*Update: A press release from the Desert Sun says Ramhoff " is taking a new assignment within Gannett Co." The release does not specify what the new assignment will be.
**Update II: Jim Hopkins at Gannett Blog offers a little perspective on Ramhoff's sudden departure. His take: This was no promotion, as Ramhoff's reassignment comes amid financial struggles in Gannett's western division. From Gannett Blog:
The Sun is part of Gannett's West Group, a portfolio of community dailies whose financial performance has been unsatisfactory to Corporate, one of my readers says. Revenue is down at several of the papers, my reader says, and rumors are flying that some directors have been asked to offer contingency cuts that could take effect sometime in the last quarter of this year.
West Group President Laura Hollingsworth, who also is publisher of The Des Moines Register, personally delivered news of Ramhoff's reassignment to staff yesterday, three of my readers say. According to one of those readers, Hollingsworth told staff, "there is money sitting on the table" -- a reference to untapped advertising dollars the Sun hasn't been aggressive enough in chasing.
Gannett's four California papers were hit especially hard in the real estate bust. The Sun's circulation is about 46,000 Monday through Friday, and 52,000 on Sundays.
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7 comments:
What does this mean for the Desert Sun?
why would it mean anything more than replacing a publisher? happens all the time whether a move up or out for him, who knows. newspapers for the most part are milking a nearly dead cow.
You could be right. It may mean no more than that. But I had hard that the paper was one of the more stable publications in the area. Why throw that staff into any sense of uncertainty?
you are assuming that those in charge are thinking clearly. remember, we are talking about newspapers here.
Well it appears the Gannett blog has confirmed what some of us suspected about Mr. Ramhoff's "reassignment."
According to Hopkins: "Revenue is down at several of the papers, my reader says, and rumors are flying that some directors have been asked to offer contingency cuts that could take effect sometime in the last quarter of this year."
But hey, let's just think of this is a simple replacing of the publisher.
If they think revenue is down now, just wait another year or two, even in a recovery, as classified disappears to almost gone and retail continues to head south. A number of people will be reassigned.
Newspapers have money on the table? True enough, but, what are the honchos at Gannett doing to get it. Seems to me if you spend ten minutes looking at rate cards, pricing incentives, compensation and a host of other items, newspapers are and continue to be real stupid.
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