Gannett, Gatehouse talking merger

Lotta veterans including the reporter in Austin. Newspapers are so despicable. Some of those people laid off worked at their papers 25, 30, 40 years. Sickening. Gannett ... Gatehouse we'd expect nothing else from you. Obviously they continue to make it easy for subscribers to cancel. There's nothing in those rags worth reading.

 

Flyers beat writer

 

Sports depts at Gannett NJ papers got hit hard. Yet political writer turned "sports editor" is kept at Asbury. Go figure.

 

One of true good guys in the industry:

 

Was anyone at the Des Moines paper laid off for their twitter history?

 

I'm one year out of school and was one of the jobs cut on Friday. They cut a sports staff that covers 40 schools down to one person. It was four two years ago.

I had been at the job nine months. I felt like I was doing a really good job and my numbers reflected that. I'd been nominated for some awards and broken major stories. I was told I was producing great content and was one of their better writers already. Not sure why I was the one chosen, but oh well. It's clear that they are not interested in developing talent.

Guess they just saw me as a seasonal worker.

Got plenty of money saved up and no student loans, thankfully. I'm leaning toward getting out, unless the right opportunity presents itself.

Personally, I think part of this industry (big corporate papers) needs to get over itself. A "passion" isn't worth all the stuff we have to put up with--the long hours, low pay, job insecurity and lack of loyalty. Shoot, just look at what happened to Eddie Sefko.

I'd like to thank Gannett for letting me get out of this early, haha.

 

I am not sure that the people who run Gannett think their papers will exist in a few years. The business strategy is to pay off the debt and squeeze as much cash as they can out of the product before they close the doors.

So why the hell would the company bother to develop talent? And I think that is true of McClatchy and DFM also. And these guys are taking over the industry.

Good luck to you.

 

The basis of cuts usually comes down to either seniority or salary.

 

Thank you.

I can guarantee salary wasn't an issue, haha.

 

Was Edgar Stanton the sports editor in Tuscaloosa? I bet 50% of the web traffic at that paper is generated by Alabama football content. What is the plan for the sports section if they layoff the sports editor?

This is a serious question.

 

The management of Gannett publically said recently (I think it was the February earnings call but I am tired and don't want to look it up) that they had cut 60 million of the 300 million they had promised to cut. So they had 240 million to go. Much has changed in the world since last February and none of it has been favorable for the newspaper industry. So the cuts will surely be more than planned. Thousands are going to lose their jobs.

I hope that God blesses all of you who will be affected adversely in this terrible time.

 

Hang in there. You sound like a winner. This is again what angers me. You have done an exemplary job apparently and are only one year out of school and you get axed. At other papers the 15 year veterans get axed. There's no rhyme or reason. How can the suits live with themselves? Getting rid of true talent all so the CEOs can keep the $$ rolling in until the place is bled completely dry. I don't know you but feel for you. You seem like a true journalist. Keep your head high at all times. It's not you it's the ridiculous business that do0esn't care about good work.