1. Welcome to SportsJournalists.com, a friendly forum for discussing all things sports and journalism.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register for a free account to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Access to private conversations with other members.
    • Fewer ads.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

More fun at St Pete/Tampa Bay Times

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Moondoggy, Jan 20, 2012.

  1. Moondoggy

    Moondoggy Member

    This memo from CEO Paul Tash was on Eric Deggans blog this week. Remember that "temporary" 5 pct pay cut he order last fall for the staff? Not so temporary, it turns out. That's got to go down well after Tash just extended the deal that keeps the Times name on the hockey arena.


    Below is the full text of the internal memo from Tash:

    "We need to extend the temporary 5 percent pay reduction -- and the extra days off -- a while longer.

    Last September, when this trade off took effect, we said it would last through this month. Since then, we have made strong financial progress. The expense reductions have clearly worked, but as 2011 came to a close, signals about revenue were mixed.

    When it is clear that Times' revenues are growing again, our pay as staffers can grow, too. To me, general economic signs seem a little more encouraging, and I firmly believe that the Tampa Bay Times will command a steadily greater share of newspaper publishing revenue. The launch is off to a terrific start.

    We will take stock of our position again in May, when we have results for the first four months of 2012 (including Easter), and will report back to you then. Despite the extension, we still regard this measure as temporary. While it continues, you will keep getting an extra day off per month.

    I thank you deeply for your patience, and I pledge that we will not draw upon it any longer than necessary. As staffers, the best thing we can do is take every possible dollar of revenue for the Tampa Bay Times. That is the route to success for the company, and for ourselves.

    Paul
     
  2. BurnsWhenIPee

    BurnsWhenIPee Well-Known Member

    The bullshit meter just burst into flames.
     
  3. BDC99

    BDC99 Well-Known Member

    Sure the employees there are pleased that they are losing pay as the company spends what I would assume is a good chunk of change to completely rebrand itself.
     
  4. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    Can only imagine how much that all cost. Plus, as best I can tell, all the old St. Petersburg Times-labeled stuff -- building signs, etc. -- was trashed. I think the paper missed an opportunity to raise a couple bucks for charity or themselves.
     
  5. Raiders

    Raiders Guest

    I blame doodah.
     
  6. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    You think the line forms behind you?
     
  7. Raiders

    Raiders Guest

    Try to get there before the Calipari rush.
     
  8. vicd

    vicd Active Member

    The Times just announced that they are giving the 5% back to employees.
     
  9. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    That's respectable.
     
  10. spud

    spud Member

    What's the reasoning behind keeping the name on the arena building? That can't be much of a moneymaker, especially if it unburdens them monetarily.
     
  11. reformedhack

    reformedhack Well-Known Member

    They're leveraging it for visibility in Tampa. By the numbers, the Times is still the #2 paper in Hillsborough County.

    It's going to be especially important as the GOP convention comes to town in August, and reporters and TV anchors around the world refer to events happening at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

    After that, it's back to business as usual ... visibility in Tampa.
     
  12. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    In this line of work, I'd call it amazing.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page