Gannett experiences

I've worked at three different chains also, but I've been in Gannett for 10+ years now, so my view is somewhat skewed. I joined Gannett at the height of newspapers, so to speak.

I do know that two of my previous stops have the exact same number of staff they had when I worked there 15 years ago (non-Gannett papers). The other stop was purchased by Gannett several years back and is not even remotely close to the place it was when I worked there. In fact, last check, they had SIX total employees. When I worked there some 20 years ago, there were at least 40 employees, not counting press room/mailroom. Nowadays, they work out of a strip mall office building, print offsite and sell ads offsite.

But yes, my advice would also be to just be weary of getting into the newspaper business, period. Whether it be Gannett or somebody else, newspapers are treading dangerous waters.

 

The corporate thing is a double-edged sword. You won't have to worry about some editor getting a bug up their ass - only some new corporate mandate.
I've worked with great people, you will have a chance to do stuff that can get you a better job, but be prepared to do it while you are doing the daily stuff, if not after the daily stuff, if not on your own time.
Realize that you will probably never make more from Gannett than you do at the beginning. The raises are meager and usually won't cover the increase in benefits you have to shell out every year, and that's without furloughs. They tend to hire competent people who know how to thrive in a corporate culture, whether it be newspapers, insurance or widgets as managers.

 

Worked in two Gannett shops. Really enjoyed the first. Great mix of coverage of pro, college and high school sports. Was not over-managed and overly corporate but I understand that changed. Second stop was top-heavy with middle managers and people mostly occupied with going to meetings. When the cuts came, they killed off the content providers (that would be people like me) and gave the old 'let's do more with less' speeches. Couldn't tell you if it was better or worse than other places. Heard horror stories everywhere in recent years. If you can get a job, take it. Keep it. Everything else is probably pretty much the same.

 

I quit a Gannett job last year without anything lined up. Figured if it was the end of my time in the business, so be it. Got a job at a non-Gannett shop. I can't describe how different it is. Writing and reporting is treated like a profession where I am now. If you have to take a Gannett job to start, get your clips but make sure you get out as soon as you can.

 

After first deadline, the editor-in-chief and/or the managing editor were e-mailed the sports front. They then dictated changes they wanted made for second edition to Page 1 designer, a fella who'd been at this paper many years and was no newbie to the industry.

 

In my lone stop, I thought they rated a 5 out of 10 on the evilmeter compared with other companies I've experienced.

 

Once you have been job searching long enough, it really won't matter -- not even a little bit -- what chain the newspaper is in.

As others have said, there are very few problems these days that are specific only to any particular company.

 

If you have a job and you feel safe, stay there. But I don't know of many people leaving their current gig to work at Gannett unless it was a sweet offer.
I've worked for Gannett before and if you know what to expect you won't be surprised. Thus, if you take a job there now and then they lay you off a couple of months later...
Isn't Gannett the one's that screwed over those interns a couple of years back?
But you're right, a job is a job, especially if you don't have one.

 

Seriously, worrying about the reputation of which company owns a paper is about 0 on a scale of 1-10 if you are considering a newspaper job.

How are all those wonderful chains filled with independent bosses and tons of staffers doing?

This discussion is at least five years too late to be meaningful at all.

Yes, Gannett has its funny ways. But it's probably the healthiest of the big chains.

 

Stagger Lee, Alexandria will have a 10 p.m. Friday deadline during football season? I hope all the teams there are reverting back to the option and running every down. With a team running a four-receiver set and throwing every down, it's got to be a nearly impossible task to hit 10 p.m., especially if that's the deadline for pages to clear. Who was the sports editor in Lafayette who is no longer there? Did he leave on his own for another job or was he basically forced out. I used to work for a smaller daily in the state and wished I had the staff they had in places like Lafayette, Monroe, Shreveport, Alexandria. We were only two in sports and had a much smaller staff. Those staffs don't see so large anymore. Also, you never mentioned Opelousas. How do they fit into the mix. I would think they have the worst deadlines of all.

 

The quote I can't take credit for...

"Gannett exists so there will be newspapers to read in hell."

It's a really bad chain, but I don't know if there is a chain out there I would consider "good" anymore.

 

The sports editor was Bob Heist. He left on his own for a job in Pensacola. Just got tired of the situation in Lafayette and had enough and took the first bus out.

Opelousas is grouped with Lafayette now. They do have a reporter (young guy just out of college), but the page is laid out by Lafayette via regional copy desk. The deadline is pretty absurd. It's like 8 p.m. or so. The newspaper is basically filled with early wire copy and advance stuff. Gamers are written as second-day features for the most part, since the early deadline doesn't lend itself to live coverage.