Can't find the right spot for your comment? Post it here, in this open forum. Real Time Comments: parked here, 24/7. (Earlier editions.)
Monday, November 04, 2013
25 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."
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
He has a point: "You know what? Fuck you, Times Herald-Record. ...between the Gannett influence of the current executive editor and the sale of the Dow Jones Local Media chain to an investor group that installed supervision by the bankrupt Gatehouse media chain would gut this once-great newspaper — the flagship paper of the Ottaway Newspaper chain — and render a bland, reader-pets-photos version of journalism."
ReplyDeletehttp://jimromenesko.com/2013/11/04/times-herald-record-bosses-are-blasted-for-heartless-layoffs/
The OP is referring to the Times Herald Record in Orange County NY, a New York City exurb. After News Corp. sold Dow Jones Local Media the new owners adopted business practices similar to Gannett. Last Friday the daily fired all 4 photographers along with 3 senior editors, one of whom was with the daily for over 40 years.
DeleteHeartless? Damn right.
All I have to say is Gannett is a piece of $%@#. This company is jacking itself up and effing over its employees and former employees. I hope the "higher ups" realize they're S.O.L. when they keep shrinking newsrooms to below bare bones. Burn. Slowly.
ReplyDeleteLooking over the South Jersey section of Sunday's Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, N.J., I counted four Courier-Post staff bylines and seven Asbury Park Press bylines.
ReplyDeleteBreaking news: Randi "Chardonnay" Austin to retire December 1. What will MGK do?
ReplyDeleteI am so eager to sign up for the new "health plan" that is being offered. Yeah, that one, the one with the HSA, high deductible, no co pays, and no prescription coverage. The one which is actually forcing my spouse of 20 years and myself to seriously consider getting divorced so that each of us can afford health insurance. Because if we stay married, we are screwed by both Gannett and the ACA. My wife is self employed and has always been on my insurance at Gannett. But now, that option has been made unaffordable because of the changes they've made. As a low level Gannett peon who hasn't had a raise in three years, $435 a month for insurance for me and my spouse is not possible. And since according to the ACA, I (that is, ME only, no spouse included) have "affordable" insurance thru my employer at a premium of $90 a month, we are not eligible for any low cost help or subsidies. Same is true of my wife applying to the ACA exchange by herself. Once she answers the question about me having available insurance thru an employer, her low cost options disappear. Household income is irrelevant. As long as insurance is offered thru an employer, the exchange is pretty useless. Gannet would have done everyone a favor if they'd just stopped offering insurance altogether.
ReplyDeleteExact same situation here...Surely to God they knew what this would do to families, especially to we fellow "peon's" who've not only not seen raises, but have had salary cuts...Dropping spousal coverage completely would have been the kinder thing to do instead of leaving so many of us stuck in this unworkable position...We're talking to a lawyer later this week to explore our options.
DeleteI loathe this company more with each passing day and pray for an early retirement offer.
How does a lawyer help you get health insurance?
DeleteGet real. Gannett's plan is to set the company up so that the older employees will jump ship, making room for all the 20 something's who prefer the minimum health insurance coverage. They want us to go. The rich get richer...BTW, those able to retire, have you read the cost of this wonderful health insurance to retirees
DeleteA lawyer doesn't help you get health insurance, but they can advise on the pro's and con's of divorcing so that my spouse can obtain affordable coverage in her own right without albatross that is Gannett's 2014 healthcare offering isn't hanging around her neck.
DeleteI am 29 and would love to have the option to purchase a better plan through Gannett as I have some health issues. With the new HD plan, my first two paycheck are essentially gone as they go straight to my deductible. What's worse it that GCI used the new ACA requirements to offer the lowest possible level of coverage legally allowed. Rotten way to treat your employees.
Delete12:24 AM - Friendly advice: Save what you'd spend on a lawyer and see a shrink instead.
DeleteWell, I've been with Gannett for almost 20 years. I also cannot cover my spouse any more.
DeleteWhat's worse is I cannot cover MYSELF anymore and cannot get an answer from anyone. Tried the phone, chat, sending messages on the health Web site and nothing . . . no one knows. I had to stop work due to a stroke and MS so I'm TECHNICALLY not an active employee anymore, and it seems we are completely cut out of the loop. . . I am screwed.
The butterfly project?
ReplyDeleteAn average butterfly species has an adult life span of 2 weeks or less.
The butterfly project indeed.
RT @effgannett: Why @Gannett Will Fail Reason #9 tweets tomorrow at 9am EST. Oh, it gets a lot better. We're just getting warmed up!
ReplyDeleteThose latest circulation numbers Jim linked to show a solid year of Jim Flax being the "Director of Content" or whatever the hell they call it at the Asbury Park Press, Courier News, Home News and the rest. This is how Hollis Towns described his position:
ReplyDelete"In the newly created position, Flax will oversee the development of content for shared and unique key newspaper audiences. Strategies will include the nurturing of audience relationships, the elevation of topics about which customers are passionate, and the optimization of content for various digital and print platforms."
I see by the latest circ numbers that it's working out really well for the New Jersey group.
He is just continuing the excellence he started at the C-N by making it a ghost of the fine newspaper it once was. One can only hope the next round of layoffs touches that level of management and not the dedicated few who actually do the work. I can dream, can't I?
DeleteLast month Gannett suspended anchorwoman J.C. Hayward from WUSA9 in Washington DC. Now we know why: She was a paid consultant for a company accused of skimming taxpayer money from a charter school, according to a lawsuit filed yesterday. Hayward was named a defendant as she is chairman of the charter school's board of trustees.
ReplyDeleteI just saw what the new healthcare rate for a single retiree is $444 .00 a month. I guess we are subsidizing Gannetts Executives!
ReplyDeleteOuch. This single Gannett retiree will be jumping to the Obamacare exchange, if they ever get the damned thing working.
Delete11/05/2013 9:07 AM The exchange is working in my state and I will be going to Obamacare. I can get a much better deal!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome!
Delete—Current and future taxpayers, including your grandkids.
RT @effgannett: #9 Anyone under age 40 will NEVER form a habit of getting news from a n'paper co like @Gannett on ANY platform - online, mobile or print.
ReplyDeleteCincinnati.com has a very handy guide to individualized ballots today. Type in your address, and you get:
ReplyDeleteInternal Server Error
The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.
Very helpful!
Been trying for half an hour. Forget it, Enquirer. I'll just go vote.
What is happening here.
ReplyDelete