Anything from Lansing?

[Guest]

How many publishers have contibuted to making this paper spiral down from what it was a decade ago? What's with having five or six publishers in that time?

[Guest]

Five in the time between Suisman and the current one.

The paper was a very special place until the witch lady hurst showed up. I often wonder if the paper would be in such horrible shape if the other Pub came to the LSJ instead of Hurst.

She so alienated the entire area that it is still being felt today. Ramhoff after was a better Pub but it was already far too late to same the paper.

[Gannettoid]

It is sad to see people who got let go this week. Also, they were 4 racical minorities working in LSJ adv dept. 2 got layoff in dec and one got lay off this week. hmm, i smell racial disc. in LSJ adv dept. Come on HR... do somehting about it

[nivalisnivalis]

Can anything be done to save the paper? Internally or externally?

[Guest]

I am not a fan of what has happened at the LSJ lately. But in all my experience with the LSJ I have not seen any racial bias there. As a matter of fact the LSJ goes out of its way to promote diversity. Even though diversity programs are a crock of SH*&.

[Guest]

I had not heard the librarian was laid off, I am very sorry to hear that. You will be missed!!!!!

I lost of a lot of good friends and dedicated co-workers this week. May every single one of you find a better job and a happier workplace. I'm sure the rest of us left behind will be joining you shortly on the unemployment line....

[veronica]

Good grief people!
Trash the Journal much?
People were let go, Gannett as a whole sucks. It is not Priester's fault, it's Dubow and Dickey and those higher up. Those people who were let go, made a hefty sum of money because some of them had been here for a very long time.
Pam, the librarian, was here for 25+ years. You can't tell me that she was making chump change. Plus archiving is becoming digital so several properties outed their librarians.
Not one of the positions cut in the newsroom was a minority. So take your racism garbage somewhere else. What are they supposed to do, get rid of a white guy because they can't dare to step on the feet of a minority? So one minority person out of 26, hmm, doesn't seem like racism to me. Use your brain.

[Guest]

Veronica: There is absolutely nothing wrong with a person who has worked for a company for 35-plus years making a decent wage!!! The problem with Gannett is the debt that is strapped on to its back. Frankly, there are too many do-as-little-as-possible managers at the Journal and in Gannett making hefty wages. Pam was a good employee who did't just sit around and surf the internet all day claiming that she was "looking for information for graphics" while really taking advantage of the system. People like that still work at Gannett and the Journal.

[Guest]

Get a clue. Priester and his cronies came up with the names for dismissal. Not Dubow and Dickey. They have no clue who the employees are, or care. While cuts were mandatory from corporate, Priester still came up with the names and/or positions to hand to corporate. Many of those names probably came from directors who might not have had many choices in the deal, but definitely gave input in the decisions that were made. Anyone who tells you differently, is probably lying to your face. Some layoffs were probably justified, but others were not. Plenty of good, creative, innovative, and LOYAL employees were let go this round and in previous rounds so that some fat cat could feel less intimidated by them - having good employees underneath you means older, fatter (fatter meaning income) employees can get the boot more easily. Those layoffs aren't random folks pulled out of a hat. In some cases, they were cut because they posed a particular threat the manager in front of them. The fact remains, plenty are left drinking their lattes and surfing the net today in lieu of doing work. Hope you feel good today - because the person who isn't at their desk this morning is probably in shock and miserable, and doesn't know what the hell they are going to do. What a shame. I hope those of you that still have jobs call or talk to your friends that don't anymore. Layoff is not a disease, and they need to know you still give a shit about them as people. When the axe comes down on you next time, I guarantee they will be the first people you call. I hope they answer.

[Guest]

Another copy editor who worked on specialty products was let go this a.m.

[Guest]

Another copy editor who worked on specialty products was let go this a.m.

Who??

[Guest]

This piece-meal approach to layoffs just denies the inevitable: Newspapers will never be the money machines they once were and a top-down restructuring -- and upper-level job reductions -- need to occur. The LSJ is a prime example of a Gannett property that is still operating with too many upper-level managers. This won't be the last layoff; just one in a series of many more to come. I still have no clue as to why the LSJ needs a publisher, executive editor, managing editor and assistant managing editor. Seems to me that you could eliminate two of those posts and save some major cash. Will the newspaper's coverage really suffer without Michey Hirten at the helm? Most could answer that question with a simple and quick "no". Of course, he'll still be on that ship flailing his arms when it's just him and a couple of reporters left. All I can say is that Hirten must have some major dirt on his bosses. When you make some of the titanic mistakes that he's made and still have a job, it really makes people wonder.

[Gannettoid]

the custom pub person let go was the last remaining Source person, Jamie P.

[Guest]

I think Mickey is a decent guy. Don't agree with all of the decisions he's made, but he's worlds better than Crosby.

[Guest]

Just because Hirten "is better than" Crosby isn't an indication that he is any good at his job. This is the key problem with Gannett: Keeping around people who are "just average".

[mr6767]

Good grief people!
Trash the Journal much?
People were let go, Gannett as a whole sucks. It is not Priester's fault, it's Dubow and Dickey and those higher up. Those people who were let go, made a hefty sum of money because some of them had been here for a very long time.
Pam, the librarian, was here for 25+ years. You can't tell me that she was making chump change. Plus archiving is becoming digital so several properties outed their librarians.
Not one of the positions cut in the newsroom was a minority. So take your racism garbage somewhere else. What are they supposed to do, get rid of a white guy because they can't dare to step on the feet of a minority? So one minority person out of 26, hmm, doesn't seem like racism to me. Use your brain.

umm. veronica. I said advertising dept and not newsroom. Plus, the ad director and publisher are to one to decide who gets layoff. The ad director should be fired since her assistance and the AD always smoke outside the building (not in the smoking area) and she doesn't care what the team thinks.

[owslachief]

I think Mickey is a decent guy. Don't agree with all of the decisions he's made, but he's worlds better than Crosby.

Steve Crosby gave me a job when I needed one. He was a good person who cared about newspapers, and I will not see him denigrated.

[Guest]

I think Mickey is a decent guy. Don't agree with all of the decisions he's made, but he's worlds better than Crosby.

Steve Crosby gave me a job when I needed one. He was a good person who cared about newspapers, and I will not see him denigrated.

Steve was a Doofus. If this is who I think it is writing, this maybe you should have stayed married to you husband instead of divorcing and moving in with a woman.

[Gannettoid]

Careful.

I've left names since these are top editors, but please stay professional.

[Guest]

Steve was a Doofus. If this is who I think it is writing, this maybe you should have stayed married to you husband instead of divorcing and moving in with a woman.

I'm not the person you're discussion (though I know you mean) ... but WTF does that have to do with anything?

Incidentally, if you used Google, it would be pretty obvious that the poster (who's used that username elsewhere) is male and in his 40s -- obviously not who you're talking about.

Steve Crosby gave me a job when I needed one. He was a good person who cared about newspapers, and I will not see him denigrated.

Steve Crosby gave a lot of people jobs when they needed one -- me included -- but it doesn't necessarily mean he was a good editor.