Gannett joins the club?

[Human_Paraquat]

Suppoesdly eliminating 1,000 jobs, including 600 layoffs:

http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/memo-gci-laying-off-600-newspaper.html

[slappy4428]

The big Gannett rumor is that they're going to start almost completely shutting down papers and then producing what would essentially be a "local wrap" that they will put around USA Today.

One page of sports
One page of local news
One page of entertainment (movies, local TV)
One page of something else (business etc...)

This has been rumored for awhile at some of their medium-sized papers. I don't think they would mess with a Nashville, Indianapolis or Arizona Republic, but they might at Louisville, the NY paper they own, one of the bigger ones in Wisconsin and possibly even Cincy.

The person who was telling me about it said they think they can do it with a total of 10 writers/editors for the four-page section.

If this happens, the unemployment lines are going to be insanely long...

Unbelievable...

[TrooperBari]

The big Gannett rumor is that they're going to start almost completely shutting down papers and then producing what would essentially be a "local wrap" that they will put around USA Today.

One page of sports
One page of local news
One page of entertainment (movies, local TV)
One page of something else (business etc...)

This has been rumored for awhile at some of their medium-sized papers. I don't think they would mess with a Nashville, Indianapolis or Arizona Republic, but they might at Louisville, the NY paper they own, one of the bigger ones in Wisconsin and possibly even Cincy.

Wasn't Honolulu a possibility, too, or would they pass on that with the Star-Bulletin in town?

[2muchcoffeeman]

Won't happen in Louisville or Cincinnati. Now, someplace like Salinas, Bethany Beach, Salisbury, Pensacola or Murfreesboro ... yeah, that I could see.

[Ace]

Apparently, Cincy is not on the list, but Louisville is.

Why don't you post a copy of your list?

[Joe Williams]

Hell, even if they did a 16-page section of local news, sports and entertainment in each mid-to-small market, into which USA Today was inserted, that would torpedo a ton of jobs.

[Ace]

Hell, even if they did a 16-page section of local news, sports and entertainment in each mid-to-small market, into which USA Today was inserted, that would torpedo a ton of jobs.

Not to mention about a bajillion cancellations.

[luckyducky]

The big Gannett rumor is that they're going to start almost completely shutting down papers and then producing what would essentially be a "local wrap" that they will put around USA Today.

One page of sports
One page of local news
One page of entertainment (movies, local TV)
One page of something else (business etc...)

This has been rumored for awhile at some of their medium-sized papers. I don't think they would mess with a Nashville, Indianapolis or Arizona Republic, but they might at Louisville, the NY paper they own, one of the bigger ones in Wisconsin and possibly even Cincy.

Wasn't Honolulu a possibility, too, or would they pass on that with the Star-Bulletin in town?

I think Honolulu was one of the places mentioned.

That would seem dumb since the S-B is the smaller of the two. It would be essentially handing your competition the city.

Of course, I don't understand these folks anyway, so that could be the plan.

[Riddick]

which Wisconsin paper might be on the block? any idea?

[VJ]

And boom goes the dynamite.

[whatwoulddamondo?]

i used to come here specifically for the journalism board.  now, i wanna stay away from it like the plague. 

[Bubbler]

That plan makes no sense. Where are they going to get local ad revenue? Why would anyone local want to advertise in that?

[Ace]

i used to come here specifically for the journalism board.  now, i wanna stay away from it like the plague. 

[Barsuk]

i used to come here specifically for the journalism board.  now, i wanna stay away from it like the plague. 

I'm not dead yet.

[Ace]

That plan makes no sense. Where are they going to get local ad revenue? Why would anyone local want to advertise in that?

Because it's the only option in those markets. Where else are they going to go?

Your business acumen is astounding, zzzou.

That's exactly why newspapers are in this mess -- because advertisers have no other options and are forced to pay for ads in local papers ... leading to declining circulation and revenue because readers are so mad that they have to look at all those ads.

[2muchcoffeeman]

That plan makes no sense. Where are they going to get local ad revenue? Why would anyone local want to advertise in that?

Because it's the only option in those markets. Where else are they going to go?

What if they get more wanna-be advertisers than a four-page wraparound can handle? "Nope, sorry ... can't take your money for Thursday, but two weeks from Tuesday is available!"

[ColbertNation]

That plan makes no sense. Where are they going to get local ad revenue? Why would anyone local want to advertise in that?

Because it's the only option in those markets. Where else are they going to go?

What if they get more wanna-be advertisers than a four-page wraparound can handle? "Nope, sorry ... can't take your money for Thursday, but two weeks from Tuesday is available!"

That'll never happen. They will always find room for the ads. Room for copy, however, will be an afterthought.

[Mizzougrad96]

That plan makes no sense. Where are they going to get local ad revenue? Why would anyone local want to advertise in that?

Because it's the only option in those markets. Where else are they going to go?

Your business acumen is astounding, zzzou.

That's exactly why newspapers are in this mess -- because advertisers have no other options and are forced to pay for ads in local papers ... leading to declining circulation and revenue because readers are so mad that they have to look at all those ads.

Just so it's clear... I am in no way saying "What a great idea!" to this plan.

This is just what I've heard they're probably going to do at some point.

[2muchcoffeeman]

Well, as they said at a conference I was at awhile back

"As soon as Best Buy, Circuit City, the grocery chains, the car and furniture dealers etc... find a better way to get their ads to people, we're all going to be out of jobs.

And that better way would be .... what, exactly?

[Mizzougrad96]

Well, as they said at a conference I was at awhile back

"As soon as Best Buy, Circuit City, the grocery chains, the car and furniture dealers etc... find a better way to get their ads to people, we're all going to be out of jobs.

And that better way would be .... what, exactly?

That's the point. They have no choice but to go with the papers.

[Ace]

Well, as they said at a conference I was at awhile back

"As soon as Best Buy, Circuit City, the grocery chains, the car and furniture dealers etc... find a better way to get their ads to people, we're all going to be out of jobs.

And that better way would be .... what, exactly?

That's the point. They have no choice but to go with the papers.

No choice but internet, email, text message, tv radio, direct marketing, billboards, viral videos, leaving a flyer in your mailbox, a card under your windshield wiper, skywriting, oh, and to not advertise at all because the budget was cut.

[2muchcoffeeman]

Well, as they said at a conference I was at awhile back

"As soon as Best Buy, Circuit City, the grocery chains, the car and furniture dealers etc... find a better way to get their ads to people, we're all going to be out of jobs.

And that better way would be .... what, exactly?

That's the point. They have no choice but to go with the papers.

No choice but internet, email, text message, tv radio, direct marketing, billboards, viral videos, leaving a flyer in your mailbox, a card under your windshield wiper, skywriting, oh, and to not advertise at all because the budget was cut.

Internet? I use the AdBlock Plus extension for Firefox, so I see no ads.

E-mail? Those ads almost never reach my Inbox due to spam filters and there's no question that consumers dislike spam.

TV? I either don't pay attention or change stations.

Radio? I use Sirius; never listen to terrestrial radio. Ads? What ads?

Junk mail? Straight to the recycle bin.

Billboards? Don't pay attention.

Viral videos? Effectiveness unproven. Seems to work better for mass-media products rather than retail.

Flyer in the mailbox? Illegal; violates federal law.

Cards under the windshield wiper? Nobody looks at those and the advertiser gets accused of littering. Not good.

Skywriting? Fail. Nobody pays attention and it's too hard to deliver specific messages.

Not advertise at all? Kind of tough to get your brand out in view without advertising.

You have anything else?

[Ace]

Blimps.

[2muchcoffeeman]

Blimps.

Research has revealed a problem with that, too.

[MCbamr]

Well, as they said at a conference I was at awhile back

"As soon as Best Buy, Circuit City, the grocery chains, the car and furniture dealers etc... find a better way to get their ads to people, we're all going to be out of jobs.

And that better way would be .... what, exactly?

That's the point. They have no choice but to go with the papers.

No choice but internet, email, text message, tv radio, direct marketing, billboards, viral videos, leaving a flyer in your mailbox, a card under your windshield wiper, skywriting, oh, and to not advertise at all because the budget was cut.

Internet? I use the AdBlock Plus extension for Firefox, so I see no ads.

E-mail? Those ads almost never reach my Inbox due to spam filters and there's no question that consumers dislike spam.

TV? I either don't pay attention or change stations.

Radio? I use Sirius; never listen to terrestrial radio. Ads? What ads?

Junk mail? Straight to the recycle bin.

Billboards? Don't pay attention.

Viral videos? Effectiveness unproven. Seems to work better for mass-media products rather than retail.

Flyer in the mailbox? Illegal; violates federal law.

Cards under the windshield wiper? Nobody looks at those and the advertiser gets accused of littering. Not good.

Skywriting? Fail. Nobody pays attention and it's too hard to deliver specific messages.

Not advertise at all? Kind of tough to get your brand out in view without advertising.

You have anything else?

So your theory is that newspaper ad revenue is skyrocketing. I mean, if there's nothing else.

Radio? I listen every day. Hear ads fairly consistently.
Television? Did you watch the opening ceremonies from Beijing? If there wasn't an ad break every five minutes, I'll buy your lunch.
E-mail? Spam filters are like steroid testing. The filters are always a step behind the blockers.
CELL PHONES? In the last week I've gotten FIVE calls from telemarkets on my cell phone. My best friend has gotten several.
Internet? So, you're saying there are no ads on Web pages you view? Um, care to glance to the side or below of the page you're on now?