USA Today cutting 26 jobs (Dinosaur Media DeathWatch™)

Politico.com ^ | December 1, 2009 | Michael Calderone

[abb]

USA Today editor John Hillkirk, who took over the job in April, informed staff today that there will be 26 jobs cut at the newspaper.

Hillkirk, in an memo obtained by POLITICO, wrote that those laid off will “be notified today or as soon as possible.” In a second memo, staffers were informed that there will be a merger between USA Today's news operation and USA WEEKEND.

The moves come on the same day that parent-company Gannett announced the institution of furloughs for 2010, just as they did this year.

In addition to layoffs, Hillkirk explained in the memo how USA Today would deal with a “challenging time for our industry.”

Over the next several weeks, we'll be examining changes in our structure and workflow that will help us to push the news to multiple platforms in the most efficient, non-bureaucratic way possible. Finding ways to maximize our resources, while eliminating duplication and less valuable or unnecessary work, will be the goal.

In addition, we will be working with a team from USA WEEKEND to integrate the two operations. As Marcia describes in her email, there will be a number of people moving into the LIFE section shortly. We look forward to working with WEEKEND in a collaborative fashion to publish a high-quality magazine using our combined resources.

USA Today, like other news organizations, is facing a tough economic situation.

Right now, the New York Times is in the midst of a buyout program, with layoffs coming if 100 staffers don’t sign up. The Washington Post recently cut positions as part of its web-print merger, and the Associated Press laid off staff throughout the country last month.

[abb]

Tuesday afternoon good news.

[abb]

ping

[MaxMax]

How many jobs are they saving?

[uncitizen]

Next time any one of us stays at a hotel that rag USA Today will be lighter than usual. Oh well.....guess we’ll live....

[sodpoodle]

***Finding ways to maximize our resources, while eliminating duplication and less valuable or unnecessary work, will be the goal.***

eliminating duplication = White House & Congressional aides will type copy directly into our publications”

less valuable = any employee who disagrees with Democrats’ policies

unnecessary work = investigative journalists who go out looking for facts, truth and government waste, fraud and abuse

[abb]

http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=174209
Gannett to institute furloughs in first quarter of 2010

http://newsosaur.blogspot.com/
Journicide: A looming, lost generation of scribes

http://www.thewrap.com/article/big-media-honchos-face-feds-10961
Big Media Honchos to Face the Feds

http://dscriber.com/home/687-a-journalists-confession-about-canceling-the-newspaper-part-2.html
A journalist’s confession about canceling the newspaper

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/11/what-if-the-nightly-newscast-you-watched-was-tailored-to-your-interests-and-the-broadcasters-only-spoke-about-the-movies-you.html
A twist on broadcast journalism and sports writing

http://sustainablejournalism.org/weblog/post/1493/
Clay Shirky on journalism’s future: Revolutions get worse first

http://paidcontent.org/article/419-world-newspaper-congress-someone-please-save-a-newspaper-instead/
@ World Newspaper Congress: Someone Please Save a Newspaper Instead?

http://paidcontent.org/article/419-world-newspaper-congress-dow-jones-ceo-beware-of-geeks-bearing-gifts/
@ World Newspaper Congress: Dow Jones CEO: Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts

[FormerACLUmember]

Democrat party propaganda and brainwashing can't die soon enough.

[Nervous Tick]

>> USA Today, like other news organizations, is facing a tough economic situation.

Heh heh... apparently they’re also grappling with an identity confusion situation too, because they are NOT a “news” organization.

Maybe for Christmas I’ll send Neuharth a dictionary with the word “propaganda” hilighted.

[MovementConservative]

Only 26? Oh well at least it’s in time for the holidays.

[pallis]

I didn’t realize there were that many conservatives working for USA Today.

[abb]

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/media/e3i1305d2cc633a916ddaf6608b53fc5032
Murdoch Tells Feds: Let the Media Be
Industry titan says news biz must remain independent and unregulated

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/391255-NCTA_Proposes_A_Broadband_Adoption_Program_For_Low_Income_Families.php
NCTA Proposes “A+” Broadband Adoption Program For Low-Income Families
Effort would provide families of middle school students with half price service

http://www.buzzmachine.com/
Compare/contrast

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/organgrinder/2009/dec/01/false-gospel-web-murdoch-lieutenant
The ‘false gospel of the web’: Murdoch lieutenant attacks free content

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004049903
Gannett to Furlough U.S. Community Publishing Employees in Q1 2010

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004049834
Murdoch: News Must Stay Independent, Just Not ‘Free’

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004049800
Steiger: Embrace Internet, But Protect Journalism

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004049835
E.W. Scripps’ Contreras to FTC: Help Newspapers Protect Online Content

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004049842
75,000 Copycats A Month: Study Reveals Extensive Copying of U.S. Newspaper Content

[mysterio]

Hate to see anyone lose their job, to tell you the truth. The market sucks.

[Gator113]

There’s 26 jobs of the millions of jobs that Obama didn’t save.

Seems the the state run media isn’t keeping up with all the “hope & change”.

[Gator113]

Oh my goodness. I just read the rest of the article... this is really bad. LMAO

Don’t they know that it’s almost Christmas, oh that’s right, they don’t believe in that stuff. To them I say, “ Have a Merry Unemployment.... or whatever”.

[abb]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Cellphone-news-next-big-thing-in-media/articleshow/5286469.cms
‘Cellphone news, next big thing in media’

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20091201/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_ftc_journalism
Murdoch: Media must get readers to pay for online

http://www.newser.com/off-the-grid/post/342/should-google-worry.html
Should Google Worry?

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091201/NEWS/912010318
Cable 6 cuts 10 employees in newsroom

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Television_44/Farewell_CBS_s_Three_Rivers_runs_dry.asp
Farewell: CBS’s ‘Three Rivers’ runs dry

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/media_beat/dan_rather_on_what_the_comcastnbcu_deal_might_mean_for_nbc_news_144527.asp
Dan Rather on What the Comcast-NBCU Deal Might Mean for NBC News

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/dec/01/greenspun-reorganizes-local-media-operation-cuts-s/
Greenspun reorganizes local media operation, cuts staff

http://cancelthebee.blogspot.com/2009/12/more-on-mcclatchys-77-million-pension.html
More on McClatchy’s $77 million pension fund loss due to fraud

http://www.magazinedeathpool.com/
Giant Magazine: RIP November 2009

http://www.gannettoid.com/index.html
Gannett confirms more furloughs

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/media-velocity.html
Velocity of Media Consumption: TV vs. the Web

http://www.niemanlab.org/2009/12/tell-us-more-paul/
Tell us more, Paul

http://www.dankennedy.net/
The state of distributed reporting

[abb]

And notice the other stories about Gannett instituting furloughs in the first quarter of next year.

[Landru]

drip-drip-drip... LOL

All nonessential weight, over the side!. :o)

[Gator113]

He’s failing everywhere.

[relictele]

USA WEEKEND?!?!?!!?!

This had better not cut into my ration of Jen/Brad/Angelina news!

[abb]

http://thejournalismshop.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx
Journalists struggle with finances,
retirement after parting L.A. Times