Thursday, October 20, 2011

Oct. 17-23 | Your News & Comments: Part 4

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37 comments:

  1. Is your station or newspaper website reporting the death of Libya Col. Khadafi yet?
    if not, they're losing pageviews to those who are.

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  2. It's good to read some people actually still get it. Newspapers are still a viable product. People still want them...just not in the way they are presented for sale today. Put a product out that is actually worth the money asked for and people will still buy it. My local paper has even chopped into USA sales for all their stories in it.

    I say to Gannett...if you want and believe digital is the wave of the future, then sell off your newspapers to people who still know how to put one out. Have at it with your electronic news gathering (can you say Drudge?) and video snippits which are totally useless.

    And if you're so sure digital is the wave of the future, why do you folks keep chanting it? How many years has it been around now? Who are you trying to convince?

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  3. 8:26 I just did a spot check of more than a dozen newspapers and broadcast sites, and all were reporting the Libyan leader's death.

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  4. ...you keep telling yourself that stuff about digital vs paper. Hope you enjoy unemployment

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  5. By then, Jim, it was almost 3 hours old.
    Better late than never, i guess.

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  6. @ 11:32 - do you know what time zone Jim lives in?

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  7. 10:54...your job is what exactly? I'm out in the field every day. I hear the desires and complaints every day. I see the newspapers sell more when there is an actual relevant story in it. There is no reason why electronics cannot coexist with print papers. It's a choice Gannett and others are making, to turn their backs on papers.
    Put relevant news back in it, drop the prices, and lower ad costs so businesses can afford to use them again.
    Unemployment..If that's the end I'll go out fighting for what's right...and I won't have shoe polish on my tongue!

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  8. 12:16 I believe the poster meant that reports of his death were three hours old, although I don't think that was the case. When I did my spot check, even USAT was still only going with his being captured, and maybe dead.

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  9. @ Jim - yea, I know what you mean; however, I live in the same time zone, I got up at 6:00 my time (9:00 EST), and it was the first thing that opened on my home page, that he was dead (a Gannett site). At 9:00 EST it WAS 3 hours old; even GMA was back and forth between captured and dead (yes, I know we see a taped version...but it was just before 9:00 THEIR time they reported him dead).

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  10. Chris Stegman ROCKS!!!

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  11. Gannett employees are spineless.
    Why are you still working for this corporation?
    For three years you have known that the layoffs are a way of life.You are always on a list or soon to be on a list ,whether it be this round or the next round. I realize there is value in waiting for to be layed off and then receiving the unemployment,but is it worth the stress ?
    In three years you haven't found other employment? Have you lost all of your self-esteem and believe there is no other employment ever outside of Gannett?
    We ex-Gannetteers who have moved on long ago are curious.
    10/19/2011 10:20 AM

    Dude, I worked at my stress free job at Gannett for 12 years, waited around to get laid off (knew it was coming eventually), had my 2 hour lunches, was very low level mgmt, was very kind to the people that reported to me. I wasn't about to leave until I got laid off because I wanted the severence (why would I walk away from free money?) Then when I got laid off I took 2 years off, then got a great job. That is the way you do it, it's so easy.

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  12. Chris Stegman ROCKS!!!
    10/20/2011 2:38 PM

    Chris is a good guy, however posted this is he still at the AZ Republic. Chris is too good of a guy to be working for Gannett!!!!

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  13. @ 2:38 - are you on drugs, or just delusional. You clearly know not of what you speak.

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  14. 4:43 PM did it the right way and I did the same thing...exactly.

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  15. The paper I work at has a Sunday circ. right around 40k. The news hole is about the size of a penny saver. The sports section has 2 page.. on and on. It is a rag, I would not but it if it was given to me free, I think the only reason they sell is for the obits (sad) No wonders circ numbers are dropping like a ton a bricks..Days are numbered for all of us.

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  16. While it sounds great what 4:43 did -- and more power to ya if that's what happened -- a bit of a caution: Taking that much time completely off can be a career killer, to be that stagnant and out of the loop for that long. Best to at least consult/take contractual jobs at least during that time to stay visible, connected. You don't need to work fulltime but you need to work.

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  17. I think with all the stress of 2011 top Gannett leaders and their allies (like Mark Silverman) should be sent to a luxury resort to "destress" ...

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  18. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  19. I'm thinking somewhere, like, Atlantis?

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  20. 10:14 Children of executives (and I gather that's what you were referring to here in your comment) are off-limits.

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  21. With our newsroom shrinking every year, I as a reporter feel more and more pressure to churn out bylines and get some actual local news in the paper and on the site. But I look at the names on the newsroom roster and see quite a few who are most assuredly not carrying their end of the load, in neither quantity or quality of bylines. They've been here for years, and every editor here knows who they are. Yet they stay and stay, while some really excellent people have been laid off. Someone in management please explain how this works. Not all of them are over 40, though most are.

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  22. 10:50- I was over forty when I was let go and turned out twice as many assignments daily as those half my age every day. And quality assignments that won awards at all levels. So what's your point? Age does not equal slacker. Slackers come in all age groups.

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  23. 4:33 - you not only represent the worst of Gannett but capitalism in general. To admit that you are a slacker and then boast about ripping off your next employer represents everything wrong with today's culture. You set a low bar for yourself. Do you feel fulfilled knowing you provide a negative sum every day you wake up?

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  24. Jim provides a negative sum every day he wakes up. And so do many of the anonymous grumblers who post here. I doubt they have any regrets.

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  25. Who is Chris Stegman and what did he do? We need more heroes.

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  26. Yes sir, Yes mam, right away boss, i'm on it' don't get up I will handle it..sound familiar? It is your front line manger talking to his direct report, another word for that person is a kiss ass/ yes man/women. Which we have too many working for this company, the reason, they are afraid for their jobs and do not want to be the next to go. They have no balls. Not long ago it was common to get into a some what heated discussion with your boss on how to improve the process, after ward, the issue was resolved and every one had respect from the employees they supervised and worked with. That is one of the problems that starts at the top and has worked it way all the way down to Production and every other department. NOT A GREAT WAY TO RUN A BUSINESS, Do you think? It is time for The Board of Director's to clean house, rid the upper management of these yes men and hire some non political businessmen who can turn the ship into the wind start a new way of doing things the right and responsible way..Leave the politic's to the other clowns in DC. If change's in upper management do not change soon, the company will continue to go down and eventually drown

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  27. When you have been with a company for years and are in your mid to late 50's or early 60's, your just hoping to get a few more in. I think everyone realizes that the Newspaper Industry is on a downward trend. Tell a person who's 55,no problem you'll get something,there's life after gannett. Easier said then done. It's also not the end of the world and everyone is in a different situation.

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  28. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  29. Lmao 6:51! Upon further analysis of 2:25, he/she lumped women in with kiss ass and yes man. He/she is correct however that women have no balls.

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  30. 10:50, certain beats are more prized than others, even if the writers don't write that much. The loudest praise I hear is for public service journalism, for stories that unveil corruption and sleaziness. It seems to take them a really long time to write these things, and they don't seem to have to cover meeting in between. They seem more privileged.

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  31. I have come to the conclusion that most people who post on this blog have no idea how to run a newspaper. Most are just writers who think they know, but they really have no clue. IF YOU WANT TO BE A GRAMMAR SCHOOL TEACHER SO YOU CAN CORRECT SPELLING ERRORS YOU ARE NO DOUBT IN THE WRONG BUSINESS. Hence one of the reason readers don't buy our papers, your journalism skills just don't cut it.

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  32. It's all about the revenue people.Nothing more and nothing less.When revenue is really strong mistakes,lack of coverage,bad ads,slacker employees,slacker managers all can be over-looked.Now when revenue is at a historic low with no upward trend in sight,everything is magnified,blown up and plain ad day.
    There can be no overlooking of terrible decisions because the decisions of the last 3 years have led to this unstoppable decline.

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  33. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  34. Start the clock on how long Jim leaves up the Blue Ball comment from 9:23.

    Amusing mistake, 9:05 -- ad instead of as. Very funny for a Gannett site. You'd think someone who posts here (poorly) every day would improve.

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  35. Surprised no one is talking about the corporate monkeys visiting call centers. They are trying to "revamp" the sales process by telling employees to ask closed ended questions. If you don't you get sent home. Sales 101 -- don't ask questions that have a yes or no answer. Now that's all they want people to do. A brilliant strategy.... Not!

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  36. Nieman Journalism Labs covers how USA Today is now selling commercial licensing of its data. The database of reviews, articles, census figures, etc. formerly was open to the public for free -- and noncommercial -- use. http://bit.ly/qy5aRd

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  37. This company needs an Arab Spring type of revolution.

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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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