Running Canadian journalism cuts thread

Re: 600 to go in Canada -- Sun Media

Am curious as to what will happen at Le Journal. A commission just yesterday found that Quebecor illegally used scab workers during the 2007 lockout/strike.

The union contract expires on Dec. 31 and the union is expecting to be locked out.

Le Journal escaped the 2006 cuts.

 

Re: 600 to go in Canada -- Sun Media

I thought initially that he would have known, because we have spoken about buyouts before. But this took him quite by surprise.

I know he'll be fine but I also know what it's like to have your craft stolen from you. And my heart aches for him and the others.

 

Re: 600 to go in Canada -- Sun Media

Here is a very interesting take on the layoffs, courtesy of the excellent Toronto Sun Family blog:

http://torontosunfamily.blogspot.com/2008/12/sky-is-falling.html

Wow. Just.....wow.

Another entry on the blog claims that, of the 600 job losses, only three are known to have come from the management ranks. Two managers were capped in Winnipeg while an EIC at an unidentified paper resigned over cuts at that paper. Those are the only management job losses that have come to light. Things that make you go hmmmmm......

 

Re: 600 to go in Canada -- Sun Media

One of the women who lost her job in London had been there since 1969. I believe she was in admin.

 

Re: 600 to go in Canada -- Sun Media

I actually knew a managing editor who told his superiors they'd save as much money offering him a buyout and keeping reporters on the streets, but that suggestion largely went ignored.

 

Re: 600 to go in Canada -- Sun Media

Not surprising, considering the utter lack of planning that's gone into all this.

The bean counters gaze at the employee rosters and then they slash and dash, with little or no insight into how individual newspapers operate, and no desire to learn.

Those individual newspapers, meanwhile, are now trying to figure out how the hell they're going to operate in 2009. Editorial departments, in some places, have just been cut in half.

Doug Creighton must be just spinning in his grave.

 

Re: 600 to go in Canada -- Sun Media

The Little Papers That Could now are nothing more than fast-food drive-thru material.

 

Re: 600 to go in Canada -- Sun Media

Wow. Just, wow.

http://www.quebecor.com/noel2008/en.asx

This guy has balls. I give him that.

 

Re: 600 to go in Canada -- Sun Media

My Mac won't play it, probably because it's trying to open in some antiquated version of Windows Media Player.

Can someone provide a quick summary of the video?

 

Re: 600 to go in Canada -- Sun Media

I love that it starts:
"Hello everyone. Best of the season to you."

Then . . .
"As the year draws to a close, we're all looking forward to having some time to relax."

And . . .
"Whatever your plans for the holidays, you can be sure you've accomplished a lot this year."

Another gem . . .
"Despite some difficult decisions, 2008 delivered a measure of success for the company. Thanks for your efforts and dedication."

One more . . .
"I know I can count on you in the years to come to provide the same energy and determination, creativity and discipline."

And lastly . . .
"I will do everything I possibly can to meet those new challenges."

 

Re: 600 to go in Canada -- Sun Media

The sad thing is that this behavior is not criminal. This is the clearest case of "cutting just because everybody else" is that you could ever find.