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GR Press/Kalamazoo Gazette to cut 233

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Hank_Scorpio, Nov 18, 2011.

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  1. westcoastvol

    westcoastvol Active Member

    MDead.
     
    westcoastvol, Nov 20, 2011
    #13
  2. I Should Coco

    I Should Coco Well-Known Member

    In a quick search, I couldn't find recent/believable circulation numbers for the Kalamazoo Gazette. The most recent number I found was from 2008, and it was about 45,000 daily. No way it's that now.

    But, even cutting that number in half, eight newsroom staffers is shockingly low -- even given the fact page layout and copy editing is done elsewhere.

    My off-the-cuff guess on future staffing: three news reporters, one ME, one photog, one news clerk, two in sports. If that's the case, they probably have one sports staffer on Western Michigan beats and another full-time on preps. Everything else? Stringers or press releases.

    And yeah, Lancey, I fear this is the direction many chains could go.
     
    I Should Coco, Nov 20, 2011
    #14
  3. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Didn't waste any time in the end of that lifetime job pledge, did they?
     
    slappy4428, Nov 20, 2011
    #15
  4. lcjjdnh

    lcjjdnh Well-Known Member


    GAZETTE, KALAMAZOO (KALAMAZOO CO.) AVG E (M-F) DLY 39,325
    GAZETTE, KALAMAZOO (KALAMAZOO CO.) SAT M DLY 45,786
    GAZETTE, KALAMAZOO (KALAMAZOO CO.) SUN DLY 55,571

    From the most recent ABC numbers.
     
    lcjjdnh, Nov 21, 2011
    #16
  5. SixToe

    SixToe Well-Known Member

    Nope.

    Outsourcing customer service help to out-of-state contractors, too.
     
    SixToe, Nov 21, 2011
    #17
  6. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Down 20K almost across the board in the last five years...
     
    slappy4428, Nov 21, 2011
    #18
  7. Herky_Jerky

    Herky_Jerky Member

    Last I heard, they kept on two sports guys -- preps dude and WMU beat writer -- and are taking applications to hire back just one of the people they laid off.
     
    Herky_Jerky, Nov 21, 2011
    #19
  8. podunk press

    podunk press Active Member

    I understand the online model supports far fewer employees, but if you can't cover your community well, you're not going to get the requisite Web hits necessary to carry your product.

    A newsroom of eight just isn't enough, even if seven of those folks are actually content providers.
     
    podunk press, Nov 21, 2011
    #20
  9. LanceyHoward

    LanceyHoward Well-Known Member

    As a frame of reference the population of Kalamazoo County is 238K. The City of Kalamazoo has a population of 75K and the City of Portage, which is adjacent to Kalamazoo has a population of 46K. Western Michigan University has an enrollment of 25K. And I know that the paper circulates into Van Buren County to the west with a population of 68K. And to cover this with a staff of eight. I know times are tough but reporters are not that expensive.
     
    LanceyHoward, Nov 21, 2011
    #21
  10. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    You have problems seeing the bigger picture again, don't you?
     
    slappy4428, Nov 21, 2011
    #22
  11. Tarheel316

    Tarheel316 Well-Known Member

    And the suits will get raises. Of course.
     
    Tarheel316, Nov 22, 2011
    #23
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