The send out today didn't make a dent in the readership of the Clarion Ledger. Everything that was published had already been covered on TV. We need real writers back like we used to have who touched on real life stories and made you feel what they felt. What happened to the gentlemen and the young lady who seemed to always make you look for their work? Guess I'm an old fogey but that's what the newspaper is all about. And Marshall Ramsey's blog with his followers shouting out a good morning to each other? Can the powers be not read between their own lines?
Any word on 2014 layoffs? I have a new job lined up already and wonder if I could get anything out of Gannett if I stick around for a little bit longer. I am going to be one of the first to go on the next round.
No, once you reach your deductable insurance only covers 80%. The term "out of pocket max" means just that: the maximum you will pay out of your pocket.
Good luck 5:06, glad to hear it. Last year's layoffs at my site were given one week of transitional pay for each year you worked (they made up the difference between what you got from unemployment and what your final salary was -- say you worked 10 years and made 600 a week, and unemployment paid you 400, Gannett gave you that extra 200 each week for 10 weeks).. But if you got a job, that transition pay ended with unemployment. So not sure if it's worth hanging around for.
In Tallahassee, home to Florida State University, demand for the local Democrat was so big after FSU won the BCS National Championship that even reporters were taking calls for special editions.
I've heard of reporters doing that at small weeklies but not at a daily.
The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson added the USA TODAY sections on Sunday and had reporters and editors at a Wal-Mart buying copies of the paper and giving them to shoppers. They then wrote a story about it in Monday's paper. Leslie never misses a chance to trumpet what the C-L does that she thinks is news in the community.
It's good to know that even after 2 or 3 years of leaving Gannett, our former editors are still checking our LinkedIn profiles. I'm sure it's not because they are nosy, vindictive jerks with times on their hand since they are putting out a rag after purging the paper of any experienced reporters. I prefer to think it is because they are caring, empathetic people who really care about us and what we are doing.
The weenie Gannettoid imported to our site as executive editor was threatened by anyone who had true local roots and community knowledge. I was on his "enemies" list so I took advantage of an opportunity to leave on my own terms for a job that has worked out even better than I had hoped. That was three years ago. About a year into my new job, the CEO told me that he'd been at a party and overheard my former boss badmouthing me. Fortunately, my new boss knew that was BS, but he thought I should know. I considered confronting the EE about it, but decided he wasn't worth it. A few months later, he got the axe! And today our HR director told me that the guy has applied for an opening at our company because, she said he told her, "he's grown to love this community so deeply that he cannot bear the thought of leaving and is willing to take a job several steps down from his previous position." She told me that he will need to keep looking. So, if you wait long enough, what goes around does come around!
Newspapers today are all about "the buddy system." If you have a buddy, you hire them, because that could mean that your job is more secure if they have your back. You wouldn't believe some of the things I've seen. Trust me, getting hired at a newspaper these days has very little to do with talent and everything to do with contacts. It's pretty much always been like that, but even more today when people are fighting to hang on to their jobs. My advice to kids going in to journalism - only do it if your parents have enough money to support you if you get laid off or cut because you aren't part of "the buddy system." Then they can pay for you to go back to school.
Totally agree on the "Buddy System" statement. I don't work for Gannett but a close competitor - our company hired 12)who were fired from MLive. What a group of selfish people.
Surprised this hasn't surfaced here yet: "Free Press apologizes after reporter jokes about incest in West Virginia" : http://motorcitymuckraker.com/2014/01/14/free-press-apologizes-after-reporter-jokes-about-incest-in-west-virginia/ (incidentally, the blog it appears on is run/reported by an ex-Free Press staffer, per previous post)
From Phoneix Business Journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2014/01/14/arizona-republic-could-cut-valley.html Butterfly project landing in Phoenix ... Jim is quoted. In brief, B section will cease to be the local news section to make way national and international news stories from its USA Today
This is so USAT can stay on top of circulation by adding 300,000 copies being sold. Phoenix has landed bean counters and number pushers. The end is near.
Jim: I'd love to see you create a separate thread on health care costs pre- and post- "Employee Choice" program. Notably, prescription drug care costs. They definitely went up quite noticeably.
Example from me: A medication that retails for just over $2100 for a 30-day supply cost me $80 out of pocket from Caremark in 2013. In 2014, the same 30-day supply will cost me $1622 in January (I'll just round it to my full $1500 deductible since I'm single), then $422 per month out of pocket after the 80/20 coverage kicks in. So my cost for this drug for 2013 was $960 ($80 x 12) and for 2014 will be $6142 ($422 x 11 + $1500).
Ergo, my $5000 reduction in salary and benefits, just on this one medication, which my doctor tells me I cannot stop taking and for which there's not a generic. And yes, I got a 2nd opinion!
I'd love to know what others' experiences are now that folks are starting to see the real prices for 2014 and do the math for themselves.
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.
how's that Phoenix pressmen's union thing going ??
ReplyDeleteThe send out today didn't make a dent in the readership of the Clarion Ledger. Everything that was published had already been covered on TV. We need real writers back like we used to have who touched on real life stories and made you feel what they felt. What happened to the gentlemen and the young lady who seemed to always make you look for their work? Guess I'm an old fogey but that's what the newspaper is all about. And Marshall Ramsey's blog with his followers shouting out a good morning to each other? Can the powers be not read between their own lines?
ReplyDeleteAny word on 2014 layoffs? I have a new job lined up already and wonder if I could get anything out of Gannett if I stick around for a little bit longer. I am going to be one of the first to go on the next round.
ReplyDeleteIt is still going to suck but I think you annual out of pocket max is $5000. Once you reach that all of your medical expenses should be covered 100%.
DeleteNo, once you reach your out of pocket max the insurance only covers 80%
DeleteNo, once you reach your deductable insurance only covers 80%. The term "out of pocket max" means just that: the maximum you will pay out of your pocket.
DeleteStick it to the man! Good luck in your new job and may the rest of us be as lucky getting out before the ship sinks.
ReplyDeleteGood luck 5:06, glad to hear it. Last year's layoffs at my site were given one week of transitional pay for each year you worked (they made up the difference between what you got from unemployment and what your final salary was -- say you worked 10 years and made 600 a week, and unemployment paid you 400, Gannett gave you that extra 200 each week for 10 weeks).. But if you got a job, that transition pay ended with unemployment. So not sure if it's worth hanging around for.
ReplyDeleteIn Tallahassee, home to Florida State University, demand for the local Democrat was so big after FSU won the BCS National Championship that even reporters were taking calls for special editions.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of reporters doing that at small weeklies but not at a daily.
I don't believe anything that columnist writes.
DeleteThe Clarion-Ledger in Jackson added the USA TODAY sections on Sunday and had reporters and editors at a Wal-Mart buying copies of the paper and giving them to shoppers. They then wrote a story about it in Monday's paper. Leslie never misses a chance to trumpet what the C-L does that she thinks is news in the community.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pnj.com/article/20140113/BUSINESS/140113004/PNJ-announces-new-president-publisher
ReplyDeleteAll of the good writers that The Clarion-Ledger had have gone into public relations.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that even after 2 or 3 years of leaving Gannett, our former editors are still checking our LinkedIn profiles. I'm sure it's not because they are nosy, vindictive jerks with times on their hand since they are putting out a rag after purging the paper of any experienced reporters. I prefer to think it is because they are caring, empathetic people who really care about us and what we are doing.
ReplyDeleteThe weenie Gannettoid imported to our site as executive editor was threatened by anyone who had true local roots and community knowledge. I was on his "enemies" list so I took advantage of an opportunity to leave on my own terms for a job that has worked out even better than I had hoped. That was three years ago. About a year into my new job, the CEO told me that he'd been at a party and overheard my former boss badmouthing me. Fortunately, my new boss knew that was BS, but he thought I should know. I considered confronting the EE about it, but decided he wasn't worth it. A few months later, he got the axe! And today our HR director told me that the guy has applied for an opening at our company because, she said he told her, "he's grown to love this community so deeply that he cannot bear the thought of leaving and is willing to take a job several steps down from his previous position." She told me that he will need to keep looking. So, if you wait long enough, what goes around does come around!
Deletekarma!
DeleteHoping for the same for my former EE, a truly repugnant and evil man. And I won't be anywhere near that Ground Zero when it happens!
DeleteWish there was justice for about 50 weenies at the Crystal Palace.
ReplyDeleteNewspapers today are all about "the buddy system." If you have a buddy, you hire them, because that could mean that your job is more secure if they have your back. You wouldn't believe some of the things I've seen. Trust me, getting hired at a newspaper these days has very little to do with talent and everything to do with contacts. It's pretty much always been like that, but even more today when people are fighting to hang on to their jobs. My advice to kids going in to journalism - only do it if your parents have enough money to support you if you get laid off or cut because you aren't part of "the buddy system." Then they can pay for you to go back to school.
ReplyDeleteWhy your ex-staffers could be your worst competitors
ReplyDeletehttp://www.inma.org/blogs/naturally-novak/post.cfm/why-your-ex-staffers-could-be-your-worst-competitors?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailyMember
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ReplyDeleteTotally agree on the "Buddy System" statement. I don't work for Gannett but a close competitor - our company hired 12)who were fired from MLive. What a group of selfish people.
ReplyDeleteSurprised this hasn't surfaced here yet: "Free Press apologizes after reporter jokes about incest in West Virginia" : http://motorcitymuckraker.com/2014/01/14/free-press-apologizes-after-reporter-jokes-about-incest-in-west-virginia/ (incidentally, the blog it appears on is run/reported by an ex-Free Press staffer, per previous post)
ReplyDeleteI saw this story on facebook in Shreveport - via Michelle Malkin
ReplyDeleteFrom Phoneix Business Journal:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2014/01/14/arizona-republic-could-cut-valley.html
Butterfly project landing in Phoenix ... Jim is quoted.
In brief, B section will cease to be the local news section to make way national and international news stories from its USA Today
This is so USAT can stay on top of circulation by adding 300,000 copies being sold. Phoenix has landed bean counters and number pushers. The end is near.
DeleteJim: I'd love to see you create a separate thread on health care costs pre- and post- "Employee Choice" program. Notably, prescription drug care costs. They definitely went up quite noticeably.
ReplyDeleteExample from me: A medication that retails for just over $2100 for a 30-day supply cost me $80 out of pocket from Caremark in 2013. In 2014, the same 30-day supply will cost me $1622 in January (I'll just round it to my full $1500 deductible since I'm single), then $422 per month out of pocket after the 80/20 coverage kicks in. So my cost for this drug for 2013 was $960 ($80 x 12) and for 2014 will be $6142 ($422 x 11 + $1500).
Ergo, my $5000 reduction in salary and benefits, just on this one medication, which my doctor tells me I cannot stop taking and for which there's not a generic. And yes, I got a 2nd opinion!
I'd love to know what others' experiences are now that folks are starting to see the real prices for 2014 and do the math for themselves.
I thought you had to get a 90-day supply from Caremark?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteJim, coming to this blog on Google Chrome, I got kick off. it said something about your blog was infected with malwqre.You better look into this.
ReplyDeletei, too, got the malware warning coming from chrome.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking into this.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
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