DFM bloodletting continues

[FileNotFound]

”Significant layoffs” expected at California properties.

Still reeling at the staffing numbers cited for the Mercury News. From 440 in the late ‘90s to ... 39 today. Did I read that right?

OC Register and other Digital First Media newspapers face 'significant' layoffs

 

[LanceyHoward]

”Significant layoffs” expected at California properties.

Still reeling at the staffing numbers cited for the Mercury News. From 440 in the late ‘90s to ... 39 today. Did I read that right?

OC Register and other Digital First Media newspapers face 'significant' layoffs

Has DFM reached the point where they can cut no more? I know these papers are produced at a central hub but going is DFM going to be forced to reduce the number of mastheads?

 

[FileNotFound]

Has DFM reached the point where they can cut no more? I know these papers are produced at a central hub but going is DFM going to be forced to reduce the number of mastheads?

It certainly seems they're getting into "why bother" territory.

 

[Songbird]

They should start another Thunderdome.

 

[Batman]

They should start another Thunderdome.

Seems like every day at work there is like Thunderdome -- 100 men (and women) enter, everyone leaves.

 

[HanSenSE]

”Significant layoffs” expected at California properties.

Still reeling at the staffing numbers cited for the Mercury News. From 440 in the late ‘90s to ... 39 today. Did I read that right?

OC Register and other Digital First Media newspapers face 'significant' layoffs

Terrifying numbers for BANG. There's been some reshuffling of deck chairs n Santa Cruz as well, including a recent sports hire.

More Writers Gone From Santa Cruz Sentinel - Good Times Santa Cruz

 

[boundforboston]

”Significant layoffs” expected at California properties.

Still reeling at the staffing numbers cited for the Mercury News. From 440 in the late ‘90s to ... 39 today. Did I read that right?

OC Register and other Digital First Media newspapers face 'significant' layoffs

They corrected it - 39 union with some non-union people.

 

[Doc Holliday]

They corrected it - 39 union with some non-union people.

OK, but they didn't update it with their total newsroom number of employees. My guess is it's so low, they'd rather not make it public.

 

[Fredrick]

How did we get to the point non newspaper people own all the companies? Misguided B.S. is corporate policy. Video, video, video (hmmm, doesn't TV have that market cornered?). Podcasts, podcasts, podcasts, audio (hmmm doesn't radio have that covered?). Click bait, click bait, clickbait (embarrassing. If we have to go down, why do it in such a classless manner with ridiculous clickbait stories)? The newspaper is dead because companies that have no journalistic background decided that the individual writers mean nothing to the bottom line thus they got rid of all the talent. And another reason the newspaper is dead is because it used to have something for everybody (arts, music, sports, news, commentary, comics, puzzles, fun, seriousness) and now it has something for nobody except old people who are addicted to habit and their lifelong habit is to read the dead fish wrapper no matter what is in it Very sad. Digital first should just kill all the newspapers and do us all a favor. Put out some online only product that will go away for good in a month. Maybe someday once all newspapers are gone we'll have a rebirth, in kind of a Planet of the Apes scenario. Start over.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Misguided B.S. is corporate policy. Video, video, video (hmmm, doesn't TV have that market cornered?). Podcasts, podcasts, podcasts, audio (hmmm doesn't radio have that covered?). Click bait, click bait, clickbait (embarrassing. If we have to go down, why do it in such a classless manner with ridiculous clickbait stories)? The newspaper is dead because companies that have no journalistic background decided that the individual writers mean nothing to the bottom line thus they got rid of all the talent. And another reason the newspaper is dead is because it used to have something for everybody (arts, music, sports, news, commentary, comics, puzzles, fun, seriousness) and now it has something for nobody except old people who are addicted to habit and their lifelong habit is to read the dead fish wrapper no matter what is in it Very sad.

Frederick, sometimes you amuse me. And sometimes there's truth to your sordid tails. This is one of those times.

 

[DanOregon]

Looks like the BANGers who fled to The Athletic knew what they were doing.

Awaiting memo from Editor Who Nobody Ever Sees stating continuing commitment to "watchdog journalism" and the vital importance of newspapers in our daily lives." Bonus points if memo includes a reference to scene in "The Post" reminding people that Katherine Graham was worried about the WP's future but they still put out the Pentagon Papers and went on to Watergate.

 

[wicked]

Seems like every day at work there is like Thunderdome -- 100 men (and women) enter, everyone leaves.

Literally.

Project Thunderdome Officially Closes Its Doors – Adweek

 

[justgladtobehere]

How did we get to the point non newspaper people own all the companies? Misguided B.S. is corporate policy. Video, video, video (hmmm, doesn't TV have that market cornered?). Podcasts, podcasts, podcasts, audio (hmmm doesn't radio have that covered?). Click bait, click bait, clickbait (embarrassing. If we have to go down, why do it in such a classless manner with ridiculous clickbait stories)? The newspaper is dead because companies that have no journalistic background decided that the individual writers mean nothing to the bottom line thus they got rid of all the talent. And another reason the newspaper is dead is because it used to have something for everybody (arts, music, sports, news, commentary, comics, puzzles, fun, seriousness) and now it has something for nobody except old people who are addicted to habit and their lifelong habit is to read the dead fish wrapper no matter what is in it Very sad. Digital first should just kill all the newspapers and do us all a favor. Put out some online only product that will go away for good in a month. Maybe someday once all newspapers are gone we'll have a rebirth, in kind of a Planet of the Apes scenario. Start over.

Your solution is that newspapers should not innovate and just stay in their respective lane while the business crumbles. Podcasts =/= radio, video =/= television. There is a lot that can be done with podcasts and video that cannot be done in the media you claim are analogous. While nobody seems to have made video on the internet work, podcasts are a goldmine when done well. And a lot of the good podcasts are done by journalists or are news oriented. Would have been perfect for newspapers.

 

[goalmouth]

I have been in new media for years and I have yet to listen to a podcast. I create and consume enough content while working to care enough to consume outside of work. But I'm open to hearing success stories and suggestions for creating and marketing podcasts, particularly where a small staff and limited resources are concerned.

 

[LanceyHoward]

Looks like the BANGers who fled to The Athletic knew what they were doing.

Awaiting memo from Editor Who Nobody Ever Sees stating continuing commitment to "watchdog journalism" and the vital importance of newspapers in our daily lives." Bonus points if memo includes a reference to scene in "The Post" reminding people that Katherine Graham was worried about the WP's future but they still put out the Pentagon Papers and went on to Watergate.

Under what circumstances would it be a bad idea to jump from aDFM job? It is beyond the scope of my ima

I have been in new media for years and I have yet to listen to a podcast. I create and consume enough content while working to care enough to consume outside of work. But I'm open to hearing success stories and suggestions for creating and marketing podcasts, particularly where a small staff and limited resources are concerned.

Are ad rates in smaller metro markets support podcasting?

 

[justgladtobehere]

Under what circumstances would it be a bad idea to jump from aDFM job? It is beyond the scope of my ima

Are ad rates in smaller metro markets support podcasting?

Ads are sold at mostly standard rates per 1000 listens.

Most of the top podcasts now are produced by public radio or other legacy news media, but there are many successful ones that were built up by people on their own. Social media and sites like AV Club drove the success of the independent places. It may be harder now after some of the excitement for podcasts has waned, but Pardon My Take is one of the most successful podcasts and it has been around for less than two years.

 

[DanOregon]

The problem isn't newspaper orgs venturing into different media - it is not doing it with the commitment required to do it well. The world isn't clamoring for for more half-assed podcasts or videos from reporters who have already spent eight hours reporting and writing. Newspapers have been crossing the "innovation stream" for almost 20 years, still unwilling to abandon print and unprepared to to charge ahead to digital. The result is an industry in hospice.

 

[LanceyHoward]

Ads are sold at mostly standard rates per 1000 listens.

Most of the top podcasts now are produced by public radio or other legacy news media, but there are many successful ones that were built up by people on their own. Social media and sites like AV Club drove the success of the independent places. It may be harder now after some of the excitement for podcasts has waned, but Pardon My Take is one of the most successful podcasts and it has been around for less than two years.

I did 30 seconds of research and found a website that says the standard podcasting rate is $25 per minute per 1,000 listens. Pardon my Take can generate well over 1,000,000 listens so that would compute out to over $25,000 for a one minute advertising sport.

But if you are in a market like Colorado Springs with a metro population of 600,000 ho many people can you reach. If you generate 6,000 listens a podcast you would be absolutely killing it rating wise but only making about $150 a one minute ad. How many podcasts in a smaller market could do that. Does podcasting only really work in national or very large local markets.

 

[studthug12]

The problem isn't newspaper orgs venturing into different media - it is not doing it with the commitment required to do it well. The world isn't clamoring for for more half-assed podcasts or videos from reporters who have already spent eight hours reporting and writing. Newspapers have been crossing the "innovation stream" for almost 20 years, still unwilling to abandon print and unprepared to to charge ahead to digital. The result is an industry in hospice.

Agree. The problem also though is losing the talent. The big wigs don't consider the writers the talent which is unreal. They think a seasoned reporter isn't any better than a 22-yo out of college. You have to have good copy to engage and attain and retain readers. Know where your bread is buttered. Yes, new avenues of media are great if you do them right, but you need to start with what you do best and no one else can do. Newspapers can't do that because staffs have been hacked. I expect to do video now, but it's to compliment the piece not the other way around.

 

[Slacker]

Agree. The problem also though is losing the talent. The big wigs don't consider the writers the talent which is unreal. They think a seasoned reporter isn't any better than a 22-yo out of college. You have to have good copy to engage and attain and retain readers. Know where your bread is buttered. Yes, new avenues of media are great if you do them right, but you need to start with what you do best and no one else can do. Newspapers can't do that because staffs have been hacked. I expect to do video now, but it's to compliment the piece not the other way around.

Editors are "the talent," too. Until they got laid off because they're not "content producers." But of course they are.