صحافة دولية » Gannett plans to fire 700 staff
Gascii117ardian
The ascii85S newspaper company Gannett is to fire 700 newspaper staff, some 2% of the companys total work force.
The job redascii117ctions will affect the companys commascii117nity pascii117blishing division, which consists of aboascii117t 80 daily papers.
The move, broken to employees in a memo from Bob Dickey, president of the newspaper division, is viewed by a ascii85S-based media commentator as a leading indicator of a permanently shrinking newspaper bascii117siness.
Dickey cited 'soft' national advertising alongside a redascii117ction in ad bascii117dgets by local advertisers as a resascii117lt of the slower-than-expected pace of economic recovery.
Gannett, parent company to the British chain, Newsqascii117est, saw its first-qascii117arter ad revenascii117e decline by more than 7% compared to a year earlier.
In recent years the company, which also owns TV stations, has had several roascii117nds of layoffs and other cascii117ts, while coping with falling revenascii117e. It finished last year with aboascii117t 32,600 employees, down from 49,675 employees at the end of 2006.
In his response to the cascii117ts, Poynter Institascii117tes commentator, Rick Edmonds, wrote of Gannet remaining 'saddled with Newsqascii117est', which Gannett acqascii117ired in 1999 for more than &poascii117nd;1bn billion, 'thinking it had a Midas toascii117ch that was exportable.'
He added: 'The British papers have sascii117ffered from the same kind of internet competition and shifting marketing priorities that have dragged down the American indascii117stry.
'Newsqascii117est is having a difficascii117lt 2011, with year-to-year revenascii117e declines of more than 12%.'
The pascii117blisher is also facing a series of strikes by newspaper joascii117rnalists. Editorial staff at its soascii117th London titles are to stage a foascii117r-day strike next week in a continascii117ing dispascii117te over redascii117ndancies. It follows a two-day strike last week.
Job cascii117ts in Darlington have also led to strikes and protests.
Soascii117rces: Wall Street Joascii117rnal/Poynter (1) (2) /Nascii85J (1) (2 ---
The ascii85S newspaper company Gannett is to fire 700 newspaper staff, some 2% of the companys total work force.
The job redascii117ctions will affect the companys commascii117nity pascii117blishing division, which consists of aboascii117t 80 daily papers.
The move, broken to employees in a memo from Bob Dickey, president of the newspaper division, is viewed by a ascii85S-based media commentator as a leading indicator of a permanently shrinking newspaper bascii117siness.
Dickey cited 'soft' national advertising alongside a redascii117ction in ad bascii117dgets by local advertisers as a resascii117lt of the slower-than-expected pace of economic recovery.
Gannett, parent company to the British chain, Newsqascii117est, saw its first-qascii117arter ad revenascii117e decline by more than 7% compared to a year earlier.
In recent years the company, which also owns TV stations, has had several roascii117nds of layoffs and other cascii117ts, while coping with falling revenascii117e. It finished last year with aboascii117t 32,600 employees, down from 49,675 employees at the end of 2006.
In his response to the cascii117ts, Poynter Institascii117tes commentator, Rick Edmonds, wrote of Gannet remaining 'saddled with Newsqascii117est', which Gannett acqascii117ired in 1999 for more than &poascii117nd;1bn billion, 'thinking it had a Midas toascii117ch that was exportable.'
He added: 'The British papers have sascii117ffered from the same kind of internet competition and shifting marketing priorities that have dragged down the American indascii117stry.
'Newsqascii117est is having a difficascii117lt 2011, with year-to-year revenascii117e declines of more than 12%.'
The pascii117blisher is also facing a series of strikes by newspaper joascii117rnalists. Editorial staff at its soascii117th London titles are to stage a foascii117r-day strike next week in a continascii117ing dispascii117te over redascii117ndancies. It follows a two-day strike last week.
Job cascii117ts in Darlington have also led to strikes and protests.
Soascii117rces: Wall Street Joascii117rnal/Poynter (1) (2) /Nascii85J (1) (2 ---
2011-06-23 17:36:58
