Oshkosh | This is your under-staffed newspaper

What happened when blogger Cheryl Hentz says she tried reaching the Oshkosh Northwestern newsroom for more news about a train accident on Saturday.

"The city editor’s message said to press ZERO for immediate assistance," she wrote in a post today. "When I did that, it said I was being transferred to the operator, but then almost immediately told me this was an invalid selection. A few moments later it gave me a recording saying the office was closed but if I needed the newsroom I should select that option. In doing so it then said I was being transferred to the News & Information Center, but that extension just rang and rang. Not even a voice mail picked up. How discouraging!"

I've experienced this at other Gannett papers. Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

Ethics 101 | When publishers and politics collide

Many of you know that 25 news employees at five Wisconsin papers got in trouble in March when public documents revealed they'd signed petitions calling for a vote to recall Republican Gov. Scott Walker. The case prompted a blistering ethical debate on how much a newspaper can limit the free speech rights of news employees in order to shield the paper from charges of political bias.

But what happens if a publisher in another state posts a comment on the widely read Huffington Post, urging the defeat of President Obama? Does the publisher get a pass because he isn't a newsroom employee?

Indeed, a comment just like that appeared this month on a Huffington story about the Supreme Court's upholding the health care reform law. "Hope the headline soon reads 'Obama defeated in a landslide,'" the comment says. "This guy has to go!"

Facebook login signature
A Gannett publisher signed the comment using their Facebook login, according to one of my readers. I've written to the publisher, on the chance that a family member with access to their Facebook login posted the remark. I cc'd the publisher's top editor on my note, too, but haven't heard back from either one.

In Wisconsin, the papers didn't disclose the names of employees who signed the petition. But it said none of them were reporters or assigning editors.

Nevertheless, management accused them of crossing an ethical line. Whether the employees were ever punished wasn't made public at the time. But in a memo, the managing editor of the Post-Crescent in Appleton said: "This is a serious matter that calls for serious measures."

So, would it be an equally serious matter for the publisher in question?

Here's a thread for your Wisconsin recall comments

Walker

Gannett Bloggers continue to debate last week's disclosure that 25 of 223 Wisconsin news employees had signed petitions seeking a recall of Gov. Scott Walker. The debate touches on newsroom ethics, freedom of speech, and the lengths to which employers can dictate workers' off-the-job activities.

I'm offering this thread for comments on this subject exclusively. Please post your replies in the comments section, below.

Shafer: Let's make journalists' political views public

From a column by Reuters media columnist Jack Shafer about a move by some of Gannett's 10 Wisconsin dailies to discipline employees for signing a recall-the-governor petition, an alleged violation of the company's ethics policy:

In a just and utopian world, news organizations would permit modest political activism by journalists – campaign contributions, placards on their lawns, bumper stickers on their cars, attendance at rallies, even the signing of recall petitions, etc. – as long as the journalists were willing to declare it. This proposal isn’t as radical as it sounds. At the core of the current journalistic codes is the notion that judging journalism requires us to judge the conduct of the journalists producing it. Instead of suppressing the political lives of journalists, why not allow that which is now covert to become overt and give readers more information to assess coverage?

Appleton | Papers' staff snared after investigation; memo: 'serious matter' calls for 'serious measures'

From a Page One column in today's Post-Crescent of Appleton, Wis., by Genia Lovett, publisher of the paper and a regional vice president over Gannett's other nine Wisconsin newspapers:

Walker

Last week, the Gannett Wisconsin Media Investigative Team broke a story that appeared in the Post-Crescent, exposing 29 circuit court judges who signed petitions to recall Republican Gov. Scott Walker. It was a story we were proud to bring to you. It was watchdog journalism in its finest sense, a role we take seriously.

Today, in the interest of full transparency, we are informing you that 25 Gannett Wisconsin Media journalists, including nine at the P-C, also signed the Walker recall petitions. It was wrong, and those who signed were in breach of Gannett's Principles of Ethical Conduct for Newsrooms.

The breakdown
In addition to the P-C's nine, the other staffers were at the Green Bay Press-Gazette (seven), the Oshkosh Northwestern (five) the Wausau Daily Herald (two), and The Sheboygan Press (one), according to one of my readers.

The memo
In an e-mail yesterday afternoon, Appleton's managing editor, Jamie Mara, alerted staffers to the impending news:

From: Mara, Jamie
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2012 4:49 PM
To: APC-News All
Cc: Lovett, Genia
Subject: Recall petition-PLEASE READ NOW

All:

I want to alert you to a column from our president and publisher, Genia Lovett, that will appear on Saturday's Page A-1.

Genia will alert our readers to an ethical lapse by a number of newsroom employees in Appleton and at several other Gannett Wisconsin Media sites who signed public petitions in the Gov. Scott Walker recall efforts. The employees — none of whom are news reporters or assigning news editors — will not be named in the column.

As you know, in the new business, credibility is our most precious possession. Journalists must make every effort to avoid even the perception of bias. Gannett's Principles of Ethical Conduct for Newsrooms guide us in this vital mission.

Management became aware of the signatures this week after an outside source contacted one of the employees who had signed. We then checked a searchable database of petitions to determine the extent of the matter. The revelation came on the heels of this past Sunday's watchdog report by the newly created Gannett Wisconsin Media Investigative Team that exposed the fact that at least 29 circuit court judges in Wisconsin signed the recall petitions.

So, what now?

This is a serious matter that calls for serious measures.

Aside from opening up to our readers via Genia's column, we are in the process of planning supplemental ethics training for all news employees. We need to ensure that everyone understands the Principles of Ethical Conduct and their practical applications. We also are in the process of addressing discipline.

In the meantime, I ask these things of each of you:

• Do not respond to any media requests or other communication you might receive from outside our office in relation to this matter. Instead forward such items to me.
• Review the principles below and recommit to them.
• Do not let this throw us off course. Remain focused on the important work you do.

I am confident we will learn from the experience and emerge stronger.

Thank you

Jamie

Page One | Christmas Day front pages

A holiday selection of three Gannett papers, starting with the Oshkosh Northwestern in Wisconsin (bigger view):

. . . the Lansing State Journal in Michigan (bigger view):

. . . and the Detroit Free Press (bigger view):

Got a Gannett front page to recommend? Find it in the Newseum's page one database, then post a link in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.

Towering ambition: An end to news building era

[Gannett owned Tribune Tower in Oakland, Calif., 1979-83]

The days when publishers built signature corporate homes probably died for good yesterday, when the cash-strapped New York Times Co. said it raised $225 million through a sale and leaseback of a chunk of its new Manhattan headquarters building. NYT spent more than $600 million on the 52-story tower by Italian architect Renzo Piano, and completed only two years ago. Surely, it will be the last of its kind.

Gannett buildings now on the market in similar sale-leaseback deals include the Poughkeepsie Journal's Colonial Revival home in New York (left). It was built in the 1930s; GCI wants $5.3 million.

The former GCI-owned Oakland Tribune abandoned its signature building and tower nearly two years ago. The 21-story building was completed in 1923. GCI got the Tribune with The Cincinnati Enquirer in the 1979 purchase of Combined Communications Corp.

GCI sold the Oakland paper in 1983 to its editor, Robert Maynard, and his wife. Amid steep losses and after a Freedom Forum-led bailout, the Maynards sold the Tribune in 1992; it's now owned by MediaNews Group. MediaNews and Gannett are business partners in Detroit, and in the Texas-New Mexico Newspaper Partnership.

More noteworthy architecture

• Chicago Tribune
  
• Daily Planet of Metropolis
  
• Gannett-USA Today headquarters
• Los Angeles Times
  
• New York Times New Year's Eve ball
  
• Oshkosh Northwestern
• Seattle Post-Intelligencer roof top globe
  

Please post your thoughts in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write gannettblog[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green sidebar, upper right.

Documents reveal double-digit profit margins at scores of papers now on verge of massive layoffs

We've always heard that Gannett newspapers racked up double-digit profit margins, even as bad times engulfed the industry. But I've never seen actual numbers until now, because Corporate keeps the performance of individual businesses a well-guarded secret.

I've recently had an opportunity to review margins for most of GCI's U.S. newspapers as of a year ago (USA Today isn't included). They're disclosed in an internal report, the Cost & Statistical Summary, provided to me by a Gannett Blog reader; it covers the first three quarters (periods 1-9) of 2007. The reader asked to remain anonymous, citing possible repercussions if identified. The reader did not have more current data, for 2008. And the reader requested I not share copies of the report with anyone.

Green Bay: No. 1 at 42.5%
The numbers are startling -- especially now, with Gannett poised to lay off perhaps thousands of newspaper workers next week in another bid to boost the company's flagging stock. Every newspaper except Detroit's was profitable a year ago -- although some, just barely so.

The Green Bay Press-Gazette was the star. It had the single-highest profit margin: 42.5%. In other words, Green Bay kept 43 cents of every dollar it took in. The paper's total ad revenue over the three quarters: $25 million. The report doesn't disclose circulation revenue for any paper. Applied only to ad revenue, then, Green Bay made around $10.6 million during the period. (Will Green Bay lay off workers next week? We'll find out.)

Now, some readers say these are, in fact, gross profit margins -- that certain costs must still be subtracted before you can get to "net" earnings. That may be true, but the reports I've got just say "newspaper profit margin." (See a screenshot of one report.)

The money-losing Detroit Free Press and the formerly Gannett-owned Detroit News are published by the GCI-controlled joint operating agency there. To be sure, several barely profitable papers may have dipped into the red since this report was published. The economy went over a cliff this year when the housing bubble collapsed, throwing the nation into recession. Yet, I imagine many of the papers listed below are still enjoying very healthy margins.

The Arizona Republic vies with USA Today as the company's biggest revenue generator. (Since USAT isn't included in these reports, the exact rankings remain unknown.) The Republic's margin was a solid 25.43%, on $319 million in total ad revenue during the three quarters.

Paper-by-paper: Margins, ad sales
Following is the performance of more than 80 U.S. newspapers over the first three quarters of last year, ending about Sept. 30. Gannett's 17-daily U.K. Newsquest chain and the TV division aren't included. Total ad sales are provided, but not circulation revenue. (However, circulation is a fraction of the newspaper division's revenue: just 21% so far this year, says the third-quarter earnings report.)

Note that many newspapers are tiny revenue-generators. Also, names below are those listed in the report; some Wisconsin and Ohio papers are grouped together. To get a sense of an individual paper's profit in dollars, multiply the margin against ad sales.

• Alexandria, La.: 20.56% margin; $9.7 million in ad sales
• Appleton, Wisc.: 32.47%; $22.2
• Asbury Park, N.J.: 19.16%; $82.3
• Asheville, N.C.: 23.49%; $20.6
• Battle Creek, Mich.: 13.05%; $6.7
• Binghamton, N.Y.: 32.64%; $18.1
• Brevard, Fla.: 24.68%; $44.8
• Bridgewater, N.J.: 10.04%; $13.3
• Bucyrus, Ohio: 9.59%; $1.0
• Burlington, Vt.: 36.21%; $21.3
• Central Wisconsin: 24.25%; $16.2
• Cherry Hill, N.J.: 9.83%; $40.7
• Chillicothe, Ohio: 22.3%; $3.4
• Cincinnati: 13.97%; $111.9
• Clarksville, Tenn.: 26.01%; $8.9
• Coshocton, Ohio: 4.67%; $0.9
• Des Moines: 24.58%; $71.0
• Detroit: negative 4.96%; $164.8
• East Brunswick, N.J.: 16.07%; $19.6
• East Wisconsin: 29.75%; $77.8
• Elmira, N.Y.: 19.2%; $9.0
• Fond du Lac, Wisc.: 8.02%; $3.0
• Fort Collins, Colo.: 30.97%; $16.2
• Fort Myers, Fla.: 29.99%; $66.3
• Freemont, Ohio: 11.89%; $2.6
• Great Falls, Mont.: 21.18%; $9.2
• Green Bay, Wisc.: 42.5%; $25.0
• Greenville, S.C.: 27.29%; $45.3
• Guam: 40.39%; $11.2
• Hattiesburg, Miss.: 16.44%; $7.3
• Honolulu: 3.33%; $76.6
• Indianapolis: 24.97%; $116.3
• Iowa City, Iowa: 15.17%; $7.0
• Ithaca, N.Y.: 16.01%; $5.8
• Jackson, Miss.: 25.94%; $34.5
• Jackson, Tenn.: 15.14%; $10.2
• Lafayette, Ind.: 27.85%; $12.2
• Lafayette, La.: 33.52%; $23.2
• Lancaster, Ohio: 15.15%; $3.0
• Lansing, Mich.: 23.22%; $26.7
• Louisville: 19.33%; $78.5
• Manitowoc, Wisc.: 21.12%; $4.7
• Mansfield, Ohio: 31.39%; $8.3
• Marion, Ohio: 26.04%; $3.0
• Marshfield, Wisc.: 15.23%; $2.2
• Monroe, La.: 15.09%; $10.6
• Montgomery, Ala.: 27.83%; $22.1
• Morristown, N.J.: 14.93%; $16.4
• Mountain Home, Ark.: 20.25%; $3.1
• Muncie, Ind.: 24.0%; $9.5
• Nashville: 21.38%; $93.1
• Newark, Ohio: 17.25%; $5.1
• NNC Ohio: 22.09%; $37.0
• Opelousas, La.: 33.0%; $2.6
• Oshkosh, Wisc.: 31.15%; $6.8
• Palm Springs, Calif.: 37.98%; $40.2
• Pensacola, Fla.: 27.10%; $28.7
• Phoenix: 25.43%; $319.2
• Port Clinton, Ohio: 2.74%; $0.8
• Port Huron, Mich.: 17.58%; $9.0
• Poughkeepsie, N.Y.: 27.84%; $20.0
• Reno: 34.90%; $42.8
• Richmond, Ind.: 18.17%; $5.2
• Rochester, N.Y.: 28.48%; $62.3
• St. Cloud, Minn.: 28.16%; $17.2
• St. George, Utah: 29.91%; $13.7
• Salem, Ore.: 32.95%; $23.2
• Salinas, Calif.: 7.44%; $8.2
• Salisbury, Md.: 26.74%; $16.8
• Sheboygan, Wisc.: 24.01%; $6.7
• Shreveport, La.: 29.22%; $23.9
• Sioux Falls, S.D.: 36.55%; $23.7
• Springfield, Mo.: 37.50%; $28.8
• Staunton, Va.: 25.56%; $5.4
• Stevens Point, Wisc.: 19.81%; $2.4
• Tallahassee: 25.55%; $24.3
• Tucson-TNI: 28.26%; $67.7
• Tulare, Calif.: 39.93%; $2.4
• Vineland, N.J.: 19.15%; $7.1
• Visalia, Calif.: 22.87%; $9.2
• Wausau, Wis.: 32.11%; $8.7
• Westchester, N.Y.: 14.84%; $79.1
• Wilmington, Del.: 25.08%; $54.7
• Wisconsin RAPI: 19.92%; $2.3
• Zanesville, Ohio: 23.08% margin; $4.0 million in ad sales

Earlier: We're building a paper-by-paper list of layoffs; just three papers are listed so far. Will yours be included when publishers disclose cuts next week?

Please post your thoughts in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write gannettblog[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the green sidebar, upper right.