SE in Reno

[StaggerLee]

More changes in Reno:

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070510/NEWS18/70510026&oaso=news.rgj.com/breakingnews

No word on what happened to the former publisher, Fred Hamilton. Even the paper's employees weren't told.

Well, that officially makes this job a no-no. I would run as far away from this position as possible.

Ted Power is largely responsible for the bad situation in Lafayette, LA (four sports editors in three years), as well as the extremely understaffed sports department there (four full-timers for a 50K circ paper). When he got there some four or five years ago, he actually told the sports department he felt they were overstaffed. Since that time, they've gone from seven full-timers and four part-timers to four full-timers and two part-timers.

I talked to some Advertiser people and they said Ted's departure came out of nowhere and that Ted is already in Reno and has left the Advertiser. Of course, they're thinking this is a great thing for the Advertiser, because they're hoping the next publisher will hire more people. Right now, that paper is operating with a skeleton crew. They're down to three copy editors to put out the entire paper, as well as all the little community weeklies Ted Power started. Their copy editors average 50-55 hours a week, and that's including getting two days off.

That place has been one of the worst places to work the last few years and the turnover rate is extremely high, even by Gannett standards. The sad thing is that most of the people leaving are doing so to enter another profession because The Advertiser soured them on the journalism business.

When I see what's happenied to the people at that paper, I cringe. It kind of sucks too, because Lafayette's a nice area and is an attractive market for just about any candidate. Some really good people have been chewed up and spit out by that paper.

 

[DanOregon]

If the new publisher is from the Daily Advertiser ...let's just say I've heard stories about that place. You have been warned. That said, maybe things will start looking up in Lafayette.

 

[Riddick]

what's up with Gannett sending unsuccessful publishers all across the country. if they fail in one place, how will they do better someplace bigger.

 

[StaggerLee]

what's up with Gannett sending unsuccessful publishers all across the country. if they fail in one place, how will they do better someplace bigger.

Well, I think Gannett feels like Ted actually worked miracles in Lafayette. I read that he was a finalist for Manager of the Year last year, so they must think highly of him.

And when you think about it, he did everything the guys at corporate like. He stayed under budget and still managed to put out a product every day. By staying under budget and cutting a ton of positions, he likely made a pretty nice profit. He also added a few community weeklies to the lineup without bringing on any additional staff members, so the profit margin goes up even more.

And while all of that is happening, he's following Gannett's corporate initiatives to the letter. Diversity/equal opportunity is big in Gannett and his newsroom has seven women/minorities in editor positions. He's made a big push to the online product and in February they bragged about having 7 million page views in that month. He's embraced the local-local initiative and their redesign in the fall pushed all national news to the back page of the C section. Their sports page is probably 85% or so local copy. Actually, the new sports editor is working in more national sports, but you could go days without seeing a single NBA or MLB story in the section. Last summer, they covered little league baseball like it was the Astros, and I don't expect anything different this summer.

So, he's doing all of those things, but the paper is steadily losing subscribers. There are rumors out there that the paper is at its lowest circulation since Gannett took over and there was a hiring freeze because of that. That couldn't sit well with the newsroom workers, since each department could use at least two more people.

It's funny but when you talk to people who live in Lafayette, they say they don't get the Advertiser because A.) they don't like Ted Power or B.) they don't like Gannett. Lafayette is a decent size city, but they still have that smalltown attitude. They don't take kindly to outsiders coming in and telling them what they want to read about. And I think a lot of them feel like Gannett and Ted came in and didn't to the local community.

 

[Riddick]

So, what you're saying is the new SE in Reno should expect a smaller staff over the next two years.
sounds fun.

 

[Riddick]

bump!
(always wanted to do that)

 

[TRS-80]

Did Bob Brundage work in Reno?

Could he captain this ship?

 

[You're With Me Leather]

Did Bob Brundage work in Reno?

Could he captain this ship?

He did and still does but I think he is in their advetorial dept now. Bob couldn't captain a toy sailboat in a bathtub.

as for the postion...i heard they are interviewing candidates this week.

 

[TRS-80]

Hey, easy, he had the ISJ cruising like a battleship back in the day!

 

[Tom Petty]

who wants to bet the new SE has gannett stamped on his deck?

 

[Riddick]

yeah, no takers on that one Tom.

 

[Tom Petty]

yeah, no takers on that one Tom.

but the sad thing is, i'm sure it just says gt about 99 percent of the time.