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Update: Gannett world — USA Today for sale?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by JayFarrar, Jan 5, 2011.

  1. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    Re: Giant and mostly bad news in Gannett world

    You're damn right!!

    As much as I truly respect many people I have met through the years in this business, I cannot thing of any other industry where the employees so routinely and meekly allow themselves to be fucked over.

    You know what we should do? Every damn one of us who works in this business, from the New York Times all the way to the Podunk Press should unite and go on strike for one day. Same day at every paper in North America. That's how unions get things accomplished, because there is strength in numbers.

    If I decide to walk out one night, life goes on and the paper gets published, even though it makes life harder on the person sitting next to me. If the entire newsroom walks out at once, maybe, just maybe management sits up and takes notice.

    Now I know some papers and some chains have it worse than others when it comes to layoffs, furloughs, wage cuts, etc. My place has its issues, but it's far from the worst. But, if one of my colleagues at the Gannett daily in my region told me the entire newsroom (or just sports) was doing something like this on a certain date, I would go along as a show of solidarity.
     
  2. printdust

    printdust New Member

    Re: Giant and mostly bad news in Gannett world

    Great idea, although with the mentality of today's newspaper management, they'll go hire off the streets, ability to write not a requirement. They're itching to try this "citizen journalist" concept out en masse.
     
  3. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    Re: Giant and mostly bad news in Gannett world

    I chuckle when I see these ads looking for someone to report, write, paginate, shoot photos, blog, tweet, do video and everything else (delivery, anyone?) all for 20k per year.
     
  4. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    Re: Giant and mostly bad news in Gannett world

    The day we go to "citizen journalists" is the day I quit for good. I edit a weekly "community sports" page that includes things like pee-wee swimming, youth hockey, sub-varsity sports and all sorts of other stuff submitted by readers. The punctuation, grammar and such is so bad on some submissions I have to rewrite much of it to make it printable. Thank goodness it's only one page per week. If I had to do that everyday, I'd go insane.
     
  5. I'll never tell

    I'll never tell Active Member

    Re: Giant and mostly bad news in Gannett world

    I trust "citizen journalism" about as much as I trust "citizen surgery."
     
  6. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Re: Giant and mostly bad news in Gannett world

    Gannett will trust it. It's free.
     
  7. printdust

    printdust New Member

    Re: Giant and mostly bad news in Gannett world

    And at some point Mizzou, with the plethora of lawyers around and the enormous potential for libel suits, we'll get far far away from city council accountability in the smalltown versions of citizen journalism and report on Aunt Bea's vacation to Moose Jaw.
     
  8. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    Re: Giant and mostly bad news in Gannett world


    A thought on this: Companies that created hubs that would design and edit content from across the state and country would I'm sure be horrified if the editors suggested they be allowed to work from home.
     
  9. da man

    da man Well-Known Member

    Re: Giant and mostly bad news in Gannett world

    I don't chuckle. I feel ill.
     
  10. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Re: Giant and mostly bad news in Gannett world

    You would have a hard time finding someone who loved being a sportswriter more than I did.

    Every time I read a thread like this one, I am so glad that I no longer have anything to do with the profession.

    No job is worth the kind of stress that comes with being a journalist. Want to be overworked, underpaid and get a pit in your stomach and fear for your job every time a new quarter starts?

    At a recent management seminar, Gannett told its managers to hold layoffs over the heads of employees to maximize the work you can get out of them. That's evil shit.

    I have seen far too many great reporters let go for no fault of their own. I've seen people who have felt so helpless after losing their jobs that they took their own lives.

    I feel badly for everyone who is still dealing with any of this shit.
     
  11. dieditor

    dieditor Member

    Re: Giant and mostly bad news in Gannett world

    Amen. As hard as it was to leave the business, I don't regret it for a minute. I sleep better at night, my family is happier and I don't fear layoffs, furloughs and pay cuts every day. My only fear now is that the friends I have in the business don't get the axe.
     
  12. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Re: Giant and mostly bad news in Gannett world

    That's where I am right now. It happened to me, I dealt with it and moved on. Now, I'm just worried about my friends.
     
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