The plan to add even more USA Today news content to the U.S. community newspapers starts with several test sites in the weeks ahead, according to two of my readers. I'm told the initiative -- code-named Butterfly Project -- will be piloted at four or five sites, with at least one in Wisconsin, these readers say.
A formal announcement could be timed to the next quarterly earnings report, which will likely be released the middle of next month.
Butterfly has been in the works since summer 2012. Top editors from community papers met last month to discuss its rollout.
Although Corporate hasn't discussed Butterfly publicly, CEO Gracia Martore hinted something was in the works for this fall when she briefed Wall Street analysts in July. She spoke about a "fairly exciting add to the consumer experience by blending some assets that Gannett is uniquely positioned to do."
The project has revived speculation that Corporate is still chasing one of Gannett's holy grails: merging USAT and the community newspapers into a single publication. Whatever the final outcome, any shift in editorial would follow another round of layoffs over the past month that further depleted newsroom resources at many of GCI's 81 community dailies.
Butterfly has been in the works since summer 2012. Top editors from community papers met last month to discuss its rollout.
Although Corporate hasn't discussed Butterfly publicly, CEO Gracia Martore hinted something was in the works for this fall when she briefed Wall Street analysts in July. She spoke about a "fairly exciting add to the consumer experience by blending some assets that Gannett is uniquely positioned to do."
The project has revived speculation that Corporate is still chasing one of Gannett's holy grails: merging USAT and the community newspapers into a single publication. Whatever the final outcome, any shift in editorial would follow another round of layoffs over the past month that further depleted newsroom resources at many of GCI's 81 community dailies.
This is bad news. It gives Gannett more reason to lay off local reporters. Nobody wants USA Today stuff in their local newspaper.
ReplyDeleteIt may be USAT heads on the block. If they falter studio will take over and then who needs their designers and editors.
DeleteMay the wings of the Butterfly Project be clipped.
DeleteAnything with a fancy name in Gannett circles fails. Content Evolution, Passion Topics, Real News, Real Life.... etc. The list goes on and on. Can the gimmicks, Gannett, and start putting local news in your newspapers.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind some usa today content. I welcome it. but not at the expense of local content, and that's where Gannett continues to fail me and other readers. You can't continually cut your local staff and expect your local coverage to stay the same or improve. Again, Gannett suits do not have a plan, for digital or print. Their only plan is to try and keep their bonuses and profit margins, regardless of what it does to the product.
ReplyDeleteWhy not just sell or close the papers? Enough is enough. Local readers will leave in droves if they see a merged product between their local paper and USAT.
ReplyDeleteI don't think a merger between USAT and the local papers are in the plans. I don't think senior management has the guts or intellect to make such a move happen. This is simply to fill pages with content already produced by another reporter and already paid for by another publication so the local sites can reduce staff further. Cost savings is what drives this company....nothing else.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the strategy is, it will fail. Readers don't like smaller papers and less local content.
DeleteThe merging of USAT and the community newspapers was thought of and tried once before, but at that time the idea was to use the USAT as the jacket and the local newspaper as the insert. It didn't work out like they hoped
ReplyDelete“Butterfly Project” Who comes up with these terms? They might as well call it the “Venus Butterfly Project,” at least it would get tongues wagging. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Butterfly)
ReplyDeleteOne of Gannett’s problems is that it’s a tarnished brand. Consumers may not recognize good journalism, but they recognize bad journalism and hypocrisy and that’s become Gannett’s forte.
Demand transparency from government and business but provide none for your own investors and employees. The public now sees that as Gannett corporate’s stock in trade and they hold it against the reporters, photographers and editors out there trying to do the best they can with diminished resources and executives that don’t care.
Reduce local news and insert USA Today stories is not going to work. Readers will see it as another ploy meant to dumb down the paper and drive up the profits.
Butterfly Project. What does it mean? If a butterfly flutters its wings in the Palm Springs newsroom will a calamity strike in the Vienna corporate offices?
The Arizona Republic is forced to use USAT sports pages with all game times in the Eastern Time Zone. Give it to me local my ass.
ReplyDeleteThis is just another (self-inflicted) nail in Gannett's coffin. At this rate, Gannett will cease to exist within five years.
ReplyDeleteDidn't USA Today ditch half its staff over the last few years? Can't imagine that would lend itself to producing or sharing worthwhile content with anyone. I mean have you seen USAT lately? Geez. Amazing they are still in business, let alone getting ready to prop up the community papers in any manner.
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ReplyDeleteIf Gannett could successfully fill all its community papers with USA Today content, whether it becomes one publication or they retain the local names, it could easily dismiss 80% of its newsroom staff and save hundreds of millions of dollars.
ReplyDeleteAlong the lines of these comments on the "Butterfly Project" (what is this, a 1970's grade B spy movie title?), I had a conversation with a local merchant, who used to put the paper in his office waiting room. The biggest complaint that he had and readers voiced to him was shrinking local content. He understood why the paper used AP content for World, national and some state articles. But he said it plainly- local readers want local news. Period. More USA Today content will look to the reader exactly what it is - a shell game to convince them that they're getting value for their money, even though 80 percent of the content is irrelevant to them. He summed it up best-you buy a local paper for local news. The Butterfly Project is the exact opposite of that. But the Gannett suits never have and never will listen to anyone except their own big thoughts. It's all in reach.
ReplyDeleteSo the "Butterfly Project" is all about making local papers look the same, the way many TV network affiliates owned by the same group use the same graphics package.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they should have called it the "Demolition Man" project. Demolition Man was a Sly Stallone movie set in the usual dreary future, where EVERY fast-food restaurant was a Taco Bell.
Yo quiero locale!
Yeah, just what we need a one page local wrapper on USA Today.. that's when I kick that turd to the curb.
ReplyDeleteTo think that Usa Today is going to produce content for locals is a joke. It doesnt have the right stsff to creat decent content for its own product.
ReplyDelete