Following the news that Freedom Forum paid retired CEO Charles "Peanut" Overby $987,000 last year -- an average of $2,700 a day -- you'd think the non-profit's money-losing museum about news history would be reluctant to hit up potential donors for contributions.
But that's just what the Newseum is doing in a fundraising letter begging for gifts for the Chips Quinn Scholars program.
Retired Gannett editorial director John Quinn started the program when Freedom Forum was still known as the original Gannett Foundation to honor his late son Chips; it encourages minority students to enter journalism.
One thing's clear: Alongside Overby's compensation, the program's per-student cost -- about $2,500 -- is a bargain.
Retired Gannett editorial director John Quinn started the program when Freedom Forum was still known as the original Gannett Foundation to honor his late son Chips; it encourages minority students to enter journalism.
One thing's clear: Alongside Overby's compensation, the program's per-student cost -- about $2,500 -- is a bargain.
Great post, Jim. Thanks for keeping an eye on these things.
ReplyDeleteIt has nothing to do with this site's ostensible purpose, but we gather that some of you are really, really hard up for stuff over which to get your panties bunched up.
DeleteThe wealthy elite have no shame these days.
ReplyDelete$2,500 is a bargain? Okay...
ReplyDeleteJohn Quinn was the last faithful journalist in Gannett hierarchy. If I thought a contribution to today"s thieves running the Newseum would actually reach students, I would contribute. But obviously those crooks cannot be trusted to do the right things.
ReplyDeleteAgreed about Mr. Quinn. And that the current bunch are just pocket-liners. Donate your money elsewhere.
DeleteI wonder as I wander:
ReplyDelete1) Ever wonder how many great things (like the Quinn Scholars) that the Freedom Forum could have done (and could now be doing) if it hadn't built the Newseum?
2) Ever wonder how many great things (like the Quinn Scholars) that the Freedom Forum could have done (and could now be doing) if its executives could have somehow managed to live on, oh, only $250k a year?
The money that built that building and padded the payrolls of Freedom Forum top execs (not to mention the lavish perks and digs given to Al) came directly from the communities served by Gannett newspapers. Those dollars used to go to local United Ways and civic projects until Al converted the old Gannett Foundation into the new Freedom Forum.
Some on this blog have asked why Jim digs into the Freedom Forum so much. Simply put, if not for his reporting, we might not had known about these huge salaries, lavish expense accounts, palatial furnishing in the Newseum for Al's office and apartment and money-for-life contracts afforded these folks.
Millions of dollars that could have fed hungry families at local United Ways in Fort Myers or Montgomery or Elmira or Jackson or Wilmington went instead to give these folks big salaries and big cathedrals for their offices.
And now, after all that, they want us to give money to keep the noble Quinn program alive.
An idea: Divide the cost among all Forum employees making $250k or more. We've all had pay reductions and furloughs so the company could still achieve its profit objectives; how about those who have fed at this trough for years be asked to give more?
Great post. These are the last people that should be getting charity at this time of the year. When I think of all of the good workers at our site who were laid off this year it makes me sad. Many contributed to United Way out of their paychecks. Please give money to charities that help people who really need it and not these shameless and greedy people at the top.
DeleteThe wailing, hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth over a 20-year-old story that has nothing to do with anything and that nobody can do a damn thing about anyway — terrifying.
DeleteShameless. When will the program be moved to the Newseum? Nashville is an empty, expensive shell.
ReplyDeleteI donated to the good cause.
ReplyDeleteFor the umpteenth time, this has NOTHING to do with Gannett!
ReplyDeleteSeriously 12:08? Nothing to do with Gannett? Nothing to do with the mindset at Gannett that top execs must be over compensated, even when they under perform, or in this case, work for a non-profit, which now comes at us with its cup in hand and a sad little Tiny Tim meets Oliver Twist expression on their face? It is, after all, for the children, after expenses and costs have been deducted. Big expenses. Next time, maybe Jim should have a coloring book version of a story like this next time for the "challenged" readers..
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Delete3:43 What makes you thinks, that is has nothing to do with Gannett?
ReplyDelete