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More corporate hossheet

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Moderator1, Mar 4, 2008.

  1. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Our friends in the Freedom chain got this missive today from the CEO and the dozen or so who sent it to me all guess layoffs are coming and coming fast. Thoughts?


    Taking hold of our future

    Let me begin by thanking you for your efforts in driving the successes we have had in our business. I remain extremely optimistic about our future across Freedom’s publishing, interactive, and broadcast properties. We have a strong foundation for our business and I am confident that we will continue to serve our customers, advertisers, and communities with the same excellence that has made us successful for almost 75 years. It is invigorating to see our teams’ dedication to developing our future and I thank you for your commitment.

    As many of you have seen in your markets, the newspaper industry is experiencing turbulent times. This is a systemic challenge that we and our peers face. Some of you have already experienced this in your individual markets – and for others this is on the horizon.

    Yet, in the face of these challenges, we have an exciting opportunity to develop a business that can withstand, and in fact thrive within, this environment. But we have to act now – and we have to set the stage for growth in the years ahead.

    You will recall during our strategy development in 2006 we focused on three strategic imperatives: Interactive, Content, and Operating Efficiencies. In 2007, we made great strides in our Interactive strategy and have moved the needle on content. We are continuing to hold true to this strategy by focusing on operating efficiencies. With this goal in mind, I would like to introduce Project Catalyst.

    Catalyst is defined in the dictionary as someone or something that helps to bring about change…something that initiates an important event to happen. We thought this an appropriate name for the initiative on which we are embarking.

    Project Catalyst will be a comprehensive assessment of all functions, specifically in our newspaper businesses, to see how we can improve the efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility of our operations. The goal of this program is to ensure that our newspaper business remains as nimble as possible so that we can anticipate and adapt to the changing environment. Savings from these efficiencies will also provide the backbone on which future growth projects can be funded. Broadcast will not be included in this assessment at this time, yet we will continue to enhance results of this business in other ways.

    We are enlisting the support of Bain & Co, who brings to the project their experience working with media companies - including many of our newspaper peers, to create actionable plans to re-invent how we approach our changing business of creating high-quality and community-focused newspapers.

    As part of this process, we have also engaged the help of Advanced Strategies to conduct on-line focus group sessions. These sessions are designed to collect candid, confidential feedback in the areas of content, advertising, production, circulation and G & A. The objective of these focus groups is to create another avenue to solicit thoughts and ideas from those of you on the front lines of our business.

    I want to personally ask each of you for your help and support of Project Catalyst. Our success clearly depends on you – we need your assistance in generating the best ideas for improvement and ensuring that we have accurate, timely information during the assessment and planning stages. Please contribute your ideas to your management team and provide any requested data to the Project Catalyst team. The initial phase of Project Catalyst will last approximately 3 months, through which we will determine our roadmap for the future.

    Thank you again for your continued support and trust in this process. We all have the same goals in mind for achieving success for Freedom. Together I know that we will define and achieve a bright future for our company.

    Scott
     
  2. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    I'm sure people will feel much better when "Project Catalyst" is the reason they get axed...
     
  3. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    My former company once said it was "in migration" - and even handed out t-shirts that said so. Also called it "rightsizing."
     
  4. dooley_womack1

    dooley_womack1 Well-Known Member

    This post:

    Becomes this when translated by dooleyfish:

     
  5. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    I hope they used those shirts to wipe their asses...
     
  6. John

    John Well-Known Member

    I loved that he used the "catalyst is defined in the dictionary" crap.
     
  7. Mystery_Meat

    Mystery_Meat Guest

    And it'd be broken up into at least four posts.

    Project Catalyst. More like Project Calvinist: they're destined to fire people.
     
  8. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    The person who wrote that memo should be shot repeatedly in the face...
     
  9. Double Down

    Double Down Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2014
  10. Armchair_QB

    Armchair_QB Well-Known Member

    Unfuckingbelieveable.

    How long until people start shooting up newsrooms after they read crap like this? And could you blame them?

    Not only is this thing utter fucking horseshit of the highest order it's demeaning and condescending at the same time. This clown, and his release writer, needs to forcibly sodomized with a fucking nail-studded baseball bat on an hourly basis.
     
  11. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Actionable plans... no, let's create inactionable (whateverthehell that means) plans...
     
  12. derwood

    derwood Active Member

    More wasted money on management consultants (probably at 400 dollars an hour).
     
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