Mike Reed Sets Goals for New Gannett

We had 25 in the newsroom one year before GateHouse bought us. After Friday's cut, the newsroom is down to 3.

 

The property I joined in 2012 had 18.5. Today, there is 1.

 

I really don’t understand how or why anyone would want to work at a newspaper any more.

 

I was fortunate to work for newspapers when they were still a big deal - hell when they'd put out the Sunday bulldog edition on Saturdays. And you'd hear the press rumble in the newsroom and take your work home with you on Friday preps nights. Also saw the beginnings of the downfall and then the steep slide down. I don't know how many still in the biz remember those times - and its too bad they don't even have those memories. Always makes me laugh thinking about all those executives retiring and Romenesko (remember him too) posting their "I still believe in newspapers" farewells.

 

My favorite M.E., ever, was a crusty old newsman from the hot type days. We butted heads a lot - a lot - when I was young because, well, I was an asshole (so was he - he never missed a chance to put editors and reporters in their place, graphically LOL). Over time, we came to like and respect each other, as I learned to take his advice and he learned to trust my instincts. I never really thanked him properly and I will always regret that. For him, it was always ALWAYS about the journalism and integrity, even if it angered pols the paper had endorsed, or advertisers.
The industry today would be unrecognizable to him.

 

I used to love stopping at the printing press as it was rumbling; a whole bunch of people putting in inserts, and, upon seeing hundreds of papers already printed, knowing that I contributed work to that product and snagging one before I went home.

 

At my last paper, there was about 60 people in the newsroom 10 years ago, looking at the list now, there’s 10 after one quit last week for another job.

 

The further away I got from the print side, the more my love for the biz waned.

Part of that was the nonsense that takes place in a lot of web-first journalism, but part of it was the romantic idea I had as a kid that my story was in print and at least a couple thousand people would read it. They might not be looking to read it, but they turned the page and a great headline or a great photo pulled them in, and then it was my job to keep them there. Oh, for the days when I was so naive and energetic.

 

I hear you. I remember one night we were looking for headline busts as the first papers rolled off the press. At the time I was editor of a tri-weekly. I saw a headline bust and yelled, “stop the press!” not realizing the press foreman was standing right next to me. He said he could hear me and that I watched too many movies.

 

That moment when a Gannett newspaper advises you on how to avoid being laid off.

 

Our pressroom guys were the best. Didn't mind if we were a few minutes late, always worked with us.

The last night they were to run after GateHouse had eliminated our press operations, there was a mysterious electrical issue with our press, forcing us to move to the new site a couple of days early. When I went back to see what happened, the pressroom foreman smirked and said, "Yeah, something's wrong that we can't fix," and started laughing as he walked out.