Plain Dealer staff goes on offensive to save paper.

[Drip]

Bold move.
http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/11/plain_dealer_staff_launch_a_ca.html

 

[YankeeFan]

The appeal refers readers to a Facebook page where they can get information on how to express their feelings and contact the paper's owners.

Huh. It's almost like the internet is the easiest, and cheapest way to get information to people.

 

[Versatile]

The appeal refers readers to a Facebook page where they can get information on how to express their feelings and contact the paper's owners.

Huh. It's almost like the internet is the easiest, and cheapest way to get information to people.

Agreed. It doesn't work well when a newspaper turns to the Internet to yell at people about how important print is. It's no more effective than putting VISIT PODUNKPRESS.COM FOR MORE PHOTOS at the end of cutlines. Any extra support you get is likely a one-off thing. People may be inclined to buy a print edition or visit the website once, but you need sustainable gains.

 

[Joe Williams]

For some reason, reminds me of this:

Take to the Internet to save print by appealing to people's "feeeeelings."

Buh-bye.

 

[LongTimeListener]

Not so much a "save the paper" drive as it is a "save our jobs at income levels that don't work in the industry anymore" drive.

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

I don't want to cut in on anyone's action, but I'm good enough to work at Chick-fil-A.

 

[Joe Williams]

Not so much a "save the paper" drive as it is a "save our jobs at income levels that don't work in the industry anymore" drive.

For a lot of mid-to-big markets, my sense for several years has been an end game with half the jobs, at half the pay, from what is recalled as the glory days. Seems way more sustainable, though getting to that point has been and will continue to be painful.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

I don't want to cut in on anyone's action, but I'm good enough to work at Chick-fil-A.

Don't be so sure. They don't hire just anyone.

 

[Versatile]

I don't want to cut in on anyone's action, but I'm good enough to work at Chick-fil-A.

Have you married any men lately?

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

I just like the idea of having Sunday off.

 

[LongTimeListener]

Not so much a "save the paper" drive as it is a "save our jobs at income levels that don't work in the industry anymore" drive.

For a lot of mid-to-big markets, my sense for several years has been an end game with half the jobs, at half the pay, from what is recalled as the glory days. Seems way more sustainable, though getting to that point has been and will continue to be painful.

You are correct; I have seen it play out in the Bay Area.

I don't know if this is still accurate, but the most recent mention of salaries in Cleveland that I could find was a Guild scale that reporters and copy editors were making about $1,100 a week as of a few years ago. If that's the case, that doesn't sound like a ton but does sound like a fairly livable wage for that area. (And a very solid half of a dual-income household.) The sad reality is that were they so inclined, Newhouse could find people willing to work for half that and wouldn't have to look very hard.

 

[Captain Obvious]

See our print ads online!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Doc Holliday]

Adios Plain Dealer.

Metros with over-sized staffs, over-sized salaries and their Unionized workforce are toast.

 

[Mark2010]

I don't know if this is still accurate, but the most recent mention of salaries in Cleveland that I could find was a Guild scale that reporters and copy editors were making about $1,100 a week as of a few years ago. If that's the case, that doesn't sound like a ton but does sound like a fairly livable wage for that area. (And a very solid half of a dual-income household.) The sad reality is that were they so inclined, Newhouse could find people willing to work for half that and wouldn't have to look very hard.

Management would be nuts not to. If you can cut payroll in half and still keep putting out a product, what company wouldn't do that?

 

[Joe Williams]

I don't know if this is still accurate, but the most recent mention of salaries in Cleveland that I could find was a Guild scale that reporters and copy editors were making about $1,100 a week as of a few years ago. If that's the case, that doesn't sound like a ton but does sound like a fairly livable wage for that area. (And a very solid half of a dual-income household.) The sad reality is that were they so inclined, Newhouse could find people willing to work for half that and wouldn't have to look very hard.

Management would be nuts not to. If you can cut payroll in half and still keep putting out a product, what company wouldn't do that?

Or go with the coming trend of turning full-time employees into part-timers, to navigate around the healthcare act regulations.

 

[dixiehack]

I don't know if this is still accurate, but the most recent mention of salaries in Cleveland that I could find was a Guild scale that reporters and copy editors were making about $1,100 a week as of a few years ago. If that's the case, that doesn't sound like a ton but does sound like a fairly livable wage for that area. (And a very solid half of a dual-income household.) The sad reality is that were they so inclined, Newhouse could find people willing to work for half that and wouldn't have to look very hard.

Management would be nuts not to. If you can cut payroll in half and still keep putting out a product, what company wouldn't do that?

Or go with the coming trend of turning full-time employees into part-timers, to navigate around the healthcare act regulations.

Why not? They've turned my local paper into a part-time publication. And I bet Geno's can make a pizza cheaper than the neighborhood Italian place. Same food, right?

 

[Joe Williams]

Quality of content/product was thrown overboard long ago by most media outlets.

 

[Ace]

I don't want to cut in on anyone's action, but I'm good enough to work at Chick-fil-A.

Screw you. You probably aren't chipper enough for Chick-fil-A.

 

[daemon]

It always amazes me that so many editorial folks fail to grasp simple economics. I mean, urging people to make their feelings known to the owners? People make their feelings known with their wallets, period.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Sounds like it's not working:

http://www.pdnowwhat.com/pd-changes-layoffs-start-in-early-2013/