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Gannett buys Journal Media Group

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by studthug12, Oct 7, 2015.

  1. Fredrick

    Fredrick Well-Known Member

    Exactly. That is what I was trying to say. Thank you. If your paper is bought by Gannett, only reason to stay is to act like the hero in Office Space. Just laugh at the consultants when they come in and interview you and make you apply for your old job. Pretend you are being serious and just play with them and take good notes for your book along the way. For example: "Fredrick, we need you in my office at 8 a.m. tomorrow." Go in there and be informed, "Fredrick if you want to work here you have to apply for your current job. Are you prepared for that?" Yes, go right ahead. And then just fuck with them and give funny answers. When Gannett takes over, they'll bring in their experienced legions of editors who are used to getting rid of people and know all the tricks to take command of the situation and make the employees feel like little peons before they get canned.

    The funny thing is to laugh, joke, pretend you don't give a damn. Cause either way, you are gone or gonna get a 20,000 paycut to do some other job. Let's say you are a sports writer. You'll wind up a cops reporter for 20,000 less and it still will be with the intent for you to quit. LOL.
     
  2. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    The funniest thing about Gannett is that they still think they can BS their staff, a staff that knows BS when they hear it. I figure though, anyone in the business now knows what the deal is and has reconciled themselves to the situation. You trick yourself into think that one thing you did your proud of at the end of the week makes it all worthwhile. Only now, those "one things" seem a little farther apart and you have to delude yourself a bit more that it had the impact it might have had at one time.
     
    exmediahack likes this.
  3. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    Gannett is the poster child company for the need to still have a newspaper union.

    Not that they would get as much in terms of additional pay or benefits, or prevent layoffs. But they could be effective in terms of stopping some of Gannett's newsroom initiatives and demands.

    Want the employees to mainstream stories? Fuck you, that's a 5 percent raise.

    Want them to do video in addition to writing stories? Fuck you, they get paid additional per video.

    Want them to tweet? Fuck you, they won't unless they get an additional vacation day per 100 tweets.
     
  4. JohnHammond

    JohnHammond Well-Known Member

    Yeah, I can see a union really winning those battles. Uninformed workers of the world, unite!
     
  5. LanceyHoward

    LanceyHoward Well-Known Member

    In the last decade in the newspaper business where have employees done better without a union than with one? At Newhouse with their "pledge". I don't know how many of the battles you mention would be won. But I suspect at a paper with a union contract it a lot harder for management to have everyone reapply for a job at a lower salary. How could a union hurt?

    I will bet you a lot of money the CEO if Gannett works with a contract. If a contract si a good idea for him why isn't it a good idea for everyone?
     
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2015
  6. Human_Paraquat

    Human_Paraquat Well-Known Member

    There are Gannett papers with unions, and they still went through the Newsroom of the Future "reorganization" that everyone else did. (Among the new acquisitions, which will presumably go through the reorg eventually, I know Knoxville has a union. Not sure about Milwaukee, Memphis, Evansville.)

    I don't know what percentage of people who went through that process had their salary dropped, but I don't think anyone at my shop did. Some stayed in the same position and got a raise.
     
  7. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    Since Gannett and many other types of companies are actively anti-union, I'm gonna guess that having a union is a help in keeping your job or benefits, as long as there are jobs to keep.
     
  8. JohnHammond

    JohnHammond Well-Known Member

    Well, there are unions and there are unions in Fantasyland that Baron thinks exist that can dictate whether reporters should "mainstream" stories.
     
  9. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    Yes. You don't need a union to exempt yourself from breathless directives from Gannett HQ.

    Just wait 10 minutes.

    I don't think mainstreaming has been mentioned in Gannett newsrooms for 2-3 years.
     
  10. lantaur

    lantaur Well-Known Member

  11. LanceyHoward

    LanceyHoward Well-Known Member

    An advantage of having a union contract is that there is a union wage scale that has been negotiated. So while management may reorganize they can generally not unilaterally lower the scale. Is anyone aware of a newspaper with a union contract where the management unilaterally reduced the scale? I realize there are places where cuts were negotiated but I would bet they have not been as severe or arbitrary as at places without a contract.
     
  12. studthug12

    studthug12 Active Member

    What is funny is the whole reorganization process, Gannett brought in editors from across the USA to determine what jobs would best fit your qualities after you chose the 3 positions you wanted. After 25 minutes of meeting staff YOU KNOW WHAT's BEST for this shop! LOL. After the interview I was positive 5 of the 6 editors I dealt with couldn't do the jobs of the reporters.
     
    Ace likes this.
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