tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post4742481426074091484..comments2023-11-05T06:26:51.316-05:00Comments on Gannett Blog: USAT | In new reorg details, 35 editorial jobs cut; but what's up with advertising, other departments?Jim Hopkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-40252886929631907692013-05-26T02:34:13.231-04:002013-05-26T02:34:13.231-04:00Rest in peace, Bob. I just found out yesterday tha...Rest in peace, Bob. I just found out yesterday that you passed away about 18 months ago. Sounds like your work situation was very stressful from all the posts here. No doubt, you're in a better place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-10375130628368348282010-10-11T15:53:36.613-04:002010-10-11T15:53:36.613-04:00I think the Rolling Stones said it well:
"Ju...I think the Rolling Stones said it well:<br /><br />"Just as every cop is a criminal and all the sinners saints.<br /><br />As heads is tails just call me Lucifer, 'cause I'm in need of some restraint.<br /><br />But if you see me have some courtesy, have some sympathy and some taste.<br /><br />Mind all your well-learned politics, or I'll lay your soul to waste."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-63160871768911454682010-10-09T07:00:57.846-04:002010-10-09T07:00:57.846-04:008:21 p.m.: I'm sorry you're disappointed. ...8:21 p.m.: I'm sorry you're disappointed. I've been waiting for a detail or two to build a post around. In the meantime, I have hoped that people like you would step forward with information. What can you tell us?Jim Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-59379210924950153622010-10-08T22:00:05.303-04:002010-10-08T22:00:05.303-04:00@12:21 He's actually kept in a carbonite box l...@12:21 He's actually kept in a carbonite box like Han Solo. When the staff needs to be injected with an earnest, high-energy talk he is released. Now you know what the blue ball really is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-65250961340632790392010-10-08T20:21:29.743-04:002010-10-08T20:21:29.743-04:00Unreal that USA TODAY circulation goes through a m...Unreal that USA TODAY circulation goes through a major overhaul on Thursday and Jim has nothing to report. No crowd sourcing, no updates, no new threads, nothing. What is Jim doing?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-53568663474124717402010-10-08T12:21:56.371-04:002010-10-08T12:21:56.371-04:00Does anyone actually see Hunke? Or does he only m...Does anyone actually see Hunke? Or does he only materialize into human form once a quarter for those update meetings?<br /><br />"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. The Great Oz has spoken."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-18512835727871076592010-10-08T09:49:53.853-04:002010-10-08T09:49:53.853-04:00@5:03 AM: You don't see Hunke in the newsroom,...@5:03 AM: You don't see Hunke in the newsroom, either. Not ever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-73450825226409413092010-10-08T06:50:29.904-04:002010-10-08T06:50:29.904-04:00Why so few comments? Because this company has been...Why so few comments? Because this company has been doing this same crap to people for more than a decade. For years, USAT's employees were just immune to the blood-letting that was occurring at all the other papers. Welcome to the club.<br />And by the way, digital won't work. There's no successful advertising model. It's very sad what's happening to true journalism. We are Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-40646173699143449912010-10-08T05:03:03.817-04:002010-10-08T05:03:03.817-04:00Following is an edited version of a comment posted...Following is an edited version of a comment posted at 11:38 p.m.: <br /><br />Bob Fleming, a USAT news editor, passed away today at age 53. By all accounts, he was a decent human being and solid journalist. Our sympathy to his family. Its definitely an occassion for reflection.<br /><br />Has [CFO Martore] ever actually been in the newsroom? When was the last time anyone saw Dubow walk among the Jim Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-65452183509689952010-10-07T23:38:27.482-04:002010-10-07T23:38:27.482-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-81242633199764591422010-10-07T15:04:14.343-04:002010-10-07T15:04:14.343-04:0012:19 - sorry to hear that. Keep your head up.......12:19 - sorry to hear that. Keep your head up....better days are ahead!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-89065360951383063492010-10-07T12:19:38.993-04:002010-10-07T12:19:38.993-04:00Just got the axe myself today from circulation. A...Just got the axe myself today from circulation. At least its finally over- riding a sinking ship is no fun.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-89434744935424165212010-10-07T10:33:34.966-04:002010-10-07T10:33:34.966-04:00I can only hope to get a job with a competitor of ...I can only hope to get a job with a competitor of USA Today's and screw them out of as much money as possible. I don't think I'll have a hard time. USAT brass is doing the best it can to make that task as easy as possible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-92208846109065391692010-10-07T09:20:51.436-04:002010-10-07T09:20:51.436-04:00By USAT discarding experienced people, it is hurti...By USAT discarding experienced people, it is hurting all products (print and digital) in tangible and intangible ways. Businesses that treat people like numbers create some bad karma that manifests itself in a variety of ways that shallow bean-counter types just don't comprehend. There aren't many deep thinkers in the usat executive offices, but if there were, they'd see that getting Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-1187539055754712092010-10-07T09:08:24.436-04:002010-10-07T09:08:24.436-04:00So how out of date is this?
"Staff Size 411 ...So how out of date is this?<br /><br />"Staff Size 411 Editorial, 1,495 Total USA TODAY"<br /><br />http://www.usatoday.com/marketing/media_kit/pressroom/press_kit_usat.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-69270346324424235172010-10-07T05:20:15.199-04:002010-10-07T05:20:15.199-04:0010:20 a.m.: Regarding USAT's newsroom headcoun...10:20 a.m.: Regarding USAT's newsroom headcount, I believe the total is now somewhere in the range of 350 to 375 staff -- 25% to 30% lower than three years ago. Here's how I got to that:<br /><br />In December 2007, when I took my buyout, newsroom staffing totaled about 500. With my buyout group (43 people), and two rounds of layoffs (about 20 and then 26, in Decembers 2008 and 2009) the Jim Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16712746705871119746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-57742465607245929352010-10-07T00:07:49.543-04:002010-10-07T00:07:49.543-04:00Tony Hill was a longtime, solid contributor, how f...Tony Hill was a longtime, solid contributor, how foolish to force him out. Guess his salary was too much for Hunke and the finance staff to resist. When are these geniuses going to learn its the quality and depth of product content that sells ads? Too many reporters have been scared-off or fired while two layers of do-nothing editors remain. Why are the simple truths so difficult for this Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-90032463411574314872010-10-06T23:15:45.779-04:002010-10-06T23:15:45.779-04:00Dude, do I still have a job..heh, heh.Dude, do I still have a job..heh, heh.Ruddnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-11226243465852474262010-10-06T22:31:28.318-04:002010-10-06T22:31:28.318-04:00If they wanted to demoralize an already demoralize...If they wanted to demoralize an already demoralized staff, I could conceive of no better way than this reorganization. It has been nothing but confusion in the last two days as people try to adjust to a radical new system. Was there no consideration of this, or about how they are going to put out a newspaper in the next two weeks? Just unbelievable incompetence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-61388730686286919872010-10-06T22:20:20.398-04:002010-10-06T22:20:20.398-04:00This from the AP on the Wall Street Journal site:
...This from the AP on the Wall Street Journal site:<br /><br />"USA Today spokesman Ed Cassidy declined to say how many people currently work in the newsroom. USA Today Editor John Hillkirk didn't return calls."<br /><br />What the heck? So USAT is now afraid to state how many employees work in the newsroom? And John Hillkirk doesn't return calls? This is a company that touts its Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-34577781540274975792010-10-06T20:41:21.301-04:002010-10-06T20:41:21.301-04:00They will be doing layoffs across ALL circulation ...They will be doing layoffs across ALL circulation markets tomm.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-57464820796229068322010-10-06T19:58:58.466-04:002010-10-06T19:58:58.466-04:00Surprisingly, not many comments about the 35 layof...Surprisingly, not many comments about the 35 layoffs, especially considering some of the slimy tactics being used by USA Today heads to not only get rid of more payroll now, but to put the writing clearly on the wall for others to see. USA Today is now officially being run like every other Gannett property over the last three decades. Low managerial ethics and bullying, scare strategies, the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-70277983702462375032010-10-06T19:36:13.352-04:002010-10-06T19:36:13.352-04:00The usat reorg is far worse than what is being rep...The usat reorg is far worse than what is being reported here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-40268679128399820202010-10-06T15:06:11.385-04:002010-10-06T15:06:11.385-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8099437767970534324.post-14668820232363073222010-10-06T13:14:44.191-04:002010-10-06T13:14:44.191-04:00This is absolute chaos. They put together this pla...This is absolute chaos. They put together this plan on the fly, and it is obvious they don't understand how a news operation works on the Web. Most Web sites have very few editors and are put out on a shoestring. Under this plan, USA Today's operations will have a huge stable of editors and few involved in the production of content for the Web site.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com