Sunday, November 24, 2013

Nov. 18-24 | Your News & Comments: Part 5

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33 comments:

  1. Its time for everyone to chip in for Gracia's Xmas gift. She did not like the holiday themed sweater we got her last year, so if anyone has some suggestions, Jim has graciously allowed this forum to both contribute and make suggestions.

    Who wants to go first?

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    2. How about a smaller paycheck, a $1,500 deductible (or $3K for a family) a high mileage old car on its last legs, more bills to pay and the threat of being laid off? Or simply the life of a regular GCI employee.

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  3. I would love to send her an ounce of compassion -- no, that's not a new perfume.

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  4. I’m curious to know if there’s any one working in the newsrooms today that remember the day JFK was killed 50 years ago.

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    1. I was 14 that day, but retired last year.

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    3. I was 10 and remember that day well. I came back to school after lunch, all the TVs in the classrooms were on, listening to Walter Cronkite, the teachers were in tears . We were sent home from school that day. I sent a note to Jackie Kennedy and she sent me a note back.

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  6. Going through a photo gallery on The Times website, I was struck by the three spots for ads in between pictures and there was not one ad sold. They must be hurting if they can't sell ads on their photo galleries.

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    1. Of course, we are hurting. Laid off two in newsroom a few days ago and now we have fewer to do even more again. My particular favorite - one person doing all niche products AND Life section. We are dying here and do not have the resources anymore to do journalism. We are just one more publication people may or may not pick up to read while waiting for an oil change. Nothing of substance and certainly no First Amendment journalism to hold public officials accountable. Hey, but we have a marketing director just full of ideas to bring in the big bucks...if you're in town Thansgiving Day, come on down to Lake Street and take a picture of Super Turkey running up and down our building hawking a newspaper and then share it on social media. Really? Little to be thankful for at The Times.

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    2. You all have money for a marketing director?

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    3. Strangely, yes, someone found money for a position that supposedly was eliminated under the previous publisher.

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    4. 9:03 AM - I think I'll stay home, but thanks for letting us know. Gobble gobble.

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    5. When things get really lean at GCI, we can eat the Super Turkey and the Deal Chicken

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    6. A) the new marketing dir in Shreveport probably makes about 40% less than the previous one.
      B) I'm betting on a regional Louisiana paper within 1 year that prints Sun & Wed.
      C) Pretty sure the current employeees could easily fit in an office the size of the newsroom.
      D) Where will the credit union will move to?

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    7. I see in today's Times that there are plans to spend $2.2 million on upgrading the Berliner press that is only about 3 years old. Probably gearing up for that regional LA paper mentioned above...I can't see them spending anything to support the measly number of readers left for The Times.

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    8. Money for a marketing director? At USAT we have enough money for multiple a SVP of Marketing, Marketing VPs, Marketing Managers, an SVP of pricing, and someone who sits there all day and manages entries into salesforce.com. We got a lot of money.

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    9. Re: story by Alan English about money being spent to get Berliner press to the production point it should have been upon installation...sounds great and causes a bit of excitement when he says the money is being spent because there is a commitment to print and they want to correct the problems that have plagued The Times since installation of the new press. Then those in the know realize that promises of commitment to print ring hollow as newsroom continues to shrink-two laid off just last week-and there is no way the problems of poor reporting, poor writing and poor editing will be solved with money. What are needed are adequate resources numberswise to cover the news and staff newsroom with experienced journalists - reporters and editors. Why new millions pumped into press won't matter and won't get those of us who have cancelled our subscription - a recent story misspelled a public official's name - should have been Arceneaux. Yes, anyone could have misspelled that but 1) reporter should have asked correct spelling of name 2) an editor with institutional knowledge would have caught that and 3) if the paper were not laid out in Des Moines, it would have been proofed and a copy editor would have caught it. So, commitment to print sounds great but ...

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    10. This is so true - if they could ever wrap their head around the fact that the fall in circulation is not only technology but the lack of local reporting (due to reduced staff) and total lack of customer service.

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  7. IMO, the "higher-ups" should take a bit of a pay cut this season so, oh, I don't know, some of us lowly laid off bees who need work could actually get a job/get hired back. Gannett = P.O.S.!

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  8. The sucker punching story is just coming out. However Gannett has been sucker punching employees for sometime. AKA layoffs, job eliminations, benefit cuts, etc. Most of the sucker punches seem to be delivered around? You guessed it the HOLIDAYS! They not only coldcock the employee's but entire families with a single blow.

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  9. Phoenix Az. AZ Republic
    Wake the hell up press operators I promise you the company is going to post conditions some time after thanksgiving.You all have blown it and soon several of you will be without jobs you have all played it safe great decision on your part if you were wanting to help the company . If you wish to hurt the company at all you should all take a sick day nov. 27th or fmla
    at least you cpould hurt them before you loose your jobs. phx start looking for some new construction going on this weekend .and be careful master is watching you .you had your chance you have all failed and im sorry to have witnessed it.

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  10. phx's biggest Deal Chicken are the pressmen !!

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  11. Just saw this on the Think Progress FB newsfeed. With over a half million followers, this should spread the good news about USA Today rather quickly...
    http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/11/24/2981781/bjorn-lomborg-climate-action-poor-countries/

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  12. Ignore the posts out of Phoenix. This is only 1, possibly 2 disgruntled types.

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    1. Disgruntled employees should never be ignored as they can do more damage than good. A lesson Gannett has not learned yet. Do you know how many advertisers know about this blog? It just ain't good for business, ya know?

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  13. Wrong. The axe is coming.

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  14. Yes, I know the axe is coming. Then the disgruntled employees are out on the streets talking to people and advertisers which is how they learn about this blog. It is a vicious cycle. Gannett never comes out looking like a good company that cares about its employees to an outsider looking in. Just sayin'.

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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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