Gannett buys iPhones, iPads, etc., for its journalists

[MisterCreosote]

I hate Gannett as much as anyone, but it's nice to see an investment in journalists/technology like this (if they don't screw it up ):

http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/memo-gci-buys-thousands-of-iphones.html

 

[bigpern23]

I hate Gannett as much as anyone, but it's nice to see an investment in journalists/technology like this (if they don't screw it up ):

http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/memo-gci-buys-thousands-of-iphones.html

It allows them to lay off photographers.

 

[YankeeFan]

Yeah, but was there an open bar at the Christmas party? [/Patch.com]

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I hate Gannett as much as anyone, but it's nice to see an investment in journalists/technology like this (if they don't screw it up ):

http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/memo-gci-buys-thousands-of-iphones.html

It allows them to lay off photographers.

This. If you're a photog at a Gannett paper, you're in deep ****.

 

[HejiraHenry]

Bet your butt I'm in our editor's office on the first business day after Jan. 1, suggesting we need to do likewise.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I'm absolutely shocked that Gannett bought the iPhones and iPads instead of insisting their employees pay for them themselves.

 

[bigpern23]

At my last shop, I remember the photo editor pushing to get iPhone 4s so the reporters could get usable art for assignments the photographers couldn't get to.

I also remember one of the photographers saying, "What is he stupid? We're all going to be out of a job."

Half the photo staff got laid off four months later.

 

[TigerVols]

From another blog post there:

U.S. newspapers President Bob Dickey says he just bought "thousands" of iPhone 4s and other mobile technology gear for Gannett's 81 community dailies. Collectively, they employ perhaps 2,500 journalists, including copy editors, reporters and all other positions.

You'd think copy editors wouldn't need them, so maybe the photographers are getting them too. Though I don't know a lot of experienced photogs who would be excited to shoot on an iPhone.

Annie Liebovitz on the Today Show the other day said it's her favorite camera at the moment.

 

[sgreenwell]

Yeah, but was there an open bar at the Christmas party? [/Patch.com]

To be fair, a single golden parachute for an executive is probably equivalent to as many open bar Christmas parties as you want to have. You know, $22.5 million to $37 million: http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-dubow-gets-if-disability-forces.html - Even in the newspaper industry, executive compensation is absolutely ****ing insane.

 

[Dan Hickling]

in most pro dressing rooms its iPhones: yes, still cameras: no

 

[Raiders]

More spite for the face before more bones and organs are chopped off?

 

[BurnsWhenIPee]

To be fair, though, if we all rip them for not taking advantage of current technology and not being willing to spend money to get the state-of-the-art equipment in the hands of their employees, then for the flipside, they do deserve some credit for spending a ****-ton of money on stuff like this.

A buddy at my former G shop said their EE sent out a memo detailing all this, and at the end, he advised that anyone thinking about buying a new iPhone or iPad may want to wait, because there's a good chance they'll have one to use for free.

All that said: I agree, majority of the photographers are dead men (and women) walking ...

 

[Stitch]

Using a company iPhone is Bette than using your own. I stopped using my phone for work purposes at my last paper.

 

[GlenQuagmire]

I hate Gannett as much as anyone, but it's nice to see an investment in journalists/technology like this (if they don't screw it up ):

http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/memo-gci-buys-thousands-of-iphones.html

One of my old Gannett shops surveyed its employees a few months ago to see what they felt could be done to make their jobs easier. Photographers suggested that reporters take their own pictures. This move would be a shift in that direction. It's obvious there's little concern for quality in this company, so why not lump more on the reporters (in addition to writing, shooting video, blogging, tweeting, live chatting, etc.) and provide a reason to lay off photographers?

 

[Stitch]

I hate Gannett as much as anyone, but it's nice to see an investment in journalists/technology like this (if they don't screw it up ):

http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/memo-gci-buys-thousands-of-iphones.html

One of my old Gannett shops surveyed its employees a few months ago to see what they felt could be done to make their jobs easier. Photographers suggested that reporters take their own pictures. This move would be a shift in that direction. It's obvious there's little concern for quality in this company, so why not lump more on the reporters (in addition to writing, shooting video, blogging, tweeting, live chatting, etc.) and provide a reason to lay off photographers?

Any photographer that suggests a reporter take their own pictures is an idiot. I've worked with a few that we're like that.

 

[1HPGrad]

Just heard Indy is handing out $1K bonuses to select employees.
Any other Gannett papers doing this?

 

[rpmmutant]

The sad part is the iPhone4 and iPad2 will be out of date before they even get in reporters' hands. And hundreds of photographers with good enough equipment to produce professional content will be out of work.

 

[playthrough]

Sounds great until you shoot video, tweet five times, take pictures, facebook, blog and write the dead-tree edition from one event ... and your quota-minded editor calls you to the carpet for not tweeting six times.

 

[Raiders]

Sounds great until you shoot video, tweet five times, take pictures, facebook, blog and write the dead-tree edition from one event ... and your quota-minded editor calls you to the carpet for not tweeting six times.

That's happening at a lot of places now, isn't it?

 

[playthrough]

Sounds great until you shoot video, tweet five times, take pictures, facebook, blog and write the dead-tree edition from one event ... and your quota-minded editor calls you to the carpet for not tweeting six times.

That's happening at a lot of places now, isn't it?

Sure, but maybe not with a company-bought iPad in your hand.