Zell whacks 25 percent of Allentown newsroom

[Pendleton]

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-a1_5call.6513540jul22,0,5713030.story

 

[Write-brained]

Well I'm living here in Allentown
And it's hard to keep a good man down.
But I won't be getting up todayyyyy

 

[big green wahoo]

``The reductions, he said, were calculated to preserve The Morning Call's strength as a presence on the Web and a provider of unique, local news. Online readership grew 14.2 percent last year and is expected to grow 16 percent this year -- up to 159 million page views. In addition, he said, the newspaper has focused its coverage based on reader feedback, which has resulted in a 7 percent jump in readership.''

Great, but yet again, how exactly do you capitalize on that growing online readership?

 

[Thirsty And Vacant]

The graduations hang on the wall
But they never really helped us at all

 

[BrianGriffin]

But they never showed us what was real,
iron coke, chromium steel
(or, in this case, cutbacks, buyouts, Lean Dean and Zell...)

 

[Pendleton]

This was the actual newsroom memo. The word "painful" doesn't appear until the final graph...

===========

Memo to Allentown, PA Morning News staff

From: Kennedy, Timothy
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 3:00 PM
Subject: A Message from the Publisher

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing today to update you on the status of the redesign and resizing of our paper. The new design will debut on Monday, July 28th. We will introduce the redesign beginning with a letter to our readers from me this Sunday with daily in-paper communication throughout the week. Beginning today you will be able to see prototypes displayed in both Publishers Hall and on the second floor in the newsroom. Later this week the prototypes will be available on the Intranet. We should all be proud of the creativity and energy of everyone involved in this effort.

In addition to the redesign, we also plan to resize the newspaper. Much of that was described in my e-mail a few weeks back. The planned reductions in newsroom labor and newsprint are a required response to the punishing economics that we face. Also on display around the building are our financial results through June. Cash flow was down 27% on an 11% decrease in revenues. Our outlook for the second half of 2008 is not much better. More than ever our financial results reflect the broken business model of the past.

While our plans are not final, I want to share with you some major decisions that we have made.

First, we plan to reassess and evaluate all newsroom bureau assignments. We will close our Quakertown and Lehighton bureaus and consolidate our Northampton County offices. While some of these positions will be eliminated, a significant portion will be reassigned. We have no intention of abandoning coverage of these areas. Major news will be covered through assignments from the Northampton bureau or the main office in Allentown.

Second, our editorial zoning strategy will change in order to streamline news production in the Local section. Two zones – one for Lehigh County and one for Northampton County - will replace the current five-zone approach. For the vast majority of our readers (current 3rd, 4th and 5th editions) there will be little change to their daily Morning Call. Zoning for advertisers will remain unchanged.

Third, 35 to 40 positions in the newsroom will be eliminated. Some of these reductions will be achieved through the elimination of open positions but the majority will be achieved through involuntary terminations. If anyone is interested or would like more information, please contact a senior editor before Wednesday.

We expect to finalize this over the next 2-3 days. Supervisors will contact affected employees this weekend. These employees will receive an enhanced pension benefit similar to the package that was offered in the first quarter of this year. The enhanced pension benefit is equivalent to one week of pay for every six months of completed service. Indications are that this package may not be available in the future.

These changes are painful. As we move forward with this plan, we will treat our employees thoughtfully and respectfully. Unfortunately, these are actions that I have reluctantly concluded we need to take. I appreciate everyone’s professionalism and dedication as we work together in this difficult time.

Regards,

Tim

 

[steveu]

What is even worse is the Mcall is supposed to get a makeover on July 29 (I could be off on the date)... this paper is pretty good as it is.

Guess it's the Zell way.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

They buried the lead in the SIXTH paragraph? I've seen some crappy job-loss memos on here, but this one takes the cake.

Why woud 35-40 people give a **** about the redesign if they don't have jobs.

More stupidity from the Zell people.

 

[Hustle]

This sucks... I remember a fair amount of people from my time up that way.

My dad recently went to one of the bureaus that's scheduled to close. He said there was one person there, sitting at a desk in the corner. Perhaps the closings are just a formality.

 

[dixiehack]

This was the actual newsroom memo. The word "painful" doesn't appear until the final graph...

===========

Memo to Allentown, PA Morning News staff

From: Kennedy, Timothy
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 3:00 PM
Subject: A Message from the Publisher

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing today to update you on the status of the redesign and resizing of our paper. The new design will debut on Monday, July 28th. We will introduce the redesign beginning with a letter to our readers from me this Sunday with daily in-paper communication throughout the week. Beginning today you will be able to see prototypes displayed in both Publishers Hall and on the second floor in the newsroom. Later this week the prototypes will be available on the Intranet. We should all be proud of the creativity and energy of everyone involved in this effort.

In addition to the redesign, we also plan to resize the newspaper. Much of that was described in my e-mail a few weeks back. The planned reductions in newsroom labor and newsprint are a required response to the punishing economics that we face. Also on display around the building are our financial results through June. Cash flow was down 27% on an 11% decrease in revenues. Our outlook for the second half of 2008 is not much better. More than ever our financial results reflect the broken business model of the past.

While our plans are not final, I want to share with you some major decisions that we have made.

First, we plan to reassess and evaluate all newsroom bureau assignments. We will close our Quakertown and Lehighton bureaus and consolidate our Northampton County offices. While some of these positions will be eliminated, a significant portion will be reassigned. We have no intention of abandoning coverage of these areas. Major news will be covered through assignments from the Northampton bureau or the main office in Allentown.

Second, our editorial zoning strategy will change in order to streamline news production in the Local section. Two zones – one for Lehigh County and one for Northampton County - will replace the current five-zone approach. For the vast majority of our readers (current 3rd, 4th and 5th editions) there will be little change to their daily Morning Call. Zoning for advertisers will remain unchanged.

Third, 35 to 40 positions in the newsroom will be eliminated. Some of these reductions will be achieved through the elimination of open positions but the majority will be achieved through involuntary terminations. If anyone is interested or would like more information, please contact a senior editor before Wednesday.

We expect to finalize this over the next 2-3 days. Supervisors will contact affected employees this weekend. These employees will receive an enhanced pension benefit similar to the package that was offered in the first quarter of this year. The enhanced pension benefit is equivalent to one week of pay for every six months of completed service. Indications are that this package may not be available in the future.

These changes are painful. As we move forward with this plan, we will treat our employees thoughtfully and respectfully. Unfortunately, these are actions that I have reluctantly concluded we need to take. I appreciate everyone’s professionalism and dedication as we work together in this difficult time.

Regards,

Tim

He ripped it up and threw it back in their face.

 

[Moderator1]

Have a nice weekend.

 

[Pulitzer Wannabe]

"Third, 35 to 40 positions in the newsroom will be eliminated."

Third.

Third.

Third.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Apparently, one must now be devoid of common human decency to be a manager at an American newspaper.

 

[copperpot]

"If anyone is interested or would like more information" ...

Gee, you think?

 

[dixiehack]

Beginning today you will be able to see prototypes displayed in both Publishers Hall and on the second floor in the newsroom.

Publishers Hall? Is there a golden calf one may worship there?

Good thing they aren't arrogant. Otherwise that memo might come across poorly.

 

[BYH]

Have a nice weekend.

That's next up on the list of euphenisms: "Thirty-five to 40 people in the newsroom will enjoy an unending weekend!"

 

[Moderator1]

"If you are planning on using part of your weekend to make a major purchase or plan a trip, you may want to wait until you speak with your supervisor. Same goes for re-upping your lease."

Sorry. I'm back in my laugh to keep from screaming mode.

 

[slappy4428]

Do publishers have a competition to see which one can come up with the most insensitive layoff memo?

In fact, I'll send five bucks right now to the person who sends him an email to jump him for putting the layoffs third....

 

[healingman]

I'm tempted to start a blog just for those of us in the biz to blast Sam Zell and Dean Singleton. Just those two. This is just ridiculous. I'm with Moddy on his line. Jesus. This is enough. Just enough.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

They are indeed closing all the factories down.