Those who want to keep up with what's happening should click on the following site:
newsbuyout2008.blogspot.com
Mr. Sunbeam remains retired and has no connection with this site.
However, he readily endorses the concept of providing information and has no reason to believe that those behind the new site do not also have the best interests of the staff at heart.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Lights Out
Mr. Sunbeam is going dark. He has tried to do what he can to help. Thanks to those who expressed their appreciation. You're welcome. Godspeed to everyone.
-30-
-30-
Thursday, August 21, 2008
A Very Unofficial Breakdown of Buyouts
Surprise, surprise. Neither management nor HR is sharing names or numbers of buyout-takers. Only six people notified Mr. Sunbeam of their intention to take the buyout, and one rescinded. Therefore, Mr. Sunbeam's information is both unofficial and likely incomplete. Few names are being used because most folks have not authorized release of their names.
From Photo: four photographers
From News Art: three artists
From Business News: one reporter
From Local News: three reporters, two clerks
From Arts/Lifestyles: one reporter and four editors
From Sports: one assigning editor, 3 copy editors, one page designer
From Editorial: no takers
From Enterprise/Projects: no takers
From News Desk/Universal Desk: one news editor
From Quick: 4 staffers (no breakdown by position; does not figure in DMN count)
Yes, Mr. Sunbeam realizes this is only 24 people. There was reportedly some movement on the final day, both people rescinding and putting in. There are reports that some people tried to opt in after the deadline. Don't know how that will play out. HR has been adamant in meetings and messages that the deadline was immovable. Company policy, they said.
There is no official word when HR will announce the next move. The list of buyout-takers will have to be reviewed and approved by who knows how many suits. Management has previously said things will be finalized the first week of September. But that was before they knew they would fall far short of achieving the stated 40-person buyout target. The last time there was a layoff, you will recall, there wasn't a lot of official word before the event occurred.
Everybody is a name, as far as Mr. Sunbeam is concerned. Some names are better known. One of those who took the buyout is one of those. He is a Pulitzer Prize winner. He has not authorized release of his name, so Mr. Sunbeam won't disclose it until he gets the okay.
Biggest surprise of the departmental meetings: Local News going from two deputy managing editors to one. This was the only reported reduction in newsroom managment, which currently numbers 12 for a staff that is soon to be at most 350 people.
From Photo: four photographers
From News Art: three artists
From Business News: one reporter
From Local News: three reporters, two clerks
From Arts/Lifestyles: one reporter and four editors
From Sports: one assigning editor, 3 copy editors, one page designer
From Editorial: no takers
From Enterprise/Projects: no takers
From News Desk/Universal Desk: one news editor
From Quick: 4 staffers (no breakdown by position; does not figure in DMN count)
Yes, Mr. Sunbeam realizes this is only 24 people. There was reportedly some movement on the final day, both people rescinding and putting in. There are reports that some people tried to opt in after the deadline. Don't know how that will play out. HR has been adamant in meetings and messages that the deadline was immovable. Company policy, they said.
There is no official word when HR will announce the next move. The list of buyout-takers will have to be reviewed and approved by who knows how many suits. Management has previously said things will be finalized the first week of September. But that was before they knew they would fall far short of achieving the stated 40-person buyout target. The last time there was a layoff, you will recall, there wasn't a lot of official word before the event occurred.
Everybody is a name, as far as Mr. Sunbeam is concerned. Some names are better known. One of those who took the buyout is one of those. He is a Pulitzer Prize winner. He has not authorized release of his name, so Mr. Sunbeam won't disclose it until he gets the okay.
Biggest surprise of the departmental meetings: Local News going from two deputy managing editors to one. This was the only reported reduction in newsroom managment, which currently numbers 12 for a staff that is soon to be at most 350 people.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Early Reports
Completely unofficial, even highly speculative, head count numbers remained in the low 20s as the deadline passed. The final day,Mr. Sunbeam heard of three people who withdrew their names and only one who put in. Anxiety levels were clearly raised by the departmental meetings, but whether that resulted in any mass movement toward taking buyouts remains doubtful.
At the meetings, the managing editor's charts showed reductions of 10 editor positions in Local News, eight editor and reporting positions in Sports, one editor and one reporting position in Business News, four editing and one tech positions in photo and 10 mostly editing positions in arts and lifestyles. That's a total of 35 positions, not including News Art and the Universal/News Desks.
Bottom line: Don't be surprised if any layoffs that occur are larger than any of us expected.
At the meetings, the managing editor's charts showed reductions of 10 editor positions in Local News, eight editor and reporting positions in Sports, one editor and one reporting position in Business News, four editing and one tech positions in photo and 10 mostly editing positions in arts and lifestyles. That's a total of 35 positions, not including News Art and the Universal/News Desks.
Bottom line: Don't be surprised if any layoffs that occur are larger than any of us expected.
Don't Be Misinformed
Human Resources representative Cindy McFarlane told the Local News meeting this afternoon that there will be no extension of the buyout period. Something about company policy or somesuch. The deadline is 5:30 p.m. CDT.
HR continues to decline to provide numbers of buyout-takers. Mr. Sunbeam's best guess, and it's only a guess, is that the numbers remain well south of 30.
There seems little doubt that the company is prepared to go forward with layoffs if they do not achieve either the head count or financial numbers they feel they need. No timetable is laid out at this point and no terms of severance, but you can bet it won't be pretty.
If you haven't had a meeting today, somehow try to look at an organizational chart before 5:30 p.m.
HR continues to decline to provide numbers of buyout-takers. Mr. Sunbeam's best guess, and it's only a guess, is that the numbers remain well south of 30.
There seems little doubt that the company is prepared to go forward with layoffs if they do not achieve either the head count or financial numbers they feel they need. No timetable is laid out at this point and no terms of severance, but you can bet it won't be pretty.
If you haven't had a meeting today, somehow try to look at an organizational chart before 5:30 p.m.
Decision Day Dawns
There is no sugar-coating it. Today sucks eggs. Anxiety levels are high. Spirits are low. For those who love newspaper journalism, it can't possibly get worse than losing our jobs or our colleagues because of forces none of us on the news side has any control over .
But I digress. These meetings that will be held today with the M.E. are supposed to be informational. If Mr. Sunbeam can be so bold as to suggest something, it would be this: Ask questions. Be respectful but don't be shy. Be journalists.
But I digress. These meetings that will be held today with the M.E. are supposed to be informational. If Mr. Sunbeam can be so bold as to suggest something, it would be this: Ask questions. Be respectful but don't be shy. Be journalists.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Ramblings of An Uninformed Man
Mr. Sunbeam knows you want updated numbers. He wishes he had a verified count. All he has is the rumor mill, which isn't exactly buzzing. Nevertheless, he will pass on the following, for which you already have the caveat: the number of buyout-takers is in the low-to-mid 20s. It could be somewhat higher, but still well below the allegedly magic 40 to avoid a layoff.
The Providence Journal, a sister paper of the DMN, has reported to its Newspaper Guild representative that only 16 people had accepted the buyout offer as of Tuesday. That staff has been informed that as many as 54 positions paper-wide must be cut to avoid a layoff.
THIS JUST IN:
As of late Tuesday, departmental meetings are being scheduled for Wednesday to hear a presentation from the managing editor about the "future structure of the newsroom." Business News is scheduled for a 30-minute meeting at 2 p.m. Local News is set for 2:30 p.m. Strangely, considerint the buyout period is SUPPOSED to end at 5:30 p.m., the Universal Desk and News Art are scheduled for meetings at 5:30 and 6 p.m. respectively. People set for the later meetings were told that they were welcome to attend earlier meetings of other departments.
Draw your own conclusions about management's motivation and timing.
Informed sources say a position-by-position flow chart of the newsroom has been drafted. Mr. Sunbeam is not advised how set-in-stone this chart is or whether it is suitable for display to the staff. One might be able to learn numbers of editors, reporters, etc. at the dept. meetings.
Multiple sources in Local News say they have heard that eight editors in that department may be "re-purposed" after the buyout. Mr. Sunbeam does not have names or position titles and would not post them if he did out of individual privacy considerations. But it's a decent bet that the people most likely to be moved have few reporters or column inches to call their own.
Will repositioned people be required to apply for new jobs or just be moved? There are indictations of the latter. But these are questions without official answers at this point.
The Providence Journal, a sister paper of the DMN, has reported to its Newspaper Guild representative that only 16 people had accepted the buyout offer as of Tuesday. That staff has been informed that as many as 54 positions paper-wide must be cut to avoid a layoff.
THIS JUST IN:
As of late Tuesday, departmental meetings are being scheduled for Wednesday to hear a presentation from the managing editor about the "future structure of the newsroom." Business News is scheduled for a 30-minute meeting at 2 p.m. Local News is set for 2:30 p.m. Strangely, considerint the buyout period is SUPPOSED to end at 5:30 p.m., the Universal Desk and News Art are scheduled for meetings at 5:30 and 6 p.m. respectively. People set for the later meetings were told that they were welcome to attend earlier meetings of other departments.
Draw your own conclusions about management's motivation and timing.
Informed sources say a position-by-position flow chart of the newsroom has been drafted. Mr. Sunbeam is not advised how set-in-stone this chart is or whether it is suitable for display to the staff. One might be able to learn numbers of editors, reporters, etc. at the dept. meetings.
Multiple sources in Local News say they have heard that eight editors in that department may be "re-purposed" after the buyout. Mr. Sunbeam does not have names or position titles and would not post them if he did out of individual privacy considerations. But it's a decent bet that the people most likely to be moved have few reporters or column inches to call their own.
Will repositioned people be required to apply for new jobs or just be moved? There are indictations of the latter. But these are questions without official answers at this point.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)