Posted on 06/23/2008 11:47:58 AM PDT by abb
Date/Time: 6/23/2008 1:28:20 PM Title: Daytona Beach News-Journal prepares to be sold Posted By: Jim Romenesko
Statement to Daytona Beach News-Journal employees from Georgia M. Kaney
As you know, the company is being prepared for sale. These preparations are occurring during a major downturn for the US newspaper business, a downturn we are feeling in our market.
As part of the sales process, Cox Enterprises and News-Journal Corporation hired a sales broker and a consultant to help us prepare the company for sale. It is their recommendation that some major changes need to be made now to make the company more attractive to a potential buyer, as well as strengthen the financial condition of the company in this economic downturn.
Today we will announce those changes to you. And starting today and continuing through this week we will make the changes that we announce this morning.
ORGANIZATION We will make changes in the way The News-Journal is organized to simplify the operation and reduce costs. These changes will also bring our organization structure into alignment with the way most US newspapers are set up.
Here are the major elements of the change: 1. The creation of a production director position, with production department managers reporting to this new position. We have appointed Robert Page to be production director, and Rex Smith will succeed him as packaging and distribution manager.
2. We will move responsibility for the Business Report content to the editorial department, and also move the Business Report content employees from the advertising department to the newsroom.
3. We will eliminate the Community Relations department. Events management will be consolidated in the advertising department. Contributions management will be moved back to the front office, to be handled by Connie Fagan. NIE will continue to report to the marketing and promotion department, and we will convert NIE exclusively to the use of the electronic edition.
4. We will consolidate Marketing Development and Strategic Marketing into a new Marketing and Promotion department, headed by Lori Kopp.
5. To jump-start our on-line sales and to strategically package classified sales with on-line, we will consolidate on-line and classified advertising under current on-line manager Chris Maikisch.
6. We will make Creative Services a part of the Advertising Department.
7. We will outsource several activities that we now perform in-house, reducing headcount and overhead.
8. In conjunction with some publication changes you’ll hear about this morning our bureaus in Flagler County, New Smyrna Beach and DeLand will be closed.
PUBLICATION CHANGES 1. We will discontinue publication of the West Volusia Neighbors sections and the New Smyrna Beach Daily Journal.
2. We will incorporate some localized content and zoned advertising into the local sections of the West Volusia, Southeast Volusia and Flagler editions of The News-Journal.
3. Publishing stock market results five days a week has been discontinued, instead we will enhance the capabilities of our website with additional stock market information and services.
HEADCOUNT REDUCTIONS To reduce costs we will announce over several days this week a reduction in force.
The total number of employees involved is 99.
The reduction in force will affect the editorial, advertising, circulation, creative services, operations, purchasing, distribution and community relations departments.
These will be involuntary terminations, and are only being done for economic reasons. The people being let go will be notified this week in meetings with their department head and an HR representative. Each person to be let go will be offered a severance package. The package will be:
· One week’s pay per year of service, with a maximum of 26 weeks’ pay, and a minimum of 4 weeks’ pay. · Continued health insurance coverage under the company plan through the end of this year. Another change put into effect, at the end of this week all rates of pay will be frozen. There will be no further pay raises given for the next 12 months, unless a new owner chooses to do otherwise.
These changes are unwelcome, but required. Unfortunately, this same scenario is playing out at many newspapers these days. The best thing we can do is stay focused on our jobs, and serving The News-Journal’s readers and advertisers. Despite the unavoidable disruptions and distractions this week, we still have jobs to do, and it is in everybody’s best interest that we do them professionally and well.
Thank you for your cooperation and hard work. Georgia M. Kaney Publisher
ping
Why is this good news?
http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0608/WaPos_Downie_calls_staff_meeting.html
June 23, 2008
Categories: Washington Post
WaPo’s Downie calls staff meeting
With rumors swirling as Washington Post publisher Katharine Weymouth continues her search for Len Downie’s successor, I just heard that the executive editor has asked staff to assemble today at 4:30 in the newsroom.
Of course the meeting might not have anything to do with who becomes the Post’s next executive editor. But with no specifics in an e-mail sent out earlier,and the fact that the meeting was unplanned, there’s definitely newsroom buzz that something could be happening today, according to Post staffers.
Here’s all it said: “Please come to a newsroom staff meeting in the fifth floor newsroom downtown at 4:30 p.m. today. Len”
As I reported last week, NY Times deputy managing editor Jonathan Landman and former Wall Street Journal managing editor Marcus Brauchli are top contenders for the job, and both met recently with Downie.
UPDATE: I just spoke with Brauchli who’s traveling on News Corp business in New Delhi. “I didn’t know Len was calling a staff meeting, nor do I know the purpose of the staff meeting,” Brauchli said. Other than that, he declined comment. Judging from the fact that Brauchli wasn’t informed, it seems more likely that today’s meeting could be for Downie to discuss his future at the paper, and plans for once he leaves the executive editor position. As for who gets his job, that news might be saved for a later date.
By Michael Calderone 12:47 PM
Anytime someone in the Drive-By Media loses his job, an angel gets his wings.
Why?
It is my considered opinion that the Drive-By Media - including but not limited to CBSABCNBCCNNNYTimesLATimesWaPoSFChroncleBostonGlobeHollywood - has done more to damage the USA and our way of life than foreign enemy ever has. I lived through the Cold War, Vietnam, and now Iraq. They have ALWAYS rooted for our enemies and bashed the US and our troops. Trust me, I've been a news junkie for fifty years and watched and read everything I could get my hands on.
And so now I hope they get what's coming to them. I want them to suffer and writhe in pain as they die. I want them to bellyache and wail and moan and scream on their death beds.
I intend to enjoy every minute of it.
live in daytona, see them always outside the walmarts trying to entice new customers. we always tell them no thank we have no mullets that need wraped. oh the looks we get. it is a very libral paper.
And Cox Communications owns the fishwrapper in Atlanta too. Could it be next? Oh, I am just wishing, but one nevers knows.
Office space for rent: Cheap.
“preparing to be sold” = putting lipstick on a pig
.....preparing to be sold” = putting lipstick on a pig....
Har.
My thought was that the fact there will be a sale is a big assumption. At some point in the very near future there will be no buyers.
We read here often about re arrangement of deck hairs. This may be the most detailed published plan to date.
I’m sure his family and creditors feel the same.
This is not a sentence.
We will move responsibility for the Business Report content to the editorial department, and also move the Business Report content employees from the advertising department to the newsroom.
This is a 'run-on' sentence.
Contributions management will be moved back to the front office, to be handled by Connie Fagan.
This is a 'run-on' sentence.
I had to stop at #3 when I vomited in my mouth.
99 axed out of how many employees?
Don’t know. I had posted a story on this paper a few weeks ago, but I can’t lay my hands on it right now.
not to mention “moved back to the front office” is an awkward phrase. So long as we’re proofing this!
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