tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post7063479109502198478..comments2023-11-05T06:26:51.316-05:00Comments on Gannett Blog: USA Today Confidential | Issue 09.10.11Jim Hopkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-28490198400851026492011-09-12T00:36:13.449-04:002011-09-12T00:36:13.449-04:00"It's pretty simple actually....we are al..."It's pretty simple actually....we are almost solely focused on content distribution rather than quality content. Sure, one follows the other, but somehow we have gotten it backwards." <br /><br />Nailed it, 9:29 a.m. Absolutely nailed it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-25729215105488890282011-09-11T11:19:01.490-04:002011-09-11T11:19:01.490-04:00Knowing the way USA Today inbreeds management, you...Knowing the way USA Today inbreeds management, you cannot expect change until someone from the outside is brought in, 11:07. Why can't we get someone from the NYTimes or some other big city paper?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-37800935298556884242011-09-11T11:07:27.705-04:002011-09-11T11:07:27.705-04:00Hillkirk. That says it all about what is broken. L...Hillkirk. That says it all about what is broken. Let's promote him to vice president of Healthworks and replace him with someone who cares about putting out a quality newspaper and website. Susie Ellwood, find someone who sees a need to replace and reposition to make it happen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-50496256412804454022011-09-10T22:02:27.166-04:002011-09-10T22:02:27.166-04:00There will be no more vertical launches until Heat...There will be no more vertical launches until Heather Frank gets her team's act together. Which isn't going to happen any time soon. Their approach to attracting readers is wrong. So the content doesn't interest them. This is a newspaper. None of the AOL team has any actual newspaper experience. They don't understand our reader base. You can't throw poorly conceived, lousily Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-60382849218931187692011-09-10T21:51:34.354-04:002011-09-10T21:51:34.354-04:006:12, you really nailed it. No one has the guts to...6:12, you really nailed it. No one has the guts to tell anyone in power- namely Hunke - what doesn't work and what crosses the line regarding content. The AOL crew operates it's own fiefdom with its own substandard content. They don't give a shit about the rest of the paper.<br /><br /> Hillkirk? He cares about nĂºmero uno, not making waves and not getting his hands dirty. He is not aAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-71423367551379165082011-09-10T20:20:15.252-04:002011-09-10T20:20:15.252-04:00USA Today has eliminate DSM positions and has othe...USA Today has eliminate DSM positions and has other newspapers delivering single copy and home delivery. A fine example of this process may be found at the Minneapolis and the Denver market. The market eliminated more than five DSM positions over the past three years. Home delivery has been given to the Minneapolis Star and single copy to the Pioneer paper in Saint Paul, Minnesota for deliveryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-62260834935906802522011-09-10T06:12:10.265-04:002011-09-10T06:12:10.265-04:00The decline of Life's once excellent and newsy...The decline of Life's once excellent and newsy health and behavior, medicine and science coverage and the rise of the deeply mediocre Your Life is nothing short of shocking. <br /><br />The reporters and any real editors who are left are trying to hold the line, but what can they do when staff-written copy is subsumed by crap that's indifferently edited, barely vetted and just thrown up Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-78872113359624116292011-09-10T00:24:32.888-04:002011-09-10T00:24:32.888-04:00Any self respecting gannettiod should be ashamed o...Any self respecting gannettiod should be ashamed of the blatant advertorial pandering and lack of basic journalism standards on Your Life. And what content there is ? Just awful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-3388524254052253182011-09-09T20:54:24.138-04:002011-09-09T20:54:24.138-04:00Speaking of the verticals, I had the opportunity t...Speaking of the verticals, I had the opportunity to actually read the copy on wednesday while traveling. The banal writing is one thing. But in tiny type in the top banner I found something even more disturbing. A " <br />Pr newswire" credit line.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-37374554391731954302011-09-09T20:51:05.197-04:002011-09-09T20:51:05.197-04:00Pretty sad when moon is seen as a better publisher...Pretty sad when moon is seen as a better publisher than Hunke. But <br />Moon begat hillkirk, who allows the shenanigans in the newsroom to fester? Ultimately, who had final say over the current management structure and team? Who has the power to do a redo? It can't be just about cutting. It simply doesnt work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-7152948375264728712011-09-09T15:28:16.780-04:002011-09-09T15:28:16.780-04:00There are good posts and bad posts, 9:28. Yours is...There are good posts and bad posts, 9:28. Yours is terrible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-48161463801096781242011-09-09T13:23:36.047-04:002011-09-09T13:23:36.047-04:00I'm cross-posting this, whis was posted earlie...I'm cross-posting this, whis was posted earlier today on another thread:<br /><br />Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Sept. 5-11 | Your News & Comments: Part 5": <br /><br />USA Today loses another customer: http://www.tbd.com/articles/2011/09/george-washington-university-stops-giving-away-free-newspapers-that-no-one-wants-66256.htmlJim Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-37391134103414858182011-09-09T13:23:00.524-04:002011-09-09T13:23:00.524-04:00Craig Moon honest. That's funny.Craig Moon honest. That's funny.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-80321391130103975962011-09-09T09:30:06.719-04:002011-09-09T09:30:06.719-04:00Go get 'em Tiger.Go get 'em Tiger.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-61908943565066353162011-09-09T09:29:15.285-04:002011-09-09T09:29:15.285-04:00It's pretty simple actually....we are almost s...It's pretty simple actually....we are almost solely focused on content distribution rather than quality content. Sure, one follows the other, but somehow we have gotten it backwards.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-75580892229154641922011-09-09T09:28:52.246-04:002011-09-09T09:28:52.246-04:00USA Today wouldn't be this way unless the powe...USA Today wouldn't be this way unless the powers that be wanted it to be this way. There's good journalism and bad journalism in it every day. That's why Jim left and started this blog, and that's why some of us come back every day to this blog. That, anyway is my hope for what the USA Today interns got out of this summer's vacation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-37651067993585405982011-09-09T09:06:04.235-04:002011-09-09T09:06:04.235-04:007:48 Agreed.7:48 Agreed.Jim Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-60238673345901856142011-09-09T08:50:05.972-04:002011-09-09T08:50:05.972-04:00USAT's online mixed martial arts sports pages ...USAT's online <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/sports/mma/index" rel="nofollow">mixed martial arts sports pages</a> make me wonder: What, exactly, is a web vertical?<br /><br />I haven't found a good definition, so I'll go with USAT's, which appears <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/marketing/media_kit/verticals/brand.html" rel="nofollow">in the paper's online media kit:</aJim Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-34378706697231723542011-09-09T08:41:13.997-04:002011-09-09T08:41:13.997-04:00"It's stunning to see who has moved into ..."It's stunning to see who has moved into favor with top management while other truly talented and good people were pushed out. It's just a damn shame that people who should have gotten more appreciation didn't, while others, who possess nothing more than a nice smile and ability to kiss ass ..."<br /><br />This simply means USAT is now fully immersed with the total GCI Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-65524833210107031942011-09-09T07:48:48.947-04:002011-09-09T07:48:48.947-04:00I miss Craig Moon. He had his issues but he was ho...I miss Craig Moon. He had his issues but he was honest, direct, smart, experienced and did a great job with USAToday. He saw the writing on the wall with Dubow and smartly, he left the job. He wanted no part of what was ahead for USAToday.<br /><br />I know you didn't like him JIm. But look what we have now. Be careful what you wish for.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-22565257534202891642011-09-09T06:55:58.816-04:002011-09-09T06:55:58.816-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-59033513244709154392011-09-08T22:02:52.669-04:002011-09-08T22:02:52.669-04:00What has happened at USA TODAY in the last 4-5 yea...What has happened at USA TODAY in the last 4-5 years sickens me. From certain unqualified managers/editors gaining clout through blatant dishonesty to sloppy hiring and gimmicks taking priority over substance/accuracy, this brand has gone from being a credible news source to a amateur production. And while titles change, things continue to worsen.<br /><br />Serious journalists are leaving. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-69745412787884741172011-09-08T20:14:12.710-04:002011-09-08T20:14:12.710-04:00I agree there's duplicated efforts. I work fo...I agree there's duplicated efforts. I work for a gannett newspaper that delivers USA Today. They print at our printsite and in our market there's some people who work for USA Today Circulation. We could take over everything they do tomorrow and nobody would notice they were gone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-39307441119150945852011-09-07T23:36:09.419-04:002011-09-07T23:36:09.419-04:0011:55: If you're in Gannett management and yo...11:55: If you're in Gannett management and you've only transitioned 11 employees in 8 years you've still got a lot of fat in your shop. 10:44, who are you kidding? With the economy the way it is, exactly how often does that DM who is 300 miles away have to visit the vacationing district? My guess is rarely if ever. Most of those areas are covered by partnerships. If USA Today is Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-90690925602649672632011-09-07T10:44:01.117-04:002011-09-07T10:44:01.117-04:00I would like to see the low hanging fruit in circu...I would like to see the low hanging fruit in circulation too. In what used to be our market, I know of at least 6 who have been let go in the circulation department. It's not unusual to look into another state or at least 200-300 miles away to find anyone who can cover a vacation for a DM anymore. Overlay all the maps you want, there is no boundary overlap and nobody in an office within a Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com