Missing It

[BDC99]

With all due respect, don't be naïve. Gannett just upped its offer to buy Tribune from $12.50 a share to $15 a share in what has been reported to be a mostly cash deal. That's an increase that represents tens of millions of dollars. Gannett also hasn't increased wages in years.

Bet those at the top are being well-compensated, though.

 

[Tweener]

Bet those at the top are being well-compensated, though.

Right, that's why the "we can't possibly increase any expense" is silly. But management at most newspapers believe they can still underpay their workforce because a chunk of the worker bees "don't do it for the money." There's more to it than that, but there's a correlation.

 

[BTExpress]

But management at most newspapers believe they can still underpay their workforce because a chunk of the worker bees "don't do it for the money."

Why didn't they underpay their workforce in, say, 2003? Why did I receive raises for 19 of 20 years leading up to 2006? Why was there not a single layoff at my shop until 2008? Not a single furlough?

If the worker bees "didn't do it for the money" then, then why were they so well compensated vis a vis 10 years later? What changed?

By the middle of 2012 newspaper ad revenue had fallen 25 quarters in a row. I think it's safe to say that figure in mid-2016 is 40 quarters in a row.

Newspapers report ad revenue loss for 25th quarter in a row

And regarding the "higher ups" . . . did you know Tribune company is basically combining its editor and publisher jobs? That the Fort Lauderdale paper hasn't had a managing editor since 2008?

 

[BDC99]

Why didn't they underpay their workforce in, say, 2003? Why did I receive raises for 19 of 20 years leading up to 2006? Why was there not a single layoff at my shop until 2008? Not a single furlough?

If the worker bees "didn't do it for the money" then, then why were they so well compensated vis a vis 10 years later? What changed?

By the middle of 2012 newspaper ad revenue had fallen 25 quarters in a row. I think it's safe to say that figure in mid-2016 is 40 quarters in a row.

Newspapers report ad revenue loss for 25th quarter in a row

And regarding the "higher ups" . . . did you know Tribune company is basically combining its editor and publisher jobs? That the Fort Lauderdale paper hasn't had a managing editor since 2008?

That was true at my shop as well. Was referring more to the very top, the bonuses and salaries exploding, while the worker bees have been going backward. It's far from just a journalism issue.

 

[Bronco77]

That the Fort Lauderdale paper hasn't had a managing editor since 2008?

That's true. For the past year or so, however, it hasn't had "a" managing editor -- it's had two. In fact, one of the co-MEs was promoted to Trib Publishing's chief digital officer position a few weeks ago, and the open co-ME job was filled immediately with an internal hire. Both positions reportedly pay about $150K a year, which is almost five times the salary of a recent hire on the production desk.

 

[MNgremlin]

When we've struggled to get part-time help, we've tried reasoning with higher-ups that someone can go work at Walmart for $3 more an hour. We got back from them the "well people shouldn't be in it just for the money" schtick.

 

[Tweener]

Why didn't they underpay their workforce in, say, 2003? Why did I receive raises for 19 of 20 years leading up to 2006? Why was there not a single layoff at my shop until 2008? Not a single furlough?

If the worker bees "didn't do it for the money" then, then why were they so well compensated vis a vis 10 years later? What changed?

By the middle of 2012 newspaper ad revenue had fallen 25 quarters in a row. I think it's safe to say that figure in mid-2016 is 40 quarters in a row.

Newspapers report ad revenue loss for 25th quarter in a row

And regarding the "higher ups" . . . did you know Tribune company is basically combining its editor and publisher jobs? That the Fort Lauderdale paper hasn't had a managing editor since 2008?

No doubt ad revenue has fallen off consistently over the last decade. There's also no denying that media companies are working with smaller budgets than they were 10 years ago.

But most companies have also gone through massive layoffs and furloughs to mostly offset those losses.

Does this look like company hemorrhaging money? » Gannett CEO Gracia Martore’s total compensation: $12.4M in 2014 vs. $7.9M in 2013 JIMROMENESKO.COM

 

[Old Time Hockey]

When we've struggled to get part-time help, we've tried reasoning with higher-ups that someone can go work at Walmart for $3 more an hour. We got back from them the "well people shouldn't be in it just for the money" schtick.

I once interviewed for a job with a daily, assuming it would pay more than the weekly where I was then working, and was stunned to learn at the end of the process that it in fact paid less, even though it was in a substantially more expensive place to live. Next interview, I made sure to ask up front about the pay. The response was, "We're not interested in people who are that concerned with money;" knowing, at that point, that the lack of interest was mutual, I went ahead and said what I was thinking: "That tells me all I need to know about how you pay. Thanks."

Oh, and this was when newspapers were still doing well.

 

[Ace]

I once interviewed for a job with a daily, assuming it would pay more than the weekly where I was then working, and was stunned to learn at the end of the process that it in fact paid less, even though it was in a substantially more expensive place to live. Next interview, I made sure to ask up front about the pay. The response was, "We're not interested in people who are that concerned with money;" knowing, at that point, that the lack of interest was mutual, I went ahead and said what I was thinking: "That tells me all I need to know about how you pay. Thanks."

Oh, and this was when newspapers were still doing well.

Pay is a tricky issue. Some places even want you to put in an expected salary in an online application. I hate that.

I always try to avoid asking about pay directly upfront while trying to find out as much as I can.

When I was hiring people, I was not bothered if people tried to get an idea about pay. But if that's like the first thing you ask or you ask as though the job is already yours, that may not come across well.

 

[Tweener]

It's not about the money.
You still need to make something to live. I'm ok with making crap money if I'm working 40 hours a week. If im getting paid 12.50 an hour - which is a ton for small papers in RI - I'm not throwing unpaid hours on top of that.

So, it was about the money, at least somewhat. Otherwise, why would you care about unpaid hours if you're doing what you love?

I really like to travel and visit interesting new places. You could even say I love it. Therefore, I couldn't care less that I don't get paid to do it.

 

[da man]

Pay is a tricky issue. Some places even want you to put in an expected salary in an online application. I hate that.

I always try to avoid asking about pay directly upfront while trying to find out as much as I can.

When I was hiring people, I was not bothered if people tried to get an idea about pay. But if that's like the first thing you ask or you ask as though the job is already yours, that may not come across well.

The way I've always heard it is the first one who mentions a dollar figure loses.

 

[I Should Coco]

I always appreciated when they at least gave a range ($25-30K, for instance) on the job listing, or after you made your first inquiry.

These days, that probably gets you this: We pay your rent in a company-owned building, and you can buy food with scrip at a company-owned store. Oh, you want cash after that?!?!?!!

 

[Fredrick]

That's true. For the past year or so, however, it hasn't had "a" managing editor -- it's had two. In fact, one of the co-MEs was promoted to Trib Publishing's chief digital officer position a few weeks ago, and the open co-ME job was filled immediately with an internal hire. Both positions reportedly pay about $150K a year, which is almost five times the salary of a recent hire on the production desk.

This is why I despise newspapers and the 10 a.m. meeting leaders. The business model is simply obscene. It's crap on the little guy/girl; make them work 60 and get paid for 40 and the managers and middle managers who frankly are not even needed get 200,000 a year minimum. Very very strange business model. And the CEOs and think tankers ... it's not like the y have any answers. Hire me for 200,000. I can cut positions as well as the next person.

 

[exmediahack]

This is why I despise newspapers and the 10 a.m. meeting leaders. The business model is simply obscene. It's crap on the little guy/girl; make them work 60 and get paid for 40 and the managers and middle managers who frankly are not even needed get 200,000 a year minimum. Very very strange business model. And the CEOs and think tankers ... it's not like the y have any answers. Hire me for 200,000. I can cut positions as well as the next person.

There's a guy in our city who has made a rich living/larceny off of being this Rasputin-like character who charms our blue blood businesses, first as a freelance and then gets a gig full-time with the company where he is practically on the masthead.

He had a blog long ago about managing people and that got him hired with us. His secret apparently was on every critical email, he would cc all of the report that you report to.

In the heart of the recession, that was just delightful.

He had damn near 75 of us reporting to a guy with no journalism training or business training who made us switch all of our email domains from a highly-known brand in the market to a WordPress-based domain. For the next seven months, we had to explain that we were legitimate reporters to people who already didn't know us. Our email addresses looked like amateur bloggers. We were denied credentials for a BCS bowl game initially because of it.

Seven months later, he and the company parted ways.

Since then, he's wormed his way into Red Cross, an energy company, the city itself and is now on the board of a hospital. Every place, it's a mutual parting after he wrecks their culture.

Man... I gotta get a gig like that.

 

[Fredrick]

There's a guy in our city who has made a rich living/larceny off of being this Rasputin-like character who charms our blue blood businesses, first as a freelance and then gets a gig full-time with the company where he is practically on the masthead.

He had a blog long ago about managing people and that got him hired with us. His secret apparently was on every critical email, he would cc all of the report that you report to.

In the heart of the recession, that was just delightful.

He had damn near 75 of us reporting to a guy with no journalism training or business training who made us switch all of our email domains from a highly-known brand in the market to a WordPress-based domain. For the next seven months, we had to explain that we were legitimate reporters to people who already didn't know us. Our email addresses looked like amateur bloggers. We were denied credentials for a BCS bowl game initially because of it.

Seven months later, he and the company parted ways.

Since then, he's wormed his way into Red Cross, an energy company, the city itself and is now on the board of a hospital. Every place, it's a mutual parting after he wrecks their culture.

Man... I gotta get a gig like that.

Yes in this day and age the workplace is very strange. You said it. Some people "worm" their way in. They know how to speak the "team" lingo and infiltrate the minds of HR idiots and get hired. Like you said, they cost the company amazing amounts of money and get fired after a year or so but make a lot of money in the process. It's beyond believe what kind of employees HR departments and higher ups value and how they **** on the people who truly are doing a great job. Damn the USA is in trouble in terms of the working place.