gannett plans to layoff 3,000 by december.

Like Joe said, I'd love to see how Gannett fills the Louisville positions, and there's also the USAT fantasy sports gig on the jobs board. That probably falls out the window too.

 

Today, I almost cried when I heard about this. The frustration has grown to that boiling point. I've finally realized these cuts will not stop until the industry has died. And at this rate, it will if these poor decisions continue to be made every few months.

I believe the old saying goes, "If you having nothing good to say, say nothing at all." Guess that means my rant is over.

 

Fuck Gannett.

 

I guess one of the things I find odd is that, judging from the memo, the local papers will have discretion in how they cut 10 percent of staff. You'd think a massive layoff like this would be structured in a way for maximum efficiency with the least damage done. Gannett has some clusters of papers. How and who they cut will directly affect the bottom line for the corporation at large, just seems kind of odd that for a company so known for their micro-management, they're relying on local publishers to determine the course of the company.

 

Said it before, I'll say it again: There are a ton of people in management positions throughout Gannett (and I suspect, at several other newspapers) who should thank God every day that there's a terrible economy to mask a level of incompetence unrivaled this side of the White House.

Forget that this company a few years ago had a CEO that pulled against exploring the Internet and refused to develop websites. Forget that the stock has now lost an astonishing 80+ percent of its value the last three years. Forget that this place continues to try and apply the same answer to the same question and always expects different results.

No, it's all the poor economy that's to blame.

In the meantime, newsrooms throughout the company are employing nearly as many managers as reporters and the corporate office has gone through just one round of voluntary buyouts. Pretty soon, if they continue down this same path long enough, the only ones left will be managers and corporate suits.

But on the bright side, they'll all be happy, since their days will be nothing but meetings, dumbass training sessions and vague corporate directives.

 

C'mon, someone has to write those "Why I still believe in newspapers" articles for CJR or Editor and Publisher.

 

True.

And without them, who would be left to nominate them for idiotic awards?

 

good dog

 

Gannett now saying 3,000 figure is too high. I guess it's too much to ask the president of a major communications company to speak concisely and accurately without room for misinterpretation.

http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/bloomberg-cuts-significantly-less-than.html

 

Well, in all fairness to the guy, he was only speaking about employees.

I mean, shit, 3,000? 2,500? What's the difference?

I'm just wondering if the press release contained at least one mainstreamed source, a quote from a real person and a hyper-local suggested play. Because worrying about dumbass shit like that, instead of worrying about a CEO who presided over a 70 percent loss of stock value, was a bit of a problem for the company, I think.

 

None, because that's considered a revenue producing position.

Never mind the fact that because their current crop of revenue producers can't do jack shit, the industry is in the shape it's in. Has anyone's paperheads begun crying the real reason for the poor economy in newspapers was never circulation but display advertising? They change more often than the weather, don't they?