Gannett Rumored to be Pulling the Trigger
Per a comment from one of our readers, it looks like Gannett has started calling their staff to inform them of layoffs. Perusing the Gannett Blog, it appears that manager are being called today (many being laid off) and tomorrow, they are coming in to lay off their staff. It will be interesting to see what comes of it, but one thing is for certain, there is going to be a further erosion of the quality of product coming out of Basin Rd.
Looks like when it comes to local reporting, the blogs are soon to be the only game in town. If you are a canned News Journal employee, feel free to comment here and let us know what you know. And now that you are fired, let us know if you have any dirt on Thurman Adams or Harris McDowell.
Ron Williams must go.
No column today. Is he already gone?
I’m so sorry to hear this. I hate hearing about people losing their jobs.
I hate to hear about job losses too. Just hope that there is some smart person out there looking at Delaware as an underserved news market with an opportunity for someone who can really cover what goes on here well.
Say what you will about the quality of The News Journal (and I have), but as someone who worked for them as a freelancer for more than four years, I can tell you there are some generally great beat and features reporters over there. I’m friendly with a few and this is devastating. This is the culmination of the corporate media. Why pay more for ACTUAL reporters when you can pay less to get shit off of the wire? It’s a fucking disgrace and it angers me so.
Best wishes to those who are victims of the axe.
Al Mascitti says that the NJ is one of a handful of profitable Gannett papers.
I don’t think he was expecting much. That is the context for my tasteless joke anbout Williams.
I don’t wish anyone out of work, but he does suck at what he does.
Having just read some comments on the Gannett blog I have to say that this is starting to sound fishy.
Calling people on a Sunday to give the news…?
That’s odd.
Ugh…I have a friend who works at TNJ, who is also engaged and I believe was planning on buying a house soon. Keeping my fingers crossed for him…
If Basicoonsie hits the pavement, she’ll land right with the good people of the NCC Chamber of Commerce if she stays around, that is.
Nancy,
I’ve never told you this before, but your renaming of Basiouny is right up there with Scott-Clarky as well as the person who came up with Bitterique. It always makes me laugh when I read it!
The best ever was your – Karibjellybean. That will live beyond eternity Mike.
Yes, indeed! And it’s all mine. You can pay me the nickel royalty next time I see you!
If you read the Gannett Blog, you should check out Jim’s stats showing that ALL Gannett’s papers were profitable in 2007, even if those profits were down as a percentage.
Shareholders and corporate owners demand they make x profit every year, instead of supporting lean years with robust ones. So cut the talent, have less people read your newspaper, and you have a recipe for continued failure.
There was a 25 percent profit margin for TNJ in 2007, to be precise.
I guess Gannett doesn’t believe in putting money aside for a rainy day.
What, no News Journal ? My morning coffee wont taste the same. Maybe we can finally get the Delaware State News up here. Do you think?
I didn’t say it was one of the few profitable, I said it was one of the most profitable. The figure reader cites was typical.
Dec. 3 was the date I heard for notifications.
Shareholders and corporate owners demand they make x profit every year, instead of supporting lean years with robust ones. So cut the talent, have less people read your newspaper, and you have a recipe for continued failure.
*
The above is the generic model that describes the root failure of modern Republicanism, the rise of global economy and the erosion of US sovereignty: the unholy rise of the power of the stockholder while the business’ remaining employees get the corporate kick in the patoot (all else but the top echelon are expendable).
wow. Carper, Castle and the Kaufman must happy as pigs in shit. With no local reporters they can do just about anything and not have to worry about it
Well said, Nancy.
In my two years in Delaware, I never subscribed to the News-Journal, but there was usually one at work; I can’t say that I was particularly impressed with it, but it wasn’t noticeably worse than similarly sized local papers where I used to live: the Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader or the Newport News Daily Press.
These papers don’t have the local resources to be great papers, but pretty much muddle along; their top talent, if it has any ambition, all wants to move to the major dailies.
The problem is that newspapers are, essentially, just updated eighteenth century technology. Other than the local news, there’s nothing in them that you can’t get, and get much fresher, over the internet. Until the newspapers figure out how to make a profit net-based, they are going to continue to slowly die.
What happened to “On Britney Spears?” I’m intrigued all of the sudden.
Shareholders and corporate owners demand they make x profit every year, instead of supporting lean years with robust ones. So cut the talent, have less people DRIVE YOUR CARS, and you have a recipe for continued failure.
eMail Gannet:
Adam Taylor “YEA”
Angie whateverhername is: “NAY”
Do it now!!!
What, no News Journal ? My morning coffee wont taste the same. Maybe we can finally get the Delaware State News up here. Do you think?
Your not missing much all 5 pages of news a day whoopeeeeeee