Gannett consolidating ad production services

[Guest]

What site is next to be consolidated?

[Guest]

Does anyone have any new information on the ad consolidation? It's been weeks
since we have heard anything.

[Guest]

Has there been any sites consolidated yet? If so which ones?

[Mimi]

Why has no one reported how badly this has gone? Is there a lot of people with egg on their faces or what? Our GM says that this is a disaster and it will not work. I think they are frantically trying to pull it together, but they are too stupid to step back and say, Duh, this isn't a good idea, it isn't going to work. So they are going to jump through hoops and keep telling the Emperor, the idiot who came up with this asinine idea, that is a fantastic idea! Hah! What a joke. DISASTER! Not gonna work full scale people. We can't even get spec ads back on time from our hub. You think you're going to be able to get a bunch of ads back on a daily basis with ads coming in at 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon for the next day's paper? Get real! Exgannettoid said this was a train that couldn't be stopped. I think this is a train on a collision course with a giant mountain and they are still pouring the coal in the burner!

[Guest]

SOOO, what is the update? Why are so many people afraid
to comment on this subject? No one on this site has said
“peep”. On Gannett Blog “ no reply” this is insane! Why does no one
have any information on this? Where the hell is all the inside info
on this? I KNOW someone out there has the inside story! It's time
to spill the beans! We have all grown tired of the same corporate
BS. Tell us what the HELL is going on! We deserve it, for god's sake!

[curiousbev]

Toni Humphreys

[guesty]

I think the reason no one is posting info is because there isn't much to post! The only site thus far that has converted is Des Moines. Iowa City was such a diaster that they got rescheduled for June. Indy is next up to go on Monday. Then, assuming that goes well, which is hard to beilive, the other Indiana papers are following a couple weeks later. Information and details are very scarce for all who are waiting to be told what the new jobs are and if they will have jobs. This is the biggest, most poorly planned thing in Gannett's history, in my opinion. Hang on everyone, this ride is just starting!!

[Guest]

I just think it is rotten to leave people's lives hanging like this. Gannett
should at least inform their employees what is happening so they can plan
for their future. These people have wives, husbands, children, mortgages, bills, etc.
They have a right to know what is going on. This is just so wrong on so many levels.
The VPS, the managers and CEOs have nothing to worry about. It is not fair that they lie to their employees. I don't work in ad production but have many close friends that do. I know each of them very well. It makes me sick to think they could lose their jobs. They are all very intelligent, talented artists and Gannett is the loser in this venture.
They are losing revenue because once these people are gone they will lose what they call “Local” advertising. These artists put their heart and soul into each and every ad. None are slackers. They all work above and beyond what is expected of them. Why would you want to lose such dedicated hard working employees is beyond me. These people bring in revenue because it is tracked monthly. If you are reading this Craig, you are truly a fool to lose employees that can actually turn your bottom line into something profitable. You may want to rethink this recent venture.

[guest]

When the NJ papers began outsourcing to India, the transition was rather easy. A bit too easy. A couple of glitches regarding fonts, etc., and the lack of experience with ad building and design from our counterparts was soon ironed out. Right before the July layoff, sales reps were trained on the outsourcing process. Most of production was let go with the exception of the managers and a small handful of low level staffers to deal with any other problems. I imagine that once the hub has worked out whatever problems they're having, NJ's transition to said hub will go as smoothly as it was to India. Maybe NJ Group should be the next go-live instead of waiting until March so we can set an example for all.

[TGIF]

so does anyone know if they consolidate to these 2 hubs like expected tentatively, what happens to 2 AD PRO, is that contract expiring this year or are there going to be people at the hubs just sending to 2 AD PRO i remember reading a while back something about gannett was looking at an American Outsourcing Company...somewhere in PA.

if there trying to iron out details and it is still going to happen they should at least tell all these artists gannett blog has this quote from DICKEY,

"In his last public remarks on the subject, Dickey (left) told Wall Street stock analysts early last month: "All advertising production for the division will be centralized in two Gannett Production Centers, which will be completed in early 2011. These centers -- in Des Moines and Indianapolis – will allow Gannett to stay competitive as the media landscape continues to evolve. The goal is to maintain high quality and service for advertisers while improving efficiencies."

doesnt look like its going away...

[guest]

The NJ Group has been outsourcing to 2AdPro in India as well as American Outsourcing Company from the get-go. It will be no problem for them to outsource to Gannett's hubs.

[KrayolaKat]

I spoke to friends still at Gannett NJ papers in production. They have not sent to American Outsourcing in quite a while. Only to 2AdPro.

[infoplease]

ANY INFO ON AD CONSOLIDATION FROM ANYONE OUT THERE?

[Guest]

Wilmington was told March 15. Very vague about who they
are letting go. Appears anyone who does ad building is fair game.

[guest 10000000]

When the NJ papers began outsourcing to India, the transition was rather easy. A bit too easy. A couple of glitches regarding fonts, etc., and the lack of experience with ad building and design from our counterparts was soon ironed out. Right before the July layoff, sales reps were trained on the outsourcing process. Most of production was let go with the exception of the managers and a small handful of low level staffers to deal with any other problems. I imagine that once the hub has worked out whatever problems they're having, NJ's transition to said hub will go as smoothly as it was to India. Maybe NJ Group should be the next go-live instead of waiting until March so we can set an example for all.

This cracks me up. Whenever someone talks about the NJ Group around my work, it's a big joke. They say they should push that group into the Atlantic. They say they have no clue what their doing. Now you're saying your group should go-live now to lead by example. HA Ha ha. If your sales reps are anything like ours. They better buy a helmet because they're going to fall flat on they're faces.

[guest]

NJ Group Production Dept. Rules! Sure, the entire department has since been let go, but when we went live to India, the change was easy and remains so. All ads are done overseas and there are only about 2 staffers left at each of the five newspapers. If the hub thing don't work, India will continue to be our answer. Maybe you should email some of the gurus in NJ production departments for some tips.

[Gannettoid]

Toni Humphreys, who leads Gannett's RTC and GPC, is scheduled to visit Louisville on March 3. The ad production consolidation is in full swing.

[KrayolaKat]

NJ Group Production Dept. Rules! Sure, the entire department has since been let go, but when we went live to India, the change was easy and remains so. All ads are done overseas and there are only about 2 staffers left at each of the five newspapers. If the hub thing don't work, India will continue to be our answer. Maybe you should email some of the gurus in NJ production departments for some tips.

It's not magic! Just plain ordinary hard work on the part of the teams left at the papers that do the outsourcing. And I'm sure that the hub will do just fine, just like 2AdPro finally did. Sure there will be problems in the beginning, but they will get the hang of it. Even when there are blatant errors ie: typos, poor grammar. No one really notices or cares, because... The papers and Gannett do not care about quality. IT IS WHAT IT IS!

[standupforyourright]

so gannettoid is Louisville and Wilmington on target with the 2nd projected roll out schedule, can you post a link to that schedule again, i can not seem to find it on here...

So anyone know if they are making people reapply for whatever jobs may be leftover or are they just hand picking who stays?

by what NJ says it seems like there really isn't a good answer to who stays or goes...seems like they keep crappy managers and lower paid design people

this is ridiculous people should be told this is official if Gannett had any heart whatsoever...

how many people had to turn in numbers per day of how many ads they worked on looks like corporate wants answers...but of course it has nothing to do with the ad consolidation... pathetic

[Gannettoid]

Here's the rollout schedule, which is still on target:

http://gannettoid.com/rabc1123.html