Friday, April 05, 2013

April 1-7 | Your News & Comments: Part 4

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52 comments:

  1. After doing my taxes I found the TTP was just enough to disqualify me from the Earned Income Tax Credit. So the TTP pay added up to no benefit for over ten years of hard work. Nice how they keep saying they appreciate the many years of hard work and the dedication of the people they let go in RIFs yet they cut us out of severance pay. They keep raking in the bonuses and selling there stocks while we were left with nothing.

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    1. I see that there should have been their.

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    2. Not TTP but should be TPP.

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  2. 4/4...8:18. No, the carriers here have NO say in the draws and cannot change them, contrary to independent contractor rules. Contacting the DM/Supervisor just gets the "I talked to them" or "I'm working on it" answers. Straight to the CD? You mean the one we have who gives in to every editorial/marketing whim, but has been quoted some years ago as wishing there was never a single copy? The one who delegates everything back to wherever stuff comes from?

    Not to mention jumping the "chain of command" gets the carrier's contract pulled.

    Maybe at the place you are at things work as is supposed to, but you should know that is not the case everywhere. And to try and shove it off on being the carrier's fault is maybe a small reason our papers are in the shape they're in. Our carriers here, especially single copy, are dedicated to getting it right...when and where they can. To have to work with too many papers, or not enough, then with USA's push with these specialty papers that nobody around here wants...never mind the shelf space they don't have!

    Yea...push it off on the carriers! Typical.

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    1. If you're serious about getting your draws corrected then raise it up to the Publisher at USA Today. Good luck.

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  3. what's up with the Phoenix Pressmen's union contract talks. heard GSP is going after BIG wage and benefit cuts ?

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    1. Company crying "Broke"!! Demanding a 10% pay cut; 5 more personal days, and two holidays from the pressman alone...They're going to have a work stoppage if they keep thinking we're going to put up with hat kind of shit!!!They may as well shut the friggin' doors...

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  4. Does anyone know for sure if they will offer the 55/15 buyouts?

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  5. Is there a reason you put newest comments on the bottom? It's really user-unfriendly.

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    2. No, some of the newest ones are buried inside the thread of comments as a reply. Like this one.

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    3. I use Google's free Blogger publishing platform, and so I have few choices about how comments are displayed.

      That said, if they were all displayed in reverse chronological order -- newest to oldest -- wouldn't that be confusing? You would be reading replies to comments that you hadn't seen yet.

      In any case as 9:46 points out, newer ones appear within threaded comments, such as this one.

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  6. Attention oldsters at Usa Today. Take the buyouts. Callous Callaway is going to make your life miserable if you dont. The guy doesnt give a shit about your long, brilliant career, your dedication or expertise.

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  7. The guy is better than Bully Buesse, anyway.

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  8. Another one bites the dust . . . Cleveland goes to three days a week.

    http://blog.cleveland.com/updates/2013/04/a_letter_our_readers.html#incart_big-photo

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    2. Still publishing 7 days a week. More factual errors at Gannett Blog.

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    8. Excuse me, but for most papers, eliminating subscriber circulation 4 out of 7 days is indistinguishable from not printing on those days.

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    9. 1:24 is just another I love Gannett, please don't lay me off, I could never work anyplace else, fool.
      The typical spin it all, so it appears everything in Gannett land is just wonderful.

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    10. You can expect content and number of pages to be greatly reduced, as has been the case with the other Newhouse properties that have already done this (or a variation of it).

      Staff in all departments are gutted too.

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    11. 4:41, you should stop posting. The paper is still printing on 7 days and presumably accepting advertising for all 7 days.

      If you don't understand what's going on, then don't post. Simple as that.

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    12. Plain Dealer to keep publishing all week, but with a catch
      By TIMOTHY MAGAW
      11:23 am, April 4, 2013
      The Plain Dealer announced this morning that it would continue to publish a print product seven days a week but would scale back its home delivery to only three days, including Sunday.

      Beyond Sunday, the announcement didn't say which days the print product would continue to be delivered, but it noted all three-day home delivery subscriptions would include access to the daily “e-edition.”
      In addition, the newspaper announced the formation of a new “digitally focused” company, the Northeast Ohio Media Group, which will launch later this summer. The new company will be responsible for all ad sales and marketing for The Plain Dealer and oversee the operation of Cleveland.com and Sun News. (A “Frequently Asked Questions” feature about the newspaper's announcement is here.)

      Plain Dealer publisher Terry Egger made the announcement this morning, noting in a news release that staffing changes have not been finalized but the planning process should be completed later this summer.

      “These actions are aimed at driving innovation, capitalizing on the tremendous strengths of our existing organizations, preserving high-quality journalism and marketing solutions, and providing greater efficiency and flexibility in serving Northeast Ohio through print and digital applications,” Mr. Egger said in the release.

      Andrea Hogben, currently senior vice president of sales and marketing at The Plain Dealer, will serve as president of the new Northeast Ohio Media Group. In addition, The Plain Dealer Publishing Co. will be steered by new general manager Virginia Wang, The Plain Dealer's current senior vice president and chief financial officer.

      The announcement also noted that Mr. Egger would become chairman of The Plain Dealer Publishing Co. before retiring at year's end.

      “I'll be working closely with Andrea, Virginia and our local management teams at The Plain Dealer, Sun News and Cleveland.com to finalize our plans over the coming weeks and months,” Mr. Egger said in the release. “We'll also be working with advertisers to discuss their needs and opportunities, and keeping readers informed and preparing them for the transition.”

      Advance Publications, which owns The Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com, has been reducing publication schedules at a number of the more than 20 newspapers it owns. In October, Advance cut distribution of the Times-Picayune of New Orleans and three of its newspapers in Alabama to three days a week.

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  9. Still hoping for more info about the Butterfly Project meeting. If it was just about the 55/15 USAT buyouts, why would USCP publishers be involved?

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    1. Project B is not about people or buyouts. I'd tell you what it is but how would that be any fun. Jim has all the scoops. He will tell you.

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    2. Your reply means you know absolutely nothing about Project B.

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    3. No it doesn't. It means I'm not telling you. Nice try though!

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    4. 8:45am Don't worry about it because it's not going to work.

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  10. Could someone PLEASE tell us what the Butterfly Project is? Thanks.

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    1. Google to the rescue!

      http://www.projectbutterfly.com/

      or maybe not ...

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    2. 11:31am - Don't worry about it. It's nothing new, just a recycled idea that one of the esteemed members of the senior leadership intelligence squad thought would work.

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  11. AP’s banned word of the day: Islamist

    Well, if Islamist is no longer acceptable because it generally carries a negative connotation, then shouldn’t Tea Party Member be removed too as that’s how it’s too often used as well?

    The more it attempts to change the discussion (banning Illegal immigrant, ethnic cleansing, etc), the more media entities should consider banning the usage of the AP.

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    1. The lamestream media's capacity for self-parody never ceases to amaze.

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  12. there are some of us age 55 who would love to get a 1-year buyout instead of a being laid off. I missed the buyouts last year; hoping for one now.

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    1. Amen, brother. But I think it's more like A LOT of us rather than SOME. I have a feeling it's not going to happen, however, until some print products are eliminated or scaled back.

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  13. Does anyone know if the "55" is good if you're turning 55 this year, but haven't yet when any buyout might be offered??

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  14. Always thought posting pictures of suicidal people was taboo

    http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20130405/APC0101/304050365/Leo-Frigo-Bridge-closed-briefly-after-woman-threatens-jump

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  15. According to AP stylebook revisions, only photos involving “illegal immigrants” and “Islamist” are banned.

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  16. Check with HR? Crystal Wheeler knows nothing.

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    1. See, that's just silly. What happened, Crystal didn't say yes to one of your whiny, selfish questions? Didn't agree with you that all your personal programs are a result of your mediocre talents and lack of career advancement?

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    2. Problems

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    3. Actually,several people have asked her questions that she doesnt have an answer for. She is useless.

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  17. Our HR person wouldn't say anything even if she knew.

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  18. 3:16 the age 55 is an exact cutoff date with no exceptions even if your birthday is the next day

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  19. 9:34 is correct. It's always been that, a date. Which to me, since it's a date, seems to me to comprise on its face de facto age discrimination: a policy, after all, offered, discriminating between some but not all based on that. But good luck taking a corporation to court. Even if totally legal-eagle (and you can bet Gannett has vetted that with the like-minded soulless), it reeks.

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