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Is it starting at CNHI?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Kato, Jan 14, 2009.

  1. SouthernStyle

    SouthernStyle Member

    We had a round in November. Shouldn't come as a surprise that the newsroom was hit the hardest and the retail departments didn't take any hits. Press room, mail room and ad design departments also took hits. Haven't heard anything about more layoffs. Actually, our ME said he hasn't heard anything about more layoffs. But if we do take another hit, I wouldn't be surprised.
     
  2. Colton

    Colton Active Member

    We lost four – all in editorial — in October, as I posted previously.

    Monday, four more were "restructured" — A part-time kid in the pressroom, a part-time obit clerk and, shockingly, two full-time Ad reps.

    Of course, the next day, two corporate editorial bigwigs rolled into town. The had all of the phones in editorial turned off, ordered all cell phones turned off and locked the door leading into the office.

    They then spent an hour telling us how we have to keep our chins up, keeping pushing forward and other assorted horeshit. When it came time for the "everyone have anything to say?" line, after about 10 seconds of silence one of the bigwigs says, "Well, I've been reading your paper for the past month. If you DON'T have any questions on how you can do things better, you SHOULD!"

    Of course, my hand instantly went into the air. After a 10-minute rant, I sat back down and prepared to be told to clean out my desk.

    It didn't happen, but the bigwigs huddled upstairs immediately afterward up stairs with my publisher and editor.

    I await to learn my fate...
     
  3. Tom Petty

    Tom Petty Guest

    you gained my respect, colton, but i hope you don't have a wife and kids. come on, man, be quiet, find a new job, and stick it up their asses on the way out the door.

    and to be honest, i don't know if i could have quietly sat there, either. good luck.
     
  4. Colton

    Colton Active Member

    Thanks, TP. Fortunately, in this case, anyway, it's just me. Single, no kids.

    You should have seen their faces when I mentioned we haven't had heat in this office for 3 years, I purchased my own G4 so it doesn't take 10 minutes to send out a color page, that we are running on OS 8.6 with Quark 4.0 and NewsEditPro, all purchased in 1999 (only because of Y2K), that we have Duck tape covering carpet seams, that since we do not have a single laptop we must use our own if/when we travel to follow one of our locals squads and that when we do take such journeys, it can take 4-6 weeks to receive reimbursement for all expenses since we do not have company credit cards.

    Needless to say, I thought of turd/punchbowl when I began to gauge the expressions on their faces, which were the only reactions I received.

    Sorry, TP, I was rolling...
     
  5. Tom Petty

    Tom Petty Guest

    wow, colton. i know where you work. that shit shouldn't be happening at a paper that size. i understand the birmingham office is made of glass.

    wanna go in on a pellet gun?
     
  6. deskslave

    deskslave Active Member

    You know, sometimes bigwig types like it when people stand up to them.

    Not often, but sometimes.

    Best of luck, man, and fuckin' props. Would that we all had the balls to do what you did. And would that someone would have gotten video.
     
  7. Colton

    Colton Active Member

    TP: Deal! Only you bring the pellet gun, I want to be toting the paint-ball gun — I wanna see the carnage I leave in my wake.
     
  8. Trey Beamon

    Trey Beamon Active Member

    Nothing here.

    With a 10-person newsroom, including just two in sports, I doubt they can do much chopping anyway.
     
  9. Colton

    Colton Active Member

    deskslave: Wasn't as much balls as it was seething about the "I've read your paper for the past month... " crack and just reacting. Certainly wasn't a proactive move.

    Now that you mention it, though, I wonder how a video of my diatribe would look?
     
  10. Colton

    Colton Active Member

    Trey: Two years ago, we numbered four and a half in sports. A year ago, it was reduced to four. In October, it was reduced to three.

    In the last two years, my staff has absorbed a 38.6-percent reduction.
     
  11. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    Well, Colton, no matter what happens, at least you will be able to walk out of there with your head held high.

    Of course, the bigwigs will try to figure out some way to dump on you. They wouldn't want to acknowledge that maybe, they should have kept their mouths shut in front of a group of people that were dealing with the loss of their colleagues.
     
  12. Colton

    Colton Active Member

    Hey, gang: Received word tonight through back channels that my personnel file was pulled out of lock and key before the bigwigs headed out of Dodge.

    Not sure what the fallout will be, at least not yet.

    Should be interesting...
     
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