From the Westchester County News Desk of Brian Harrod.

 

STALE BIRD CAGE LINER: Gannett Layoffs Begin At What Is Left Of The Journal News SAME OLD NEWS: Gannett’s revenue dropped again and the money losing Journal News announced plans to cut editorial staff members, that refuse to change with the times WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY: On Friday, as planned, the hammer dropped on LoHud's executive editor, Mary Dolan and editor Frank Scandale, who were told to hit the bricks and start looking for work. https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2022/gannett-lays-off-journalists-after-dismal-second-quarter-results/ Adrian Szkolar, a producer at Gannett, finally woke up and actually got on digital media to send the news to Westchester News reader's smartphones. https://twitter.com/Szkolar_Lohud/status/1558189917351583748 There were 20 confirmed newsrooms across the country zapped by the layoffs but that number is expected to grow. Additional cuts are likely on Monday and there are apparently no plans for future growth at these legacy media outlets. Gannett’s revenue dropped to nearly $749 million, while its operating expenses rose to nearly $770 million. The legacy newspaper chain suffered a loss of nearly $54 million during the quarter and trimmed its revenue projection for the full year https://deadline.com/2022/08/gannett-newspaper-layoffs-1235091602/ The announcement of massive losses and a dim outlook for the future caused Gannet’s stock prices to drop by 28% on the first day. In 2013, the Journal News cut 26 jobs, including 17 newsroom positions and the place has been a hopeless mess of revolving door of reporters and editors that don't understand that in the 21st Century - people want to read their news on a smartphone. Gannet's 2019 after the merger with GateHouse could not help at the skeleton-staffed no talent newspaper with 99 problems, as ore than 2,000 newspapers that refused to join the digital revelation bit the dust over the past almost 20 years. https://www.usnewsdeserts.com/reports/news-deserts-and-ghost-newspapers-will-local-news-survive/the-news-landscape-in-2020-transformed-and-diminished/vanishing-newspapers/ A few months ago, The Wall Street Journal reported that a glitch in Gannett’s online advertising software had resulted in ads appearing in the wrong places. For instance, to cite an actual example, an ad that was intended for USA Today’s national online audience might instead appear on the website of the Journal News. https://www.wsj.com/articles/usa-today-owner-gannett-co-gave-advertisers-inaccurate-information-for-nine-months-11646784745 Shenanigans like this has undermined Gannett’s “value proposition and trust” with advertisers. https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/gannett-cites-human-error-as-cause-of-ad-exchange-misrepresentations,220787 Gannett’s statement said the error involved less than $10 million in advertising. https://investors.gannett.com/news/news-details/2022/Gannett-Issues-Statement-in-Response-to-Wall-Street-Journal-Story-Regarding-Advertising-Data/default.aspx But the good news is that locally owned new media news organizations are out in the community hustling, delivering the digital news to readers smart phones, as they create real value to advertisers. There will still be local journalism, with the local new media journalists that actually live in and care about their communities. Now more than ever, is the time to support the local new media businesses that keep the public informed and local politicians accountable.... https://westchester.town.news/g/white-plains-ny/n/116914/stale-bird-cage-liner-gannett-layoffs-begin-what-left-journal-news