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Moderator1 · Mar 4, 2008

Freedom has already cut, in Indiana I believe, and put some travel restrictions in place in Texas.
Ain't good.

SportsDude · Mar 4, 2008

They could pay for two people's salaries a year for what they pay for one consultant, just to hear from them they should let people go.

Stitch · Mar 4, 2008

Mizzougrad96 · Mar 4, 2008

Armchair_QB said:

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.
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I'm stunned it hasn't happened yet...

Starman · Mar 4, 2008

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 changeâ€¦something that initiates an important event to happen. We thought this an appropriate name for the initiative on which we are embarking
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While we're into definitions:

Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose.

mustangj17 · Mar 4, 2008

Anyone who names anything project catalyst should be shot.

I can't think of anything that sounds dumber. It's like a rejected name for a fight club project, or a war in the Middle East.

2muchcoffeeman · Mar 4, 2008

dooley_womack1 said:

This post:

Moderator1 said:

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 changeâ€¦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
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Becomes this when translated by dooleyfish:

Moderator1 said:

Don't quit your second job.

Scott
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The AI over at the fallout shelter sent me this take on the letter/announcement/bunch of crap:

Taking hold of our future

We don't know how to turn this thing around. We don't know how to take advantage of the Internet. Our meetings to develop a strategy taper off to glum, confused silence.

Did you see what just happened in Los Angeles and San Jose? That's what we're doing. It's the only thing we can think of, but it makes the shareholders think we're Doing Something About The Very Big Problems. In the end, that's all we care about.

Scott
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expendable · Mar 4, 2008

mustangj17 said:

Anyone who names anything project catalyst should be shot.

I can't think of anything that sounds dumber. It's like a rejected name for a fight club project, or a war in the Middle East.
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He could've called it the Alan Parson's Project.

Starman · Dec 15, 2014

"taking hold of our future"

Starman · Mar 5, 2008

mustangj17 said:

Anyone who names anything project catalyst should be shot.

I can't think of anything that sounds dumber. It's like a rejected name for a fight club project, or a war in the Middle East.
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"Project Catalyst," to be followed with "Mission Totally Awesome" and "Campaign Supreme."

Write-brained · Mar 5, 2008

Yes. Of course. When in doubt appoint a focus group. :

HackyMcHack · Mar 5, 2008

This probably should be called "one final chance to avoid foreclosure."

Freedom has some pretty big bills to some equity partners coming soon, thanks to some Hoiles family member who wanted out a few years back. If they can't pay off the equity partners, then the equity partners likely will sell--in all likelyhood to Lean Dean (the California papers) and/or Gannett (the papers in the Florida panhandle plus the scattered Midwest properties).

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