Digital First Media laying off at least 24 journalists

[alanpagerules]

http://jimromenesko.com/2014/03/20/digital-first-media-newspapers-give-layoff-notices-to-24-journalists/

 

[MisterCreosote]

Unbolt yourself (from employment)!

 

[Songbird]

Unbolt yourself (from employment)!

Yeah, smelled that a mile away after Paton's last screed.

 

[lapdog]

Other cuts coming across the chain.

Several contract agreements imposed last year put a 12-month embargo on further newsroom staff cuts, and the instant those 12-month embargos run out, it's chainsaw city.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

But, but, I thought if everyone bolted, they'd remained employed!

 

[MileHigh]

I thought Uncle Dean scootered off into the sunset of retirement.

 

[boundforboston]

Thunderdome is getting killed, DFM may sell papers: http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/245798/digital-first-media-axes-thunderdome-may-sell-its-newspapers/. Bad news for those at Thunderdome.

 

[MileHigh]

Ken Doctor breaks it down.

http://www.niemanlab.org/2014/04/the-newsonomics-of-digital-first-medias-thunderdome-implosion-and-coming-sale/

Going to be VERY interesting in Southern California for sure (especially if he's hearing right that the owners in San Diego want out).

 

[LongTimeListener]

Unbolt is unbolted, then?

 

[Songbird]

Just like that, Thunderdome is dead.

Digital First has left the building.

On a brighter note, it's great to see the Long Beach Press-Telegram (one of DFM's properties) moving its ops back ... to Long Beach, back into the 6-story building on Pine Avenue.

 

[LanceyHoward]

Ken Doctor breaks it down.

http://www.niemanlab.org/2014/04/the-newsonomics-of-digital-first-medias-thunderdome-implosion-and-coming-sale/

Going to be VERY interesting in Southern California for sure (especially if he's hearing right that the owners in San Diego want out).

What I find interesting- and depressing about San Diego- is that the ownership group bought the paper for someething like 55M. Then they were able to buy the North County Times for around 10M but they sold the headquarters for bacsically the purchase price when they merged the papers so the net cost was basically zero and the company gained a monopoly.

If a publisher can not a decent return on his investment in San Diego COunty, with a population of three million and no competition, then the ships are sinking rapidly. Admittedly I am speculating that the group is selling because they are struggling. Maybe they are profitable and want to cashl out.

 

[SnarkShark]

I think this is interesting, considering this ad.

http://www.journalismjobs.com/job_listing.cfm?jobid=1572380

Word is, they're going to add to their staff in LA because the OC Register is starting an LA paper in a couple of weeks. They did the same thing in Long Beach when the Register started its Long Beach paper.

 

[SnarkShark]

Digital First EIC gone...

https://twitter.com/jimbradysp/status/451400891523141633

For what it's worth, I'll also soon be departing DFM as part of the changes announced today. Been a hell of a fun ride, thanks to @jxpaton.

 

[Songbird]

Uncle John waxes:

http://jxpaton.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/moving-on-from-thunderdome/

 

[LongTimeListener]

How the hell can he not title that post "Beyond Thunderdome"?

What a yutz.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

First. I give him credit in actually announcing the initiative is ending, unlike Gannett, which would make a huge ballyhooed to-do over it, and then six months later, it would be forgotten about by everyone.

Second, I wonder what already-thought of seven years ago idea with a stupid nickname they'll throw at the wall next.

 

[lapdog]

Uncle John waxes:

http://jxpaton.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/moving-on-from-thunderdome/

In the past two years we have learned a tremendous amount from Project Thunderdome much like others that have come before it like our Ben Franklin Project.

Which they yammered about for several months in advance, forcing members of already short-staffed departments to spend hours of shift time to learn completely new software programs, then used for ONE PUBLICATION DATE, then dropped like a hot potato, never to be used again.

All, of course, as a negotiating ploy to bluff down all their software vendors whose contracts were running out, with the premise "we don't need your stinkin Photoshop or InDesign, we can get the paper out (and the website up) using free crapware programs off Teh Internetz!!"

Shockingly enough, it turned out the free ****ware on teh internetz didn't really work all that good. What a surprise.

All the staff hours used to learn the programs to put out one issue of the paper? Suck it up!! All your hard work will be remembered at contract time (When We Lay You Off!!).

 

[HejiraHenry]

My wife and I both worked (elsewhere) with one of the significant figures in Project Thunderdome - not Tina Turner. It's a great puzzle to us both that this person is highly regarded at all, based on the work performance we observed.

Old media or new, some people can thrive for a while because they look good in a suit.

 

[Drip]

A crack in the Thunderdome. Why am I not surprised.

 

[MileHigh]

Eight cut in Salt Lake City, print products (including the Faith section) by orders from the New York owners to cut the budget 10 percent as the for sale signs get ready to be planted.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/57803274-78/tribune-faith-orme-digital.html.csp