Singleton: Newspapers need to get with the times

[trifectarich]

http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/06/02/daily18.html?b=1212465600%5E1644792&surround=etf


I guess he wants everyone to think People magazine.

 

[goalmouth]

Hey-- it was Zell's idea to put puppies on A-1.

 

[DisembodiedOwlHead]

Lot of good ideas in there from Lean Dean ... oh, wait, he doesn't have any bright ideas, just criticism.

 

[Ace]

Lot of good ideas in there from Lean Dean ... oh, wait, he doesn't have any bright ideas, just criticism.

You noticed that too?

We need to give the readers what they want, dammit! Just as soon as we figure out what that is.

 

[forever_town]

Perhaps Lean Dean should focus more on taking care of the people he already has and less on acquiring newspapers and laying off people? That would make too much sense.

 

[budcrew08]

This sounds like a warning bell for MNG people (or am I wrong?):

Singleton noted that MediaNews has hired management-consultant firm Bain & Co. to help it reshape its business. "We expect our business to look a lot different next year," he said.

 

[derwood]

More consultants...

 

[Birdscribe]

This sounds like a warning bell for MNG people (or am I wrong?):

Singleton noted that MediaNews has hired management-consultant firm Bain & Co. to help it reshape its business. "We expect our business to look a lot different next year," he said.

You are not wrong, Bud.

In the poker world, you would call this a "tell." Any time a company brings in a Bain, a McKinsey, an Accenture, a Deloitte and Touche or any other consulting firm, many somebodies are going to lose their jobs.

That's what these firms do. They come in, poke and sniff around, then to justify their existences (not to mention the fat fees they're getting), they recommend that X number of people exit the premises to "protect the bottom line."

Picture the Bobs on "Office Space" and you know what I'm talking about. There's more reality in that element of the movie than anything else (well, save for Gary Cole's Lumberg).

 

[fishwrapper]

Birdscribe is, of course, right.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Dean wants to discard old ideas. How about if he discards this one? Cutting jobs for the bottom line.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

This sounds like a warning bell for MNG people (or am I wrong?):

Singleton noted that MediaNews has hired management-consultant firm Bain & Co. to help it reshape its business. "We expect our business to look a lot different next year," he said.

You are not wrong, Bud.

In the poker would, you would call this a "tell." Any time a company brings in a Bain, a McKinsey, an Accenture, a Deloitte and Touche or any other consulting firm, many somebodies are going to lose their jobs.

That's what these firms do. They come in, poke and sniff around, then to justify their existences (not to mention the fat fees they're getting), they recommend that X number of people exit the premises to "protect the bottom line."

Picture the Bobs on "Office Space" and you know what I'm talking about. There's more reality in that element of the movie than anything else (well, save for Gary Cole's Lumberg).

This train is never, ever, ever late.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

 

[Twoback]

Wow. Talk about shooting the messenger. Anybody actually read anything in this article other than the words "Dean" and "Singleton"?

 

[Sam Mills 51]

"Discard 'our' arrogance"?

Takes one to know one, Dean. How about, you know, offering solutions instead of continuing to be part of the problem?

----

Birdscribe is correct. The only thing that surprises me is given Dean's arrogance and ruthless slashing and burning, why would he spend money to hire consultants ... knowing he's going to slash jobs en masse, anyway?

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Arrogance is gutting the product and expecting circ and revenue not to tank.

 

[Captain_Kirk]

This sounds like a warning bell for MNG people (or am I wrong?):

Singleton noted that MediaNews has hired management-consultant firm Bain & Co. to help it reshape its business. "We expect our business to look a lot different next year," he said.

You are not wrong, Bud.

In the poker world, you would call this a "tell." Any time a company brings in a Bain, a McKinsey, an Accenture, a Deloitte and Touche or any other consulting firm, many somebodies are going to lose their jobs.

That's what these firms do. They come in, poke and sniff around, then to justify their existences (not to mention the fat fees they're getting), they recommend that X number of people exit the premises to "protect the bottom line."

Picture the Bobs on "Office Space" and you know what I'm talking about. There's more reality in that element of the movie than anything else (well, save for Gary Cole's Lumberg).

Down to these consultant types love for Michael Bolton music....

And this is more than a poker tell. It's more like yelling "Incoming!" as a shell is about to hit in/near your bunker.

 

[Ace]

Wow. Talk about shooting the messenger. Anybody actually read anything in this article other than the words "Dean" and "Singleton"?

Yes. Seemed extremely simplistic with no specific answers. We have to change, dammit!

What did you take out of it?

 

[fishwrapper]

Wow. Talk about shooting the messenger. Anybody actually read anything in this article other than the words "Dean" and "Singleton"?

**** "Dean" and "Singleton."
For three decades he has constringed community pillars and cozened thousands of journalists out of careers. Not well-paying careers, but noble satisfying careers.
His eye never set on delivering a worthwhile-product. He plunders and defiles and when all is extracted, he merges.
It's like watching a high school football team run the same play over and over and over again.
So when this Mother****er stands in front of any assemblage with megaphone in hand, pounds fist to podium and espouses change, my spine cringes.

 

[Birdscribe]

Wow. Talk about shooting the messenger. Anybody actually read anything in this article other than the words "Dean" and "Singleton"?

**** "Dean" and "Singleton."
For three decades he has constringed community pillars and cozened thousands of journalists out of careers. Not well-paying careers, but noble satisfying careers.
His eye never set on delivering a worthwhile-product. He plunders and defiles and when all is extracted, he merges.
It's like watching a high school football team run the same play over and over and over again.
So when this Mother****er stands in front of any assemblage with megaphone in hand, pounds fist to podium and espouses change, my spine cringes.

Dead. On. Nails. (tipping hat)

 

[DanOregon]

It seems that "new" ideas become "old" ideas overnight in the business. I'm sick of reading "newspapers will be around for a long time" columns by old timers, and "newspapers need to change to survive" columns" by innovation gurus.
And yet, I'm seeing nothing but a steady decline in newspaper revenues, what gives? Are papers not changing fasting enough? Changing too quickly?