoffs. For now. After 12/31 -- good freakin' luck.
You're welcome. Try to produce something interesting.
11:41, no one on this string has mentioned layoffs before December or 2013. Pay attention. Also pay attention to Martore's discussion with analysts Monday. Any reference to cost containment is a sure sign of things to come.
ReplyDeleteI know two people who were laid off in Indy last week. Are they keeping lay-offs small-scale this time so they stay under the radar? Or was that just a one-location/single-event thing?
ReplyDeleteAnyone know what has happened with page views since the USAT site redesign? Way down?
ReplyDelete11:13 p.m: Oh contrare!!!! I am a Gannett employee. re my post of 10:56: Just sayin'!!!!!
ReplyDelete12:12, you try reading this --
ReplyDelete" .. Monday..Monday...No good for me(Gannett) (Mamas and Papas song).
Let the layoffs begin,
Yee Hah!can't wait for that unemployment check .."
You made my point. Congrats. Good luck in your next project.
---
"11:41, no one on this string has mentioned layoffs before December or 2013. Pay attention."
12:26 Do you know what departments were affected in the layoffs in Indy?
ReplyDeleteIndy layoffs? Don't know about that?Yes where?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking on Indy's potential layoffs that were mentioned. You probably have a few more weeks. Let's face it, K. Crotchfelt will need to formulate a so called strategy and have multiple extra OC meetings so she can pontificate about how strategic she really is and then when it finally happens she will cry....the question is, is she crying for sadness or for joy?
ReplyDeletePage views on redesigned but ad friendly website are way down.
ReplyDelete1. Hard to navigste.
2. Hard to determine what stories are important.
3. Emphasis in adolescent photos and videos turning off readers.
4. Failure to launch means back to the drawing board.
Indy layoffs? Their economy is doing OK.
ReplyDeleteIf there are really layoffs of significance -- things are very bad.
Issue is aggregate layoffs, over time. One-offs are no big deal to GCI picture.
Yeah, one layoff is bad. So would 100. Got it.
It doesnt matter how the economy is doing. Post election means drop in ad revenue = less profits= layoffs. Martore will insist on creating more coat efficienies.
ReplyDeletePost-election? There are three more weeks.
ReplyDeleteThen Xmas.
After Xmas? Gracia should know that seasonal temps for peak periods, like Xmas or tax season. We used to have a few.
Layoffs? That's serious. That's real money. That means serious problems.
How Army Times, etc., got out of whack -- either an authentic screw-up, or things are getting much worse, or both.
IMHO, there will be no serious hiring -- none -- until the federal budget is under adult supervision. No sign of that, in sight.
I can tell you that Usa Today is overstaffed in management both in editorial and on the business side. That wont last. Kramer wonders out why there are so many managers. He wants content producers and he wants to hire big name stars.If you are a reporter and you arent producing, your time is coming to an end, too.
ReplyDeleteThe days when bosses could cover for their friends are over.
Im having doubts about Callaway and Kramer after this latest deck chair move in News. Creating a circle of desks dont change a thing if the same dweebs are sitting in them.
ReplyDeleteTell me why were doing this again?
Tell me why the same tired, entitled decision makers are still running the show?
Tell me who is responsible for the utterly user unfriendly Presto system that's driving everyone mad?