gannett plans to layoff 3,000 by december.

And then the next day after coaching Sally's volleyball team, they complain to you that it's not in the paper.

 

Seeing more layoffs, furloughs, salary cuts, etc., makes me think of two recent news times.

1. The late Steve Ellis, telling his wife to e-mail his final story before calling 911 to report his heart attack.
2. John Rohde, feeling dizzy in the press box, reminding coworkers to send his column before being taken to the hospital.

Those 2 and hundreds of others give of themselves beyond measure. How are they repaid? They're shit on, disrespected, disregarded and marginalized by executives and bean counters who couldn't report and write a story if you threatened to take away their 6-figure salary, benefits, pension and stock plans.

[size=10pt]FUCK EVERY LAST ONE OF THOSE FUCKING NEWSPAPER EXECUTIVES.[/size]

 

I'd like to think in both of those examples you cited the office help would never in any way think, "Damn, what do I put in this hole on Page 1 now?"

But the absolute cynical side of me says somewhere in this country where something like that has happened before, someone in an office said or thought that and was aggravated about it.

 

Fuck, fuckity motherfuckers goddamn sons of bitches I hope their houses burn down shit profanity infinity.

Pardon my french, but this was not a thread I wanted to click on after the mention of USA Today cuts elsewhere.

A.J. Perez is one of the best journalists I have ever worked with, or known. Really good guy, funny dude . . . and worked his ass off for journalism. Always found a way to tell the worthwhile story in a time when journalists often frown upon the very idea of irritating their sources.

I hope he lands on his feet. But this is total crap, when USA Today can't find a way to hold onto a journalist who has already distinguished himself so well at a young age.

 

Amen _ SockP.

 

What bothers and confuses me is how many supurb writers are simply being let go.
Like the three outstanding sports reporters let go by the newspaper in Las Vegas this week just to name another recent example.
I've never seen anything like it where suddenly quality of work means nothing in these layoffs.
It's truly like USA Today and other newspapers are simply trying to suck.
Are they trying to suck? Who is responsible for this new trend? And why do newspapers want to suck?

 

In my opinion, Gannett is a four-letter word. It has helped lead the way down the path of this industry's demise.

I considered myself an optimistic person, but I'm terribly saddened - again. I gave up on any and all leadership running these companies long ago, yet every so often something along the way would boost my spirits, like feeling blessed just to be employed.

Sadly, working in this profession sometimes feels like being a battered spouse. We get abused day after day, and there's little we can do. Walk away? There are jobs out there, but most seem to be entry level and/or outside of communications.

Some won't leave until they get laid off. Others won't until they die.

Meanwhile, the suits tell us "Things aren't that bad" as another two, five, 10, 20 workers get the axe this year, those left behind get more responsibilities (with no pay raise) and more furloughs and pay cuts come down.

You basically have to do your best, pick your spots and get out ASAP when another job pops up that is acceptable in your own mind.

Things will never go back like they were. Publishers and CEOs will squeeze newspapers dry. Eventually, the experienced and talented workers will be gone. Fired, laid off/bought out, retired or just quit. Most newspapers will die.

And I hate to say it, but life will move on. Good luck getting meaningful news in the future.

 

Which is why some bailed out of APSE membership this year.

 

Merry effing Christmas to every sob publisher in America.

 

I remember reading a study passed around the company about 10 years ago that found that the quality of a publication didn't influence whether people read a newspaper or not.
I figured the writing was on the wall at that point.

 

I wish you'd have sent me a memo back then. 10 years would have been a good head start for me in getting out.

 

10 might be a bit much, but at this point, everyone's had 5-7 years of lead time in seeing this all fall apart.