@#@#$'s about to go down at USAT

Did anyone read the whole story? Did anyone see the paragraph at the end about the sports section?

"USA Today thinks one of its biggest opportunities is sports, which will become "a business unto itself," Hunke said. The newly created USA Today Sports will be run by Ross Schaufelberger, a former CEO of BNQT Media Group."

This doesn't necessarily mean anything positive. But it's got a more positive tone than everything before it.

 

Will USA Today Sports be reporting on the Pirates and their citizen pitchers?

 

35 people were in line in front of me at Chipotle tonight (we're a stupid, fat country).

I had time to do a head count.

20 of the folks in line in front of me were either text messaging, playing with their smart phones or both.

I live in a rural community, not a city.

USA Today is absolutely right to be focusing on somehow delivering news to the smart phone crowd, and I applaud the foresight from a newspaper that has not taken advantage of its brand to reach a large online audience.

But it's almost as though they are trying to sweep these mass layoffs under the rug by distracting the masses with their "innovative" way of doing things. It's SO shocking that Gannett would do such a thing!! <eye roll>

My guess is they'll eliminate a bunch of expensive workers, then bring in young people to Facebook and Tweet.

 

One question they didn't answer - if they are going web-first, does that mean they'll still only staff for Monday through Friday readership or go seven days a week. I realize the weekend is kind of dead for the Internet - but if you are going 24/7 instead of 24/5 the fewer people will be even more evident.

 

Love how the prime hours for Internet hits and thus surfing are the middle of the day, M-F. American workers are extending their lunch hours on their employers' dime, virtually if not actually.

Or have the ranks of the unemployed risen enough and organized enough to surf in unison?

 

This will not end well.

 

If they hadn't successfully-engineered their captive-audience circ at a good many of the nation's hostelries, I'd have my doubts. Would be happy to listen to additional discourse, in this regard.

 

I enjoyed Al Neuharth's smack-down on Hunke. Also enjoyed people pointing out the Jack Kelley situation in their responses on GannettBlog.
Gannett has become a corporation in search of a product to justify its existence.

 

Ha.
I love the word "somehow" in your post.
Might as well add and "somehow" make money as well.