Thursday, January 10, 2013

Jan. 7-13 | Your News & Comments: Part 2

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74 comments:

  1. Ad Director in Brevard jumps ship.

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  2. Where is he going?

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    1. He is leaving Gannett, and no word as to where he is going...

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    2. Is that Greg Watson?

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    3. any relation to Gary Watson?

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    4. Gary is Greg's father.

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    5. gary watson was the former head of the newspaoer division of Gannett until about 2005 or 2006

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  3. Still seeing just house ads and promos for banners on gun-control/gun-permit-holder ravaged Journal News' LoHud.com.

    Has there been a total boycott by advertisers? Have some advertisers been threatened by NRA if their ads still run??

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  4. 1. What is the position of Gannett as to whether the identities of gun permit holders should have been published at the Journal News? This goes beyond whether the Journal News legally was entitled to do so. Gannett’s corporate position on whether the Journal News should have published such information.

    2. There are news reports that some of the gun permit holders are active and retired policemen, correctional guards, and women with protective orders, who now are concerned that they are endangered by publication of their names and addresses. What is Gannett’s response to those concerns?

    http://legalinsurrection.com/2013/01/im-not-going-to-be-ignored-gannett/

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    1. Sheriff says inmates are using the map to threaten guards.

      http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/01/04/law-enforcement-latest-critics-on-public-display-gun-owner-data-officers/

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    2. It would be really nice if the Crystal Palace said something on the issue, even if it is just internally, to give the eds. some guidance on what they expect. But an issue like this apparently isn't as important for our "media company" as executives' bonuses and travel.

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    3. If you're looking for leadership from our "leadership team", forget it. That doesn't happen here.

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    4. Inmates threatening guards? What a shock.

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    5. Prison guards actually don't carry firearms. They are not even required to own any although it is part of their training. Prisons and jails do not allow any personnel to carry firearms in areas in which they will have contact with inmates.

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    6. Why would senior management reply? The CMO distributes a sexually harassing email and not a word is spoken. It's all about minimizing liability, and the best strategy there is to STFU.

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    7. If there were to be an "official" Gannett response to this situation, it would seem likely to come from Kate Marymont, senior vice president/news. But she has become a ghost the past couple of years. Takes the money and runs...

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    8. Gannett should weigh in on it, else what publicly available information will a struggling paper publish next to get attention...a searchable database and corresponding map using gun permits, homes with no dogs (absence of license), high-end cars and boat registrations, higher home values, links to even photos and layouts of homes via Auditors websites and political party, presumably starting with Republicans?

      Much of that Info, if not all, has been available for more than a decade, info responsible editors and publishers refrained from publishing including who held gun permits.

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  5. Carolyn Washburn's new nickname - "Granny Robber."

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    1. Pray tell. Where did that come from?

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  6. Portraits in diversity.

    http://twg2a.wordpress.com/tag/gracia-c-martore/

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    1. My site is run by a very diverse group of middle-aged white women, plus a few short men they hire as assistants.

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  7. Looks like another round of Newseum layoffs in the works today. 20 percent figure afloat. Don't know whether that's 20 percent of payroll budget or body count.

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    1. I would like to know much, much more about that ASAP.

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  8. This is about the hub discussion on the previous page. My site is affiliated with the Louisville hub. The designs don't seem inferior to what we had before and in some places they're better. The copy editing is mediocre to poor, but so is our local copy editing.

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  9. Anybody out there familiar with the USCP nation/world page from USA TODAY? Does anybody care that it is being handed over to Des Moines and won't be put out by any actual USAT staffers?

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    1. No one cares about USA Today at all. End of story.

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    2. Interesting, 4:35 p.m. Will that go to the so-called wire desk in Des Moines?

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    3. too many mill splices, bad batch of newsprint

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  10. The only people who are about Usa Today are the ones who draw huge paychecks. They dont actually care about the product, they care about titles, money and getting out the door by 6 p.m. Frankly, editorial is a joke, advertising is a mess and the entire operation feels like a cross betwen a tomb and an accounting firm. Passion? Only self congrulations and in protecting one's turf.

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  11. So which of you "Happy Pressmen" in Phoenix were responsible for The Republic not hitting some distribution centers until after 5 this morning?

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    1. oh gee ,must have been bad newsprint !! we're skilled craftsmen !

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    2. I bet it was the humidity.

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  12. The Asbury Park thread sounds like the beginning of new layoffs and stealth reductions in staff.
    Is this the beginning of the 2013 adjustments of expenses to meet reduction of revenues?
    Maybe furloughs would be the best thing.
    This sounds like lots of layoffs.

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  13. Not quite sure how we can call ourselves a World Class Sales Force when the broadcast folks in our city eat our lunch regularly.

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  14. Tell me again, when did the furloughs start at your paper? Just sayin.

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  15. When I visited my old Gannett site over the holidays, I was surprised to see people I know staring at me like they were caged animals getting ready for slaughter. The fear in their eyes was frightening, and I have no idea why these people allow themselves to be treated so badly. I remember so much laughter and friendship in those hallways. Sadly, that's gone for good. Good luck to my former associates!

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  16. Hollingsworth & Griewe were in Shreveport this week. Not sure if it was a site-specific visit or they were making a progress through the provinces. We're wondering what this means for all of us peons.

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    1. Get ready, a storm is coming through...layoffs

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    2. When? Where? Will you come back and admit you're wrong if they don't happen?

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  17. To all employees:

    Today I announced that the Asbury Park Press has put its Neptune headquarters up for sale and will begin the search for new space that inspires creativity, digital focus and collaboration with audiences.

    We're excited about the opportunities this presents. We will seek new space where we can continue to pursue great journalism and work for the greater good of our communities -- while at the same time strongly positioning ourselves for the rapidly evolving digital and mobile world.

    Some 400 employees work in our headquarters, including Gannett Publishing Services and Design Studio employees. While the Neptune building has served us well, it no longer suits the needs of our staff.

    There is no timeline for the sale or relocation, but all of you will be partners in our search for new space that inspires our future and embraces our communities, advertisers and audiences.

    CBRE has been retained to represent us in the sale.

    As we go through this process, please direct any questions to me and I will be happy to help – or find answers, if need be.

    TD

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    1. "... inspires creativity, digital focus and collaboration with audiences" ... "opportunities" ... "pursue great journalism" and "work for the greater good of our communities" ... "strongly positioning ourselves" and "partners in our search" and "embraces our communities, advertisers."

      That's a lot of gannett buzzword phrases packed into one memo that basically says "we're selling off our assets as part of our strategy to reduce quality and diminish our presence in the community, all to line the pockets of our greedy executives who are planning to parachute peacefully before the market collapses any day now and the assets are worth nothing."

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    2. Even tea baggers aren't that stupid to believe this kind of fluff talk.
      The execs expect the employees to fall for this loopy lingo hook, line and sinker -- yet those same employees are supposed to have enough independent thinking and backbone to produce quality journalism. No wonder the good ones leave.
      But when the execs deliver this type of gannett speak and pull the wool over the heads of its readers, smart advertisers and the general public, they should expect to be kicked right back.

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    3. Jim - Considering how frequently you spiked anyone's usage of ObamaCare in the past one has to ask why you allow tea baggers now?

      Curious.

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    4. I stopped spiking ObamaCare long, long ago.

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    5. And, you spiked it for a long time until Obama said he liked the name too.

      Allowing tea bagger, as you now obviously do, says your agenda is showing. Too bad.

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  18. Today's hopeful read:

    http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/10/opinion/kurtz-andrew-sullivan/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29

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  19. What exactly has Tom Donovan contributed to Gannett during ill-fated reign other than lead the Journal News into a downward spiral then leave to do the same with the Jersey papers. Someone please explain why he still has his position...

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  20. Anybody at the Asbury Park Press in Neptune know what's going on? I thought that was supposed to be one of the main hubs in the northeast area.Sounds to me like its always sounded, Gannett does not want to be in the Print business anymore. It was conveniently stated in the memo,that part of the building housed GPS.

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    1. For crying out loud, it's not a matter of whether anybody "wants" to be in the print business anymore. Wake up and smell the coffee.

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    2. It's amazing they're in any business any more, let alone print, with the way they condescend to their people assets -- the employees and their customers. They probably idolize Rahm Emmanuel who thinks his base is nothing more than a stupid bunch of "f*ing retards."

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    3. You sound like one of the bunch, 2:38.

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  21. If you're in the printing business with Gannett and you're not looking for a job, you need your head checked. If you look long and hard, you will find that there are jobs out there. Manufacturing is a good place to start.

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  22. Bob Collins was brought in to suck all the revenue out of NJ Papers which he did. Tom Donovan was brought in to dismantle the NJ papers and reduce staff which he is doing. Thats all Tom was brought in for.

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  23. USA Today delivery consolidations continue with at least 4 more areas affected by month end. Dozens of contractors have received termination notices with an unknown number of GPS employees affected. GPS service centers are scrambling to meet deadlines regarding home delivery and account transfers.

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  24. Does anyone happen to know on which day people were talking about late performance reviews? I looked through a bunch of previous posts but couldn't find it. I'm personally going on 2 years since my last review and therefore raise. It was turned in last summer and they are still sitting on them. And they wonder why moral is bad?

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  25. Donovan has the IQ of a wet mop. He's simply not a very smart guy but carries himself with a lot of confidence. Think George W. Bush.

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    1. My, aren't you clever.

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    2. Anyone who's worked with TD knows that the analogy is spot on. And both their tenures will likely be judged the same way - disastrous!

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    3. You have to be a real moron to graduate from an Ivy league school.

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    4. TD flunked out of the University of Dela-where.

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    5. I think 11:25 is referring to GW Bush graduating from Harvard. We all know Donovan is no Ivy League lol

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  26. 8:48 all reviews were put onthe same schedule last year, weren't they? I thought all employees had to be reviewed by the end of June. I guess that didn't apply to everyone?

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  27. That's right. Mine was normally early in the year, and it was held off to get in step with the uniform schedule. Everyone turned theirs in before June but no reviews have been given. So as of next month it's technically been two years for me

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  28. 9:16 - That was really uncalled for and insulting. If you're a wet mop!

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    1. Well, Tom Donovan could always be cast if they do another remake of "Dumb and Dumber."

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  29. 9:28 was that true for everyone at your site?

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  30. Just curious, is there a law about performance reviews being given on time?

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    1. No, there is no "law" mandating that you ever receive a performance appraisal, much less on any particular schedule (provided you have no basis to claim discrimination).

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  31. Gannett's performance reviews are pure BS. No correlation to journalism. They must have come from a clerical school or something. I don't care about them, GCI sure doesn't - unless they can use it to screw somebody. And the only people getting useful/meaningful raises in this company will never know our names, our efforts, our achievements, or our goals. They are in another galaxy. The rest of us have had pay cuts (furloughs) for the past five years, with no sign of anything more than maybe a full year's pay (by 2007 pay scale, that is). Tally up your value elsewhere.

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  32. I sincerely think the poster above just doesn't understand all of the true picture. Doesn't get it. Blah blah blah blah bled it dead. Blah blah blah took the profits and ran. Blah blah blah management sucks. Blah blah blah clueless. Whatever. Point is, the business has changed. No blah there.

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  33. I don't draw a huge paycheck, and I do still care about USA TODAY. Reading this blog is so disheartening. I'm not a moron and understand the bitterness out there, but christ, people, take responsibility for your own happiness. Life is too short for all this whiny bullshit.

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    1. Not for them. They'll keep this up for years. They did this every day when they were still working, and they'll do it every day until they fall over for the last time.

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  34. Unfortunately, I think you are right, 6:58.

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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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