More from Daytona Beach ... 39 laid off (14 total newsside incl. 2 sports)

Re: More from Daytona Beach ... Sold?

It is the company I mentioned earlier. Its representatives were seen touring the building.

 

Re: More from Daytona Beach ... Sold?

What are you supposed to do? Cheer and turn cartwheels?

Oh, right. Today's newsroom employee is quiet, compliant and just happy to have a job. Take your next pay cut and move along, now. Nothing else here to see or hear.

 

Re: More from Daytona Beach ... Sold?

Hearing rumors of another round of layoffs. Don't know any more than that.

 

Re: More from Daytona Beach ... Sold?

Some of my closest colleagues were laid off today. Tough times. Pray for the good people at the N-J.

 

Re: More from Daytona Beach ... Sold?

TO: NEWS-JOURNAL, PENNYSAVER AND COMPLETE PHONE BOOK PEOPLE

FROM: JIM HOPSON

SUBJECT: REDUCTION IN FORCE

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

In response to disappointing advertising revenues we must take additional steps to reduce costs and headcount. I am sorry to tell you this. We had hoped and budgeted that our ad performance would have started to stabilize by this time, but we have not yet seen any signs of improvement.

Today we laid off 39 people. The layoffs affected the purchasing/operations department, production services/data processing, the newsroom, accounting, circulation, packaging, the Pennysaver and The Complete Phone Book. The severance package offered to the people laid off today is the same one that has been offered in previous layoffs.

In conjunction with the moves being made today we are consolidating the circulation and Pennysaver accounting activities into the News-Journal finance operation. Accounting for The Complete Phone Book is not affected.

By necessity, there will be some operational adjustments that accompany the reduction in headcount. We cannot continue to run the business as we always have, but with fewer people. Please talk with your supervisor about how the changes may affect you and your job. And please remember that with your continued cooperation and hard work the company will get through this difficult time.



Meanwhile, that fucking asshole is still getting paid two grand a day plus expenses, as ordered by Judge Antoon. Maybe if Hopson'd take a fucking pay cut, some of this disaster could be avoided.

Hearing that sports columnist Randy Rorrer is among the fallen (14 total in the newsroom). Would be very happy to be proven wrong. He might be the only one cut in sports. I understand the N-J's research library/archive department is down to a staff of one. Also heard that two of the layoffs went to people on the infamous golden parachute list, at least one of whom will not be missed.

 

Re: More from Daytona Beach ... Sold?


Randy Rorrer is one of the cuts, er headcount, in weasel speak.

 

Re: More from Daytona Beach ... Sold?

Who the fuck is stupid enough to budget for a recovery in ad revenues?

And, having seen no improvement in said revenues, it figures that the paper makes no cuts in its advertising department.

 

Re: More from Daytona Beach ... Sold?

A complete fucking idiot whose exorbitant salary has nothing to do with actual performance — to wit, James Hopson. He's supposed to be watching over and safeguarding the assets of the corporation.

How's he doing? Gr-r-r-reat.



Two other things, both gleaned from the Twitter feed of a retired News-Journalist: The long-delayed federal Labor Department investigation of the pension plan is finally underway. And Hopson's plan to sell off the building the Deland <s>edition of the Pennysaver shopper</s> N-J bureau to a church for $1.3 million has been stuffed by Judge Antoon, in a rare instance of Antoon getting something right, because Hopson failed to get the required three appraisals (not just one) and a court hearing regarding the sale.

 

Re: More from Daytona Beach ... Sold?

Randy Rorrer, close friend, was indeed one of the cuts in sports. Having a hard time with that one, me and Randy played many a noontime basketball game together, and i challenge any writer to prove that he has a better jumper than him. Alex Chapman, from the desk, is another cut. Sports is down to about 10 people, and four desk guys. I was very saddened to hear about Rando.

 

Re: More from Daytona Beach ... Sold?

Hard to believe Sports still has 10 people not including the desk. How many people left in the whole newsroom?

 

Re: More from Daytona Beach ... Sold?

my bad....that was 10 people including the desk

 

who got laid off in sports?