Asheville News

Is D-Day coming for Gannett newspapers?

Jason Sandford March 13, 2009

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Here’s the vicious rumor; for anybody who doesn’t know, Gannett owns the Asheville Citizen-Times:

March 18th is D-Day. At LEAST 5 papers will be closed. Everybody will be required to work one hour less per week. Copy editor positions will be consolidated under a new plan (not sure exactly how this works) over 500 layoffs expected, but the are reconsidering fortunately. Instead, they are going to ask those making over $100,000 to take a 10% cut and those making less to take a 5% cut. Those making under $42,000 will see no cut. At union papers this will be a challenge, but with the threat of layoffs, they probably will concede. If situation gets worse, Gannett will be selling or getting rid of any paper deemed not profitable and turning those it keeps into online only sites.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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6 Comments

Here it is from Thursday March 14, 2009

Post 4:09

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8099437767970534324&postID=3487357628579008806

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Ash March 14, 2009

actworkerbee, yes, someone emailed me this info, which looked to me like an anonymous comment posted over at Gannett Blog. i went looking on GB, but couldn’t find the comment, or i would have linked to it.

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actworkerbee March 14, 2009

hey Ash, did someone write to you with this information?

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Tami March 14, 2009

I still have many good friends at the Citizen-Times and really hope this does not include them. After seeing Gannett’s stock plunge to under $2 a share, I really think they did me a favor by my December lay-off. I got my 401k out, waiting for my pension rollover, still on severance and benefits and just pray they stay in biz long enough to collect. I did find another job, thank God, that offers way better benefits. I did have to totally change directions career-wise, but am very happy and blessed to find something so quickly. My prayers go to the survivors at the AC-T.

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Lena March 13, 2009

SCARY. Glad I withdrew my itty bitty ‘pension’ and stuck it in my IRA.

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Got Job March 13, 2009

I think any of this could ring true for any newspaper in this climate. Good thing I don’t own any Gannett stock, or any newspaper stock for that matter.

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