The Press-Enterprise in Riverside on Tuesday cut several newsroom staffers Tuesday. At least one of the names I was originally given turned out to be incorrect, so I've removed the information from this post until I can confirm exactly who was laid off.
(this post was updated)
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Belo's stock is in the tank and Dallas wants out of Riverside, it's only money losing paper. It will do anything to eject. Look for LAT and Media News to strike a deal that will split up assets and Belo says adios to California.
Anyone have any names?
Not too long ago, the Press-Enterprise was the Belo Cash Cow -- hence the new (nearly empty) building.
A few confirmed are:
Gene Ghiotto
Glenn Freeman
Jeff Parenti
Don Daniels
Judith Coast
I wont mentions names but to the editors at the PE, firing someone who is very ill is crass and unprofessional. Someone should Occupy your sorry @$$es along with the Sun and the Bulletin's sorry behinds.
Fortunately for you corporates, journalists are a bunch of cowards who don't even have the grapes to unionize. What does the union do for you? Let's your sorry bedbound butt ahead of time that you're about to rely on Medicare.
Sigh.
At least two in sports. None in photo, which is not a surprise as everyone would know. 20-25 company-wide.
Is that true that the P-E is Belo's only money-losing paper? That doesn't say much for the management there.
Here we go with the union will save you crap yet again.
"Here we go with the union will save you crap."
What a dumb comment. Correct, the union won't save you. Let me be clear, blunt, obvious. And I'll use real small words so you'll understand, THE UNION GIVES YOU A CHANCE.
Years ago, the union at one LANG paper actually called another to give them a heads up about layoffs.
How damned nice. I'm glad they knew. Look, I know that's not enough. You want guarantees, total security. Fine. Get out out of journalism.
I don't have the strength you do to be blindsided.
I'm sorry. Maybe I am dumping on you but some of these people are my friends. I won't tell you how they were chopped. And for the ones left in the newsroom, I won't tell you how they are being sh*t on because I KNOW you already know - that's not sarcasm.
Do don't give me the roll-of-the-eyes "here comes the talk of the goddamned union" bit.
We don't have a fighting chance in hell and you and a whole stack of people, most of whom are closer to the unemployment like than they think, have the cojones to poo poo the union.
Holy cow. What a bunch of tough ball-breaking journalists. We just want to bend over and spread'um.
sigh
Shared is the new Cluster:
Check out what the union did fir the Press-Telegram. The LANG guinea pig
1 city editor
8 reporters
1 "humorist " (press releases, cats/dogs & song lists )
1 editorial writer
No photographers
No Sports Reporters
Oh and get this shared desks
According to Belo's third-quarter financial statement, announced Tuesday, they lost $0.1 million in the quarter, compared to net income of $4.6 million in the third quarter of 2010.
(Despite the loss, Belo also declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.06 per share. So, good news for the stockholders!!)
The P-E isn't Belo's only money-losing paper, but it seems to be losing it the quickest: "Advertising revenue, including print and digital revenues, decreased 12.3 percent, with the smallest percentage decrease at The Providence Journal followed by The Dallas Morning News and The Press-Enterprise. Display advertising revenue decreased 24.5 percent to $21.4 million, and preprint revenue decreased 6.7 percent to $20.5 million. Classified revenue decreased 4.5 percent to $14.7 million. Digital revenue was $8.6 million, a decrease of 0.5 percent."
"Circulation revenue decreased 0.5 percent to $34.7 million as a 1.4 percent rate-driven increase at The Dallas Morning News was offset by decreases at The Press-Enterprise and The Providence Journal. Printing and distribution revenue increased 2.0 percent to $10.0 million."
There was no information on how Belo's fourth paper, The Denton Record-Chronicle, is doing.
Meanwhile, according to an April 2011 article in the Belo-owned Providence Journal, "A.H. Belo awarded its top five executives nearly $1.6 million in cash bonuses last year, the company disclosed Monday in an SEC filing.
"A.H. Belo CEO Robert Decherd’s total compensation more than tripled to $1.87 million in 2010, up from $499,180 in 2009."
Wow. Just wow.
Yeah, Dechard's salary went down just like everyone else's in the company that year when salaries were cut across the board. But while the rest of the employees waited and waited for their salaries to return, it never happened. Oh, there was a "bonus" paid out, but not a return of salaries or raises.
And, yes, I worked at the P-E, 2003 to 2005, and I will never say a bad thing about anyone who worked in that building (except for one guy).
For me, it was probably my best professional newspaper experience. The people who worked there were talented and dedicated, good work was recognized and rewarded, and the work atmosphere was positive and productive. (Well, except for that one guy.)
It's truly sad to see what's happening in the newspaper industry, and it's especially sad for me to see it happening at the P-E.
I too worked at The P-E for years, and the people there were/are stellar. The current editor does very little editing and quite a bit of firing people, micromanaging, belittling and making people's lives miserable (unless you are one of her friends). She and Belo have run the place into the ground. Mel Opotowsky had his faults, but he was a fine newspaperman and the paper thrived journalistically during his tenure. It's extremely sad, and I feel for my colleagues who are trying to stick this out. I fervently hope that karma does its thing on top management. All they care about is themselves and their undeserved paychecks. Once this paper is bought, they will be out the door at lightning speed.
If you think another owner will be able to navigate a financial turnaround, you are sadly mistaken. As far as management, the orders aren't coming from them. They just happen to be the ones who do the bidding of Belo. That's just the way it works. Even in a employee friendly newspaper, cuts are being made that weren't even thought about 5-10 years ago. It is sad and it won't get better for all of the reasons mentioned by many people many times prior. And, no, I don't work there, or for Belo or in the industry.
@9:46 AM, You say the management "just happen to be the ones who do the bidding of Belo," but how telling it is that every time layoffs come around, people close to Maria survive, time and time again.
I'm sure the editor is doing what Belo wants her to do. However, layoffs and even firings can be done respectfully and with compassion. This editor seems to thrive on negativity and relish torturing people. I doubt she has lost any sleep over all the lives she has torn apart for the 10 or so years. She manages via fear and intimidation. It's ugly. The paper and its people deserve better.
The beat goes on: 20-25 layoffs, mostly on desks, at LAT by January as part of a "realignment."
Oh no! More layoffs, great.
12:05, where did you hear this? And where can we get more info?
Wonder if this means the paper will be put out in Chicago.
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2011/11/new_round_of_belt-tighten.php#.TrLtt0d9q54.blogger
The pro-union argument is almost laughable: "Join a union, and maybe you'll get a warning before they lay you off!" Yeah, that's worth $1,000 a year in salary (union dues)! If anything, the unions are causing MORE layoffs by protecting high-paid incompetents (seniority) at the expense of those who actually do the work.
Ridiculous as some of us would expect 3:05 p.m. I would expect you to pee you pants laughing. You're either corporate or Tea Party.
What's that? You're neither? Good to know. Because I believe everything you write at this point.
What's that? You don't care if I do or don't believe you? Holy Mary, we have that "give a crap about what the other person says," attitude in common.
God I like arguing with myself much better than arguing with someone who is a superior legend in their own mind.
always fun to read a string of anonymous comments where all are mind readers. how the hell do you know who is writing what?
As far as unions, 3:05 isn't far from the truth. ask the press crews at lang whjat they think of the union.
Numbers for the "November 2011 Reorganization" at The Press-Enterprise:
8 - News
6 - Production
4 - Circulation
2 - Pressroom
2 - Other
1 - Advertising
----------------------
23 TOTAL
Funny that with all the layoffs, including some great editors and mentors, someone is actually getting a promotion of sorts.
Now part of the newsroom will be managed by someone who doesn't even report to the VP of news, but to the publisher himself.
Kind of makes you wonder.
9:36 pm: who is getting a promotion?
Whatever crumbs I might get from a union would beat the starvation and insult I get from the all-for-me and screw-everyone-else LANG management.
Just a semblance of dignity is worth the hassle and fees of unionization.
If you like to suck management butt (and there seems a lot of butt-hungry babes posting here) then go ahead, keep up the union-bashing, self-serving chatter.
But if you want to work in -at least- a barely decent work environment then a union is worth every penny. Ask all those "laid-off" without notice or chance to prepare.
Unions won't happen at LANG right now. But the future has not been written.
(P.S. This is written by a currently employed LANG journalist who believes the glass is always half full.)
Nels Jensen is likely the one getting the promotion. Each department he has headed during his tenure has floundered, so it seems fitting.
Well, I say the butt is always half empty.
Unions have done nothing for lang employees. Repeat, nothing. You can live in whatever fantasy world you want to, but, you are wasting your money on dues thinking that unions will save your ass. The lang trail is littered with union cuts for years.
LANG has a union? I worked there for many years and was never invited to join. A union doesn't matter unless it is present in all of the newsrooms. Otherwise management guts the union paper and produces it out of a non union shop. Doesn't matter now. All the papers have already been trashed. Only thing left for remaining employees, union or no, is to sit back and wait for the layoff notice.
Has anyone seen cirk numbers for the LANG papers? New six-month figures came out this week and I didn't see any figures heralded on any LANG sites.
I didnt see LANG's circ numbers but I did see the PE's. Apparently paid print circ is up year over year.....tough to believe....
Not tough to believe. Down a year, up the next. The trend is what is important. In days of your, advertisers use to pay attention to circ...not any longer.
Circulation is counted differently. Can't compare this year to last year. Papers are spinning the numbers in their favor -- no surprise -- but they're fake numbers. Wait until March for comparisons to the new accounting ways.
Let me give you a preview of langs future circulation numbers...down.
12:19 AM, that is so funny!
I bet 4:49 AM is brimming over the top. Anti-union people are always so full of themselves.
signed,
11:35 PM
Hello 11:35. Just because one makes a statement doesn't make the statement anti anything. I would like one illustration on what the union has done for LANG employees say over the last four years. Just one please.
funny how whenever there are layoffs at a non-lang paper the talk always turns to lang and how bad they are...
The conversation always returns to lang because they are that bad. Most are aware of the financial difficulities papers have and will face. lang goes out of their way to make it more painful on employees than necessary. That's my opinion. The road is littered with crap communication from the very top of the organization. Statements like no more layoffs, etc etc. Hey, maybe lang is the best newspaper organization on the planet, but, it isn't this planet.
4:53 AM : How long have been on the management side of LANG and how have you been sleeping lately?
Yet again 2:24, you are way off on your powers of guessing. Not a lang employee and not management either. Simply a belief I have that in this organization the union has done squat for employees. Please prove me wrong and name just the one example of their worth over the last several years. As far as sleeping, no issues. How about you?
Again look what it did for the Press-Telegram !
They are now a Joke !
This week the newsroom all moved to a room 20X20 with " shared " desks.
Frankly I am surprised they needed that much space. Why don't they just combine what is left of the newsrooms...they'll get there soon regardless.
Oh it will happen.
Mobile journalist's are the future. Rent is now a liability.
Who needs the newsroom atmosphere anyways. All that talking and information exchange.
I know there's not much love for managers here, but I agree that mobile journalist probable are the future because if the choice is rent or mobile journalist, I would keep the journalists. I'm not sure that hanging around old fashioned newsrooms causes lible, but it's true there's more than a few minutes wasted old ways about atmosphere and that effects on productivity and maybe quality. The future is lots of short community stories and better cell phones will help, and pictures too, and the web.
I for one disagree about local news. Unless you are in a very small city or town. Large cities on the whole could care less about local. This is not the 70s/80s any longer. No battles being fought to capture the hearts and minds of readers craving local. The print product is clearly on the way out. How do you maximize the decline and how do you compete in the future? Newspapers don't have the technology to compete nor do they have much worthwhile to bargain with to form an alliance that makes sense. I am not saying that print will vanish, however, a large number of newspapers will.
Twitter/facebook will not save them
Tweet Journalism of the Future!
Yeah, Baby!
A staff reporter confirmed with me on Saturday, November 12, that Metro/Community News Editor, Carol Chambers, was laid off along with reporters Gene Ghiotto and Mike Mahi.
While there has been significant freelance budgets cut, none have been "assigned" anything in budget because the trend is going to "reader contributed" content to avoid having to pay the correspondents the measly $50.00 for copy.
Strong rumor is Nels Jensen will replace Carol Chambers at metro.
And the bleeding continues. Maybe lang should buy em.
Interesting is that Carol Chambers is married to Jack Katzenak, a business reporter there. Belo had been pretty good at keeping couples together.....maybe not a concern anymore.
9:50 AM, that rule about couples only applies to certain couples, which means those higher up the ladder of command.
People who are close to Maria will find their jobs saved. So that's why her hubby Mark Zaleski is still there. It is also a big reason why David Creamer wasn't laid off.
Of course you are going to do your best to save those who are close to you. Good or bad, that's the way it works. At some point as business continues to diminish, they will be gone too. Their exit has just been delayed a bit.
Add to the confirmed list: Night Editor and weekend reporter, David Keck. And video wiz Louis Amestoy.
David Keck? he was in the last round, then was rehired. And Amestoy was given until the end of the year I hear, and then he's officially gone. Reminds me of a song: "That's a strange way to tell me you love me, when your sorrow is all I can see....if you just want to cry to somebody, don't cry to me....."
David Creamer? He shouldn't be let go no matter who he or his wife,Janet, are chummy with....David makes Leone look good and is the only saving grace to the photog department.
Leone is another of the loser Sun transplants that promotes his good ole boy pal system for photo assignments.
Being buddy-brownnose with Maria should not, in itself, make you safe, nor make you a target. One of these days Maria will have to let her friends go too. For a newsroom that has about, what, 100 staffers, that day is not far off.
Amestoy laid down in front of someone else that was on the chopping block. He pressed to hard, so they showed him the door instead.
5:48 AM, is that you, David Creamer? Or should I call you Janet?
4:48 PM, I agree. It's obvious that being chums with Maria has saved many a job... for her best pals.
People It's over you have been Patched !
Looks like Nels Jensen is taking over Carol Chambers' position as Community Editor. Biz Press didn't work, will Local sections fail now under his guidance? They should have moved Mark Acosta from Temecula into Carol's spot...
Actually, Nels has just been selected as Editor. Maria is off to Nashville. Buh-bye!
http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20111201-inland-jensen-named-editor-vice-president-of-the-press-enterprise.ece
The fact that John Gryka did not get her job proves the existence of a benevolent deity.
Poor Nashville.
Something wicked that way comes.
Well, with the witch flying back closer to her Kansas,she'll take her hubby Mark too! Now the other photogs will get a chance at the photo assignments that she so closely guarded for him.
Right, 6:30. The PE would have defied industry trends, turned amazing profits and grown real readersip, and led an industry in disarray into a bold new future, if only Maria hadn't been there. loser!
John Gryka retired months ago, maybe even last year.
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