I understand that some layoffs at the Journal may have been announced today. Haven't been able to confirm but sounds like at least one full-time long time reporter may have received walking papers. Sounds like there are plenty of layoffs, but they are not effective until the end of January. At least that's what I'm hearing so far.
If you can help with the info, please let me known anonymously and NOT from the office.
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So far, the marketing dept is gone. Circulation went from 60ish employees to approximately 10. Several from advertising were let go also.
Today The Flint Journal laid off almost all of it sales staff, support and art staff and circulation employees. I am among them. I haven't heard much about the editorial department yet. We were told that the Classified call center that was moved to Bay City about 2 years ago is closing and all Flint Journal Classified calls will be taken in Grand Rapids. Same with circulation calls. They are shutting down the cashier department so I don't know how people will be able to come in to place an ad or pay for their paper.
Last days of each employee to be determined as their jobs are phased out. Everyone will be paid until the end of January. Another very sad day.
An advertising salesperson was let go today.
This is the usual company double-talk posted on Facebook by John Hiner:
"I may be an unwelcome commenter here, but apparently missed in all of this is that we are hiring for many, many, many positions. It's a brand-new company, with new skill sets for many news jobs. A great many of the people who receive severances are great candidates for those jobs. The net job loss of content producers in our markets in Michigan will be zero. I know that is of little comfort to an individual who is displaced, but right now we are a Michigan company that is hiring."
Second part of Hiner's Facebook comments:
"I don't have an exact number (of spots being hired) ... my point is, this is not a net job reduction for content producers in Booth Newspaper markets. Most of the reductions come in flattening management (should be comfort to all those who for years have said we are top-heavy), cutting in production/distribution, outsourcing some back-office stuff and centralizing our copy desk. Yes, the size of our company is getting smaller. I won't gloss over that. But newsrooms and content producers are, on the whole in Michigan, not being reduced."
The issue is not so much "top-heavy" management, but incompetent management. The same folks that have supervised and led the disaster that is Booth/Advance newspapers, continue in positions where they continue to try out their often ridiculous ideas. They have been thrashing about for a dozen years with no more imagination about where to go than the rocks in my yard. Why the same folks that have led the disaster get to continue to lead the disaster in the future is what perplexes most of us.
Good newspapers have journalists -- competent reporters, skilled writers and artful editors -- rather than "content producers."
I'm total with Jim of L-Town. If a president did that to a country, he will surely be impeached. CEOs that could not prevent the company from sinking would be fired. Why the same incompetent managers remained in power after so many years is truly a mystery.
"It's a brand-new company, with new skill sets for many news jobs."
The snarky inference made here is, of course, that the employees being let go lack the necessary skill set to do the job properly. This is absolute rubbish. In fact, given the way "management" in this organization has approached digital media these past few years, I'd suggest that most of those let go know much more about how things should work than those in charge. No, this is just another way to ditch already-cheap labor for even-cheaper labor. You're 23, with a lot of student-loan debt? We'll pay you $14/hour and kick in a little on your health care. Take it or leave it.
And all those copy editor jobs in Bay City now being moved to the west side of the state? Everyone knows most of those people will be forced to resign, because they aren't making enough to justify the move.
No matter. Ten years ago, MLive was just frustrating to the public. Now, it's irrelevant.
Is John Hiner operating a hydoponic pot farm in his free time?
"Right now we are a Michigan company that is hiring."
Really? You're also a Michigan company that is firing.
Hey, Ex-Boothie, a hydroponic pot farm might be the new company's best bet. Nah, they couldn't even make that work. But it sure would be a heck of a lot more fun than running a newspaper into the ground. ;-)
As long as the inept deckhands keep getting paid, they'll rearrange the furniture on the S.S. Newhouse till it rests at the bottom of the ocean. They have no one left in steerage to blame now, do they?
Challenge to John Hiner: Define "content producer."
On the FJ's Contact Us page, links to the community newspapers still exist but are broken, leading to a page not found message. Well, the new team told us the weeklies are folding. That sure was fast. Groan.
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