Asheville News

Citizen-Times employees brace for visit from corporate big shots; more bad news on the way?

Jason Sandford October 21, 2008

Jason Sandford

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

Gannett Blog hints that the Gannett CEO Craig Dubow might be among corporate big-wig visitors to the Asheville Citizen-Times today. The blog references a reader comment and notes that corporate execs have visited other Gannett newspapers to deliver the news that they’re looking to cut more expenses by buying out employees.

Here’s the comment:

“We have some very important folks from corporate coming to visit next week.
They will arrive on Tuesday and will be here for a couple of days. We need everyone’s help in cleaning up their desk….If you have papers of any type lying around on your desk or on the floor next to it, please find somewhere else to keep it temporarily…This includes anything that is sitting on top of the cubicles or on your desk
that is not work related (cars, toys, etc.). If you have family pictures you can leave them sitting on your desk.”

I remember these visits, fairly stiff affairs where the executives come down and shake a few hands before jetting off to the next newspaper location. These days, though, the only thing shaking is employees — in their boots.

That’s because a weighted fear has settled over 14 O.Henry Avenue after a year that has seen the newspaper outsource jobs to India, let go the newspaper’s top editor, layoff a group of top department managers, install a time clock for hourly workers (including newsroom reporters) and search out all other cost-cutting measures.

Employees at the Citizen-Times are scared of what could be next. A corporate visit in the current climate can only portend more bad news.

Jason Sandford

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

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3 Comments

Zipperhead October 22, 2008

I heard the Big Man was not seen today. Maybe they met off site so people would not crowd around asking for autographs. Lol

"Quote"
Hope everyone cleaned the dust off your desk and emptied the trash cans. And for god sake clean the mens bathroom.

Everyone wearing a tie today I hope. Remember a tie makes you more productive. And ladies, no dresses above the ankle. LOL

As for The Man showing up. When he does, remain cool and no loud outburst from the peanut gallery.
"Unquote"

Reply
Howard Dalt October 21, 2008

Gannett is moving rapidly to advance its plans to combine both editorial and operations with the Greenville News. The Asheville Citizen-Times still has a lot of fat, and most of the writers and editors are not as skilled as the ones in the larger market of Greenville-Spartanburg.

The C-T has an abundance of editors who simply do not pull their weight. The Lifestyles editor Polly McDaniel comes to mind as a clear candidate to be consolidated with Greenville. At least they have cut back on some of the nepotism in the C-T newsroom.

Clearly, the growth of local and independent news blogs is really hurting the C-T and other papers across the country. Ashvegas is a great example. The previous editor Susan Ihne’s husband (neoptism again) led the C-T’s failed attempt to transform the C-T’s web page and blogging.

The C-T has never offered solid journalism. The paper has very little investigative reporting, poor nation-international and state news coverage, a terrible business news section and a small group of predictable columnists. For the most part, the paper and its editors have been in bed with local leaders and simply reprint any press release sent their way. That is not good journalism.

We’ve seen the Citizen-Times decline for many years now. I think we may be near the end of it as a Western NC local paper. The only way the paper can improve is to join forces with the Greenville News and provide the entire Western NC and Upstate Carolina with a much better and more comprehensive newspaper, both in print and online.

Reply
Zipperhead October 21, 2008

Hope everyone cleaned the dust off your desk and emptied the trash cans. Don’t forget to hide your mementoes in your desk such as family photos and your child’s drawings and toys. And for god sake clean the mens bathroom.

Everyone is wearing a tie today I hope. Remember a tie makes you more productive. And ladies, no dresses above the ankle. LOL

As for "The Man" showing up. When he does remain cool and no loud outburst from the peanut gallery. And absolutely no throwing things.

Reply