gannett plans to layoff 3,000 by december.

Our home delivery of USA Today is going up from $156 a year to $175, something like 13 percent. Freakin' Gannett is trying to erase all its red ink by the sweat of my brow? I don't think so!

Cancelled.

 

Not sure what to make of this. Apparently, it just came down today:

Skippy Haik, president and publisher of the Hattiesburg American for the past five years, will be stepping down Jan. 31.

Tracie Fowler, advertising director of the newspaper, has been promoted to the new position of general manager of the newspaper beginning Feb. 1. She will be responsible for operations at the newspaper as well as community outreach.

The publisher position is being eliminated as part of a Gannett companywide management restructuring, said Larry K. Whitaker, president and publisher of The Clarion-Ledger.

Haik, who serves on many local boards, including the United Way of Southeast Mississippi where she is board president, is known for her dedication and commitment to the Hattiesburg and Pine Belt community.

“Our industry, like so many others, is facing some unique challenges and we must position ourselves to serve our readers and customers,” said Haik, who served as controller at the paper before being named publisher.

“With this change, I am confident that the staff will continue to serve the community’s needs both through news content and advertising.”

In December, the company announced that it was moving its newspaper production to The Clarion-Ledger, eliminating about 38 jobs at the Hattiesburg American. That is scheduled to happen in early February, with USA Today expected to move its production from Hattiesburg to Jackson some time in April. Haik will continue as a consultant through April 30 to help manage that transition.

“You would be hard-pressed to find someone who loves a town as much as Skippy loves Hattiesburg,” said Whitaker, who has oversight of the Hattiesburg paper.

 

Our style is 'canceled.'

 

Home delivery of USAT? Why in God's name would you do that? Do you live in a hotel?

 

That made me laugh.

Hell, hotel guests read it for free, too.

 

I'm tired of reading sentences from publishers and editors that begin with "We must position ourselves ..."

 

"...with our heads between our knees unless we come up with a business model that actually works..."

 

I couldn't have thrown you an easier softball to hit, but you did indeed hit it out of the park, sir.

 

Dipped my shoulder a little bit.. .didn't catch it all...

 

I can only sigh as I read how this company continues to treat its employees.

 

Gannett is predicting a third quarter upturn with plans to take "citizen journalist" to an extreme, replacing all staff with minimum wage citizens interested in becoming journalists.

Who is on their board of directors and anyone know what kind of salary they get?

 

I can't wait to pop some popcorn and sit back and watch the fun. That's going to be a nightmare for editors, but entertainment for the rest of us.