15 Most Stupid Things I've Ever Heard A McPublisher Say

Part 2 of "Newspapers Aren't Dying, They're Committing Suicide"

The 15 most stupid things I've ever heard a McPaper McPublisher say:

http://www.iowascribe.com/1/post/2013/06/newspapers-arent-dying-theyre-committing-suicide-part-2.html

 

My favorite:

5. Why should we subscribe to the AP? Why don't you just copy those stories off the Internet?
Yeah. A publisher said that to me once. Actually, ordered me to copy AP stories off the Internet, rather than pay the expense of an AP subscription. I tried to explain copyright laws and plagiarism laws to him, but he wasn't hearing it. I believe someone else -- someone more patient than I am -- walked him through it, so he eventually dropped the idea.

 

I'm leaning toward his making that one up, but I'm not sure what to think.

 

Honest to God it happened, and a Managing Editor and Associate Editor are my witnesses. NOTHING in that article is made up!

 

I feel like laughing and crying at the same time when reading those stories.
I'm lucky.
The weekly where I work full time is owned by a family who, though maybe not "newspaper" people, at least appreciate what we do and let us do it.
The daily where I work part time has a publisher who came up through the sports department and also worked in sales, so he knows both sides well and lets each side do its own thing.

 

16. "Work smarter, not harder. Do more with less."

 

My last publisher told us as part as redoing the sports section - which was the only section that was run properly and followed basic rules of journalism - we were going to run more photos (OK) but not cropped as tight, because even if someone's 'skirt is in the picture, the parents will go out and buy it because that's their daughter's skirt.'

 

Let's don't ascribe magical powers of stupidity to Gannett managers. It ain't just them - and it ain't just newspapers, either.

 

Nope. These guys weren't at Gannett, although I've heard some stories about Gannett, too.

 

Well, that list is frakking awesome.

 

Lee?

 

We take furloughs while retired public employees sing "Sweet Home Alabama."