Thursday, May 23, 2013

May 20-26 | Your News & Comments: Part 3

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51 comments:

  1. It looks like a total of about two dozen twitter accounts did the whole #GannettCares thing. Out of 31,000 employees.

    https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gannettcares&src=hash

    Guess these folks didn't care to be used as PR tools for their corporate overlords. Well done.

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    1. Yep why help unfortunate victims of a disaster when you can put it to the MAN. What a disgusting post. You should be ashamed.

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    2. Here's one of the tweets:

      REAL PSYCHIC MEDIUM ‏@LyingPsychic 21 May
      #GannettCares about using a tragedy to get advertising for it's shitty company. If you're so concerned donate to the Red Cross yourself!

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    3. It's a low number you cite on Twitter, but I bet fewer than half of the 31,000 even have an account on Twitter.

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  2. Epic failure on the Fond du Lac Reporter's website today. There's a typo in the article, and the image of lights from a police vehicle is a stock one. Local TV stations did a better job of covering this story -- with photos taken at the scene. What a joke the Reporter has become! Link: http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20130522/FON0101/305220508/Report-two-guys-seen-looking-trunk-prompts-Mayville-Schools-lockdown

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    1. Ouch. Three grafs and two typos. And the photo is stupid and unnecessary. But it's the usual Reporter regurgitating of press releases.

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    2. Embarrassing. Still uncorrected a day later.

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    3. This is 10:10 a.m. I recently saw another failure on the Reporter's website. They published a story about a house fire and used a stock image. The roof in the image was in no way similar to the roof on the house that burned. What's really sad is that a weekly newspaper, not owned by Gannett, managed to send a photographer to the scene for an actual image of the tragic event. Well, at least Gracia has her "golden parachute" to comfort her after Gannett goes bankrupt!

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    4. Green Bay TV is constantly beating Fondy and other Gannett papers in Appleton, Green Bay and Oshkosh in their own backyards. A friend at one of the stations said their web hits are sky high since Gannett added the paywall, and they are seeing more advertisers too.

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  3. Richard Michem5/23/2013 11:43 AM

    Did anybody here go to the private funeral for Al.Just wondering how many people, and was it and was it open or close casket?

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  4. Take advantage of a tragedy to market a ruthless corporation? #gannettsucks

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  5. GPS has got to be listed as another failed plan by management. It has not brought in new revenue expected and has not saved cost that would offset the lost revenue from layoffs and out sourcing. Evan Ray should be fired but I am sure he has a golden parachute waiting for him.

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    1. You are assuming the purpose was to bring in new revenue. Your second sentence doesn't make sense. And you are most likely spot on with your last comment.

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    2. My second sentence doesn't make sense to you but it does to them and others that know what they are doing.

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    3. ....saved cost that would offset lost revenue from layoffs and outsourcing? WTF??

      How do you come up with "lost revenue from layoffs?" That is nonsensicle. A layoff is a reduction in expense, as is outsourcing. That is a cost you nitwit. If he implemented layoffs and he was supposed to cut costs it is therefore logical he is doing what he is paid to do.

      I would like to meet the person your statement makes sense to so I can see what a wierdo looks like.

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    4. 1:33 Layoffs and outsourcing may reduce cost but often can lead to an increase in cost. If a company throws away a talented and experienced workforce for a less talented and less productive workforce. There are many economist and business people that are aware of this and the fact that layoffs are the least desirable and effective way to cut costs. Even furloughs and pay reductions are a more effective way to decrease cost.

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    5. Also,many of the cuts were buy-outs, where GCI was paying salary and fringes for a year and getting nothing.

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    6. Uh, okay, in theory some layoffs somewhere might be counterproductive. But there was NO alternative to the layoffs and consolidation Gannett has undergone in recent years — and the tons of savings are right there in black and white in the financial statements.

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    7. In theory? No, it is not theory some of the layoffs weren't necessary. Some were but certainly not all of them. Some of the Buyouts weren't necessary. True that consolidation in areas was but they didn't stop there. The Layoffs were company wide. Even at properties that were still producing most of the profits staffs were cut way back and buyouts offered. Even though advertising revenue continues to fall the decline in circulation has slowed I think due to the economy starting to improve. Gannett cannot take advantage of that improvement thanks to the lack of experienced employees.

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    8. You have no idea what you are talking about. None.

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    9. 2:05 That is only your opinion and in my opinion the reverse is true. I don't put much trust in the opinion of someone that leaves comments at 2:05 AM on a Saturday morning. I seriously doubt you know anything about it.

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    10. You said your claim wasn't a theory. Are you now admitting it was just an opinion?

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  6. What a despicable move by Gannett to try to gain PR points through the Oklahoma tragedy. But its fittig they did it the way they always do things: on the backs of their employees, who've been suffering wage freezes, cutback, furloughs and mass firing for years? Gannet Cares? R U kidding me. If this company cared they'd make the donation to help these poor families themselves. If Gannet 'cared" they wouldn't have fired hundreds of employees during the worst economic period since the Great Depression and cut them loose with the cheapest possible severane: one stinking week for every year worked. Thanks Gannett.

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    1. I would guess the Gannett Foundation will make a contribution to the American Red Cross for help in Oklahoma. But you'd think the foundation would have announced it along with this Gannett Cares campaign.

      All I know is that at least one newspaper has warned employees to not use their company cellphones to Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to Oklahoma relief. Corporate doesn't want to see that contribution on its phone bill.

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    2. 3:28 we get it, you despise Gannett but your post is out of line. Every major company on TV, radio, mobile and the web is asking people to help. PR has NOTHING to do with this. Get a grip

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    3. If public relations has nothing to do with this, why is Corporate encouraging people to add the #gannettcares hashtag to their tweets? And why is this campaign being coordinated by the department in charge of P.R.?

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    4. PR has everything to do with it 8:24. That's why they included their meaningless purpose statement in the email announcement and had to spin this as the first time employees across the company have gotten together to respond to a natural disaster. We have a grip; you need to wake up.

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    5. The fact that the memo had not one word about Gannett giving money as a company, and specifically requested the #gannettcares hashtag left me thinking it was all public relations. And the worst kind, because they could have issued a challenge grant with part of Gracia's next bonus to get things going... but they did nothing.

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  7. If Gannett cares, where si the announcement of $5M from the board or even from the profits. Getting the team to push calls to action isn't caring. Money where the mouth is, is caring. Or maybe they are doing that and we just dont' know because they promote the street work and orchestrate while secretly adjusting their own bonus to give to the people in need.

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  8. It's not just the hashtag. There's a canned "Gannett Cares" photo and logo on the top of my site's Facebook page and some others I checked.

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    1. It will be interesting to see whether any sites start publishing stories about Gannett's campaign.

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    2. My paper has a "Gannett Cares" logo and solicitation for Red Cross donations in today's newspaper.

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  9. FEEL LIKE CRAPS?

    That's what the HUGE RED BANNER at the top of the Courier-Post (Cherry Hill) asks its readers.
    Oh, it's just a casino ad? I guess it must be OK to cater to the lowest common denominator then.

    http://www.courierpostonline.com/

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  10. Have an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend.

    And Jim H, thank you for keeping this site up and running. It is appreciated.

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  11. Somehow I doubt those who need aid and get it are going to quibble over who gets credit, or their motivations.

    Frankly, the stupidity of these negative comments is a new low for this site — and that's saying a lot.

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    1. What is low is turning a tragedy into a PR stunt.

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    2. 10:22 AM - Pray tell, how much have you given so far?

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    3. Wrong question. How much has Gannett, the company, given so far?

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    4. 10:55 AM - We'll take that as zero (which happens to be what your opinion is worth).

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  12. Wow this really is an all time low! Castigating a company for asking people to help people in need. Yep you really do hate Gannett. We get it. I hate the idea I have to work next to people like you, but I get it.

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    1. You don't get it at all. It's castigating a company for exploiting the disaster to promote itself. You sound like a peach to work with.

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    2. I don't think Gannett is being castigated for helping. If the company gets some good PR out of it, that's OK too. But it's pretty weird that Gannett would encourage employees to make a donation by text and not think about the thousands of employees with company cellphones. That's much more typical of the company than the urge to do something good.

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  13. 12:39 you are a bitter, angry soul. Gannett is many things but on this issue you are wrong plain and simple. I am sad for you. Bless you

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  14. Have a good Memorial Day weekend, and hope the kids in the newsrooms now realize they no longer get summers off.

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    1. Does your unemployment last through the summer, old-timer?

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    2. No unemployment. I was smart enough to get out on my own terms and enjoy life and new opportunities'

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  15. Same 6:35, loving the new perspective, the doubled income and the happiness that shows in my face. I've shed the fear, the sorrow and the disgust -- and feel nothing but empathy for the desperate hangers on who still work there. If serendipity plays out, 6:46 will be drinking his special brew of disdain for many a year to come, for which no one escapes the consequences.

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    1. Too bad the doubled income is a comparison between your unemployment pay and your cold-calling pay.

      The special brew of disdain you mention applies better to the old-and-bitters who have been griping here for years.

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    2. Bwahahahahaha! Nice try, 12PM, bring it on. When I left hell-hole McLean, my gross pay including bonus and SIR, was $171K now I am paid over $355K, and nope, not even in sales. The view is outstanding from my new deep blue Panamera S and freshly renovated home in Great Falls.

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    3. All B.S. Good try.

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  16. Did Robert Campbell get laid off yet?

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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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