Wednesday, April 24, 2013

I've heard of about 50 ad designer layoffs today

And I'm tracking them in this read-only spreadsheet.

Worldwide, Gannett has about 31,000 employees.

[Updated at 5:49 p.m. ET April 25.] We've now counted 25 jobs at seven sites.

Please check the sheet, then post figures for your site in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

25 comments:

  1. With all respect (and tons of curiosity), how many of these sites in the spreadsheet still had any ad designers to lay off? Perhaps if it were limited to just those sites that had designers left to begin with.

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    Replies
    1. Our ad designers have been gone for over a year. Where are the 50 coming from? Gannett Local?

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    2. The e-mail in Ft Myers said 4.

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    3. Not from Gannett Local. Some sites were still handling a few accounts that needed special attention and also providing some spec designs.

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    4. We haven't had any in New Jersey for years.

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    5. Well, I guess those "few accounts that needed special attention" no longer need it now. Tailored spec designs to help the sales staff in their community? Piffle! Join the rest of the laid-off ad designers. Typical brilliance by way of Gannett's incredible whimsy, and a another shaft to the community and its already meager advertising dollars. It just keeps getting worse. These wrong turns are so consistent it's almost as if it's, dare I say it, intentional.

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    6. There was 1 in Lansing and 1 in Port Huron

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  2. All of Wisconsin was serviced by great, talented people in Green Bay.

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    1. So, did the people in Green Bay get the axe? I agree, they are very talented workers.

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    2. I am hearing 5 artists in Green Bay got cut today. I can say I am glad I left 2 years ago, it is a sad, sad day once again in that department.

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  3. Salem's two layoffs were associated with prepress. The Statesman Journal hasn't had actual ad designers for a couple of years.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. I've corrected the spreadsheet.

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  4. It was announced today that Gannett is expanding the scope of work provided by Gannett Imaging and Design Centers (GIADC) to U.S. Community Publishing markets for creation of advertising copy, layout and design. Originally created in 2009 and based in Indianapolis and Des Moines, the centers are currently providing ad building services for all 81 local publishing sites in addition to some Gannett Broadcast companies and external commercial clients.
    The company is moving additional local ad design work to the two centers based on the efficiencies and cost savings that have been realized while continuing to provide high-quality advertising support to our customers. Limited specialized advertising design work will remain in local markets. This move allows us to take advantage of new technology as it becomes available and to leverage best-practice design approaches.
    All affected employees were notified today and given personalized information on a transitional pay program which provides continuation of an individual’s full rate of pay through a combination of unemployment compensation and supplemental payments from the company. The duration of the TPP benefit is determined by an employee’s length of service with the company and eligibility for unemployment insurance. Affected employees are also eligible to transfer to openings at the two centers.
    Work will transition to the centers beginning May 3 through May 24, 2013.


    Translates to we're going to save a sheckel or two by having fewer people do more work.

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    Replies
    1. And bill the taxpayers for their severance package.

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    2. 3:52 PM, exactly.

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    3. FYI, unemployment insurance premiums are paid by BUSINESSES, including Gannett, not by "taxpayers" generally. TPP notwithstanding, Gannett's contributions have far exceeded its claims.

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    4. When a state's unemployment insurance funds are exhausted as mine was, bone dry, it gets a loan from the federal government. That is taxpayer's money.

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  5. I just saw a Facebook post (on a page for former Enquirer employees) that said 6 were laid off in Cincinnati.

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  6. Yesterday, someone posted about Des Moines layoffs.
    Where is that confirmation?
    The L.H. but kissers in Des Moines are too afraid to post here, as usual.
    Too afraid ..... they could never, ever, work anywhere else except at the precious Register.
    Whimps....

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  7. One job lost in Westchester. Eh, what's 21 years of service? Doesn't mean a thing.

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    1. Oddly enough, those around for that long remember when it DID mean something. In fact, it was an incentive. Longevity was encouraged and rewarded. My site had such high turnover in the mid-80s that they revamped the entire wage structure for everyone to keep resources rather than training people only to end up leaving. Additional proof of that is the graduated reward of longer vacations earned for those who worked to certain milestones. Two weeks' vacation... three... four... and if you were actually good enough to last 25 years without being fired, five! Naturally my job then disappeared as soon as I qualified for the rare five weeks. To add insult to injury they had changed the way in which that status was earned. Previously one got a cash payout for those weeks. Over the years I seen plenty of people get those weeks paid. They lorded it over us "suckers" when they came back to visit the old salt mines. Then Gannett came up with another scheme (and of course didn't exactly tell anyone)where one would no longer get a cash payout based on the old criteria but a whole new formula which, of course, both surprised and screwed the employee and benefited this double-dealing company. The new formula meant that instead of getting my five weeks' vacation pay under the old way, I got two weeks' since, now laid off, that was the span of time since my 25th anniversary. Just like that. All those years under a given understanding. Yep, doesn't mean a thing.

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    2. Those bastards.
      I really don't understand why so many stay under these,here today,laid off tomorrow conditions.Not knowing when and what type of buyout.
      I know that in some areas of the country
      the Obama unemployment rate is sky high.But that is not the case in all states or areas.I have been gone for a while,but a friend that I know from my time at Gannett recently found solid employment elsewhere and left.Slightly less pay,however, the mental strain that is gone is worth that and more.What is it with Gannett employees who just won't walk away,it's just a job.
      I have had 3 solid career situations in my life and know people who have had even more.
      Is it that people with Gannett just simply lose their self respect and self esteem and are totally in fear of working anywhere else.?
      I just don't understand the umbilical cord that ties people so loyally and securely to Gannett.

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  8. "I just don't understand the umbilical cord that ties people so loyally and securely to Gannett."

    It's not loyalty to Gannett that keeps me here. It's loyalty to the memory of the great paper that Gannett purchased. Every departure means one more piece of that paper is gone forever. There's almost nothing left but me, not as good a journalist as those who are gone but good enough to preserve what little remains. A shadow of a great paper is sad, but not as sad as nothing but a memory.

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  9. Wow. 4 gone from Phoenix. I just left the Republic in the beginning of March. I'm so curious to know who the 4 were? If you are one of them and don't mind sharing. Sorry to hear about the loss.... but there's some great talent there and all four should land in a better place.

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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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