1,400 Total Layoffs At Gannett
The final word on the layoffs at Gannett, America’s largest newspaper publisher, which were confirmed earlier today: 1,400 employees will lose their jobs. This memo just went out to staffers nationwide, from Gannett US Community Publishing president Bob Dickey:
To: U.S. Community Publishing Employees
From: Bob DickeyI want to talk with you about our restructuring efforts, as we continue to battle these difficult economic conditions and the impact on our advertisers. With your help, our various cost savings initiatives are making a difference.
Nevertheless, we will need to implement job reductions to align our resources with the revenue realities we face. Currently each location is finalising its plan, taking into consideration the local economy, results so far this year and the prospects going forward.
Each plan is different and designed to address the ongoing local needs. All of them, however, involved extremely difficult decisions. Approximately 1400 employees will be impacted by the job reductions across the division. Your publisher or general manager will communicate the local plans, and we expect the vast majority of the reductions will take place by July 9. In a select few cases, the implementation may take longer. There will not be any furloughs for the rest of the year.
I want to stress that the job reductions are not a reflection on these employees or their work. We truly value their many contributions and thank them for their efforts over the years.
Unfortunately, we must take these steps because the advertising environment remains challenged. There have been some promising signs of a recovery, but the reality is the improvements are not broad-based and the economy continues to be fragile.
Even so, we know the economy will improve. To be ready, we need to continue our transformation and maintain a strong financial position. We must publish our newspapers, produce our Web sites and pay down our debt. By taking all these steps today, we will be stronger tomorrow.
Measured against our peers in the media industry, we are healthy and capable of moving forward. We are in this position because we have proactively responded to the financial conditions with actions such as these.
We continue to see good ideas coming from all of you, and we are becoming more innovative everyday. This combination of forward thinking and good fiscal management will, I believe, ultimately result in a return to success for our company.
So, please keep those thoughts and ideas coming. As always, you can email me or call with your comments.
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
Does this mean that USA Today won't be covering Alaska and Hawaii any more?
SultanaEleusis
I have many friends employed at a a couple of Gannett newspapers. They're good people who do good work for the newspaper and the communities they cover. They do it without snark and without irony and without much in the way of thanks. They sure as hell don't do it for the money. Even so, for most of them, that's all they ever wanted to do.
It is a terrible time for them. Their leadership is as creaky and old and uncreative as their products. Their industry is sinking beneath their feet even as their work is being consumed at a rate never before seen in history. They are scared about their future. They have kids, mortgages; debt just like everyone else.
Because I know these people -- I was one of them -- I get angry at Hamilton's constant bashing, but I read anyway because, frankly, Hamilton's a pretty steady resource on the newspaper industry, despite the apparent satisfaction he takes in its demise.
All this is to say that I know this is going to be an awful holiday for my friends, who never did anything but work their asses off trying to do something they considered important and honorable.
I hate it for them, I really do. They don't deserve this.
"To: US Community Publishing Employees
From: Bob Dickey
I find it neccessary to address some issues about the restructuring process taking place in corporate. But first, I'd like to remind everyone here that we are adults, and adults don't throw eggs at their CEO's house and stick bananas up his Mercedes CLS' tail pipe. (I know it was someone in this company: You dropped a local Gannett paper on my lawn and I only subscribe to The Journal.) If you want to stick bananas up someone's tail pipe, you should stick it in the car parked next to mine, the light blue Lexus SUV. That's my wife's car. She is the reason we have to park our cars outside the garage and get bananas stuck in their tail pipes. The old battle axe is having our garage redone. Imagine! Redoing a garage? What a waste of money.
Anyway: Have you seen what this recession is doing to our economy? It's awful. A lot of what I thought were smart investments went flying south. It might prevent my wonderfully bright daughter Jilly from going to Andover this fall. She'll have to attend the local country day school here. This will cause my wife to nag me more, because, she believes, like I do, that Jill should be looking to marry into an even wealthier family than this one. I know none of you want that.
And I'm certainly going to try not to let it happen. Just like I won't cut out seeing that wonderful escort twice a month. (Her flesh is so soft, unlike my wife's spandex skin.) It's because of your excellent work, though, that our corporate structure--my bottom line-- is healthier than ever. Compared to our competition in this media wastescape, we are peachy. It is your sacrifices that have created this. So, fortunately, I won't have to give up any of the luxuries I described above. There's just one thing: Over there is the door and the security guard who will see you out. Thank you for playing with big media and I hope to never run into you again after seeing that expression on your face.
All the Best,
Bob Dickey
In other words, you're not a stockholder, and we don't have to fellate you, so go away.
Improper usage of "everyday" in the last paragraph.
"Approximately 1400 employees will be impacted by the job reductions across the division."
The funny thing about this e-mail is that, being extremely ignorant when it comes to subtexts, I would never have figured out that it meant 1400 people would get fired. I mean, don't the people who have to take over their work also get "impacted"?
m4ximusprim3
Sad.
Just count the ones that can "Moonwalk" and it won't seem so bad.
SteveManiac