Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Layoffs drag into third week as PoJo cuts seven; many East Group employees still on tenterhooks

The Poughkeepsie Journal eliminated seven jobs yesterday, three each in the newsroom and advertising, and one in the business office, as the paper became the latest to cut expenses across the U.S. newspaper division.

In a story, the New York paper didn't say how many of the jobs were lost through layoffs or by dropping open positions.

Poughkeepsie is part of the East Group, where layoffs have been slow to be announced during the current round that began July 29.

Corporate has said little about the layoffs beyond a brief statement confirming they were underway. It's unclear why the company has extended this round into a third week, prolonging anxiety for many of the division's 18,000 employees. In previous cases -- including the last big one, 700 jobs in June 2011 -- the company generally moved all at once.

With Poughkeepsie, an estimated 322 jobs are now gone across 51 of about 80 sites, according to Gannett Blog readers and a handful of published reports.

The PoJo's Monday-Saturday circulation is 23,338; Sunday is 31,927. (Circulation look up database.)

Is your site counted?
Please check this read-only spreadsheet, then post your site's latest information in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

20 comments:

  1. http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20130813/NEWS01/130813019/7-jobs-eliminated-by-Journal

    "The Poughkeepsie Journal eliminated seven employees’ positions today as it navigates financial changes in the newspaper and media industries.

    Three positions were trimmed in the newsroom. Three others were in Advertising, and one was in the business office.

    “We lost some good people from our team, and we will miss them,” said Journal President and Publisher Barry Rothfeld. “But, as our industry confronts a still-challenging economy and an evolving landscape in advertising and readership, we are forced to keep our costs in line with revenue trends. This will help ensure our future and allow us to continue to provide strong local news coverage across multiple platforms, as well as integrated solutions for our advertising customers.”

    The cuts came as part of expense-reduction efforts by the Journal’s parent company, Gannett Co., Inc. The affected employees received severance packages that in part included transitional pay, job-search assistance and other benefits.

    While the Journal’s digital advertising and readership have grown, print advertising has slowed as readers have changed habits to receive news in multiple ways online."

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pojo, reporter, photographer, clerk. Couple in advertising and one in business. Seven, plus some vacancies that ain't gonna get filled.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What Barry said: "This will help ensure our future and allow us to continue to provide strong local news coverage across multiple platforms."

    What Barry should have said: "Expect more three-month-old high school honor rolls, rewritten (barely) press releases and reader-submitted photos of sunsets. It's all within reach!"

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's amazing that the the Journal still has a President and Publisher.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And a yutz of an executive editor with the biggest ego in all of Gannett. How about get rid of him and keep the pres and publisher

      Delete
    2. Yutz is too mild a word. The Pok editor is not competent and deals poorly with the news staff. The Pok publisher is reasonably competent, but also has zero people skills. Bottom line: These guys are both selfish users and Gannett hatchet men who take sick delight in stomping on others.

      Delete
  5. There is a job fair today for Advertising Sales Executives at the Courtyard Marriot in Middletown. There are some interesting positions open.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That would be for the Times Herald Record, who hasn't had a furlough ever and who has not had budget cutting RIF's in a long long time. Come and join us, we're hiring!

      Delete
    2. THN has cut jobs in recent years. Ask Doug Cunningham.

      Delete
    3. Times Herald Record publisher is a great guy but sale department is horrible nasty cut throat salespeople and managers not a good work environment low pay and bonus-- paper has=lost money for years - digital and inside sales manager are clueless tyrants tread carefully paper is also for sale

      Delete
    4. Times Herald Record editor, a former Gannettoid, is not a great guy.

      Delete
    5. Yes publisher at the times herald record is a good guy looks out for his people problem with that paper is sales management-- digital manager and inside manager JM and k . They were trained by the previous ad director Kh who was an absolute witch

      Delete
  6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
  7. But they posted for a new advertising director on 8/5 :) ...

    https://career4.successfactors.com/career?company=Gannett&career_job_req_id=20264&career_ns=job_listing&navBarLevel=JOB_SEARCH&jobPipeline=Indeed

    ReplyDelete
  8. More details on the Lansing layoffs. It says more may come Aug. 30.

    http://www.lansingcitypulse.com/lansing/article-9197-more-lsj-layoffs.html

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anyone have initials for the reporter & photographer let go from the PoJo?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KR was photog, not sure of reporter.

      Delete
  10. Sorry if this has been answered already, hard to keep track of all the comments, but are the laid off employees being offered severance? Rumors are rampant that they're coming here in Rochester and I'm scared!

    ReplyDelete

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.