Gannett, Gatehouse talking merger

More bad news regarding the proposed merger. Heath Freeman strikes again! The kicker is at the bottom of the article — 1500 to 2000 layoffs.
https://nypost.com/2019/08/09/alden-global-capital-throws-a-wrench-in-gannetts-merger-plans/

 

That's adorable.

 

Yeah, more like $40-45K.

 

Ho ... lee ... shit

 

So is this not going to happen after all then? Seems like the companies are still optimistic but guess we have a ways to go.

 

At one time, the Dispatch did have two Jackets writers in Aaron Portzline and Tom Reed, but both of them went to the Athletic not far apart a few years ago. Now, the only true Jackets writer is Brian Hedger, who previously wrote for the Jackets website.
They do pull backup guys in from other beats, including the Crew and OSU men's basketball.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/busi...er-will-test-whether-local-news-can-be-saved/

Some analysts said they didn’t expect a major effect on journalism jobs as a result of the deal. “There is excess capacity in multiple areas -- printing and distribution and certainly in corporate overhead,” said Lance Vitanza, who analyzes top media companies. “I think it’s achievable without too great an effect on the [newsroom] head count.”

Journalism experts are much more concerned, largely because a digital salvation has been dangled by corporate newspaper owners for years, with thousands of job cuts to show for it but not the touted audience or revenue growth.

“To expect digital revenue to contribute to your overall business is totally unrealistic when we’re talking about local papers,” said Iris Chyi, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin who studies the industry. “After more than 20 years still there is this unrealistic expectation.”

(I appreciate Lance's wonderfully naive outlook, but in my opinion he has no idea.)

 

The bad news is cranking up, unfortunately.

GateHouse laid off two today at Cape Cod Times, one of them in sports. CCT now has two full-time staffers, and no sports editor. Today's sports layoff was the lead high school writer.

Very sad.

 

From Poynter:

Layoffs hit several GateHouse newsrooms - Poynter

 

Never like to see someone lose a job, but also, surprised that Fall River still had a staff photog. The paper I worked with, photog took a buyout in Q4 2018, and the position was never filled. Like, it would make sense if Gatehouse just had a policy, "Hey, all papers have to use freelance photographers," but they don't seem to have a policy or a plan ever beyond "let's cut our way to profits."

 

A spot has come open at my hometown paper. When I graduated from college, I might have considered that a dream job. But now? It's Gatehouse and I'm not going anywhere near the place.