PHILLY POST: [It’s] become clear that the newest owners—a group of community-minded Philadelphia millionaires who bought the newspaper group earlier this year–have roughly the same three-step plan for prosperity as their predecessors: 1. Reduce the number of jobs at each paper, and the wages of those left behind. 2. ????? 3. Profit! The result? We’re watching Philadelphia’s biggest, best, most important news organization slowly melt away. It’s become increasingly clear that few of the journalists who remain believe the top management has a real plan to survive and thrive. So maybe it’s time to try something breathtakingly, radically different. Here’s […]
Search Results for: stop the presses
UN-STOP THE PRESSES: If The 2004 Election Was Stolen But Nobody Cares Does It Still Make A Sound?
If true, the last eight years, or at least 2004–20008 would be null and void, triggering a complete meltdown in all three branches of government: legislative (every law signed by POTUS, null and void), executive (every executive order issued by POTUS null and void) and judicial (every supreme court appointment by POTUS and ensuing decision null and void) — chaos that would upend the game in unexpected and radical ways. Which may explain why this story is getting no traction: nobody at the higher levels of the corporate media seems willing to be the one who takes down the house […]
STOP THE PRESSES: NY Times To Close Boston Globe
UPDATE: After reaching tentative agreement early Monday with several unions at The Boston Globe, The New York Times Company has postponed its threat to start the process of closing the paper in 60 days, although talks with the biggest union are continuing. In negotiations that went past the midnight deadline set by the company, deals were struck with three unions representing more than 500 mailers, drivers and press operators. More than ever, the fate of the paper appears to turn on talks with the Boston Newspaper Guild, which represents more than 600 newsroom, advertising and business office workers. The company […]
STOP THE PRESSES: And The Winner Is…
Artist’s rendering of the scene at Warwick Hotel last night. UPDATE: Late last night we got word that Mayor-elect Nutter had a special message for Phawker readers. But in order to get this message, we would have to show up with a film crew at 6 AM outside the Government Services Building, across the street from City Hall. Which we did. So please standby for an important message from the next mayor of Philadelphia. Film at 11. Or thereabouts.
(THE LAST) STOP THE PRESSES: GUILD Ratifies Contract, Drafts, Passes And Affixes F.U. Resolution Before Sending It Back To THE COMPANY
SGT. BYKO’S FINAL REPORT: After the questions subsided and a motion was approved to start the vote, another motion was presented, and approved after some debate. That motion ?instructs the Local 10 Executive Board to discuss – and pass — a resolution saying the following: ?1- Because of their tight-fisted, slash-and-burn, anti-labor tactics, we have NO CONFIDENCE in the new owners? actual desire to publish great newspapers ?2- Because of the new owners? recent record of poor business decisions, which includes hiring executives while promising layoffs of union workers, we have NO FAITH in their desire to treat employees with […]
DON’T STOP THE PRESSES: Guild And Company Reach Agreement, There Will Be No Strike, Repeat THE STRIKE HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO LACK OF INTEREST ALL AROUND, Back To Same As It Ever Was
JUST IN FROM ATTYTOOD: The Newspaper Guild and the owners of the Daily News and Inquirer reached a tentative contract agreement minutes ago, averting a newspaper strike here in Philly…assuming the contract is ratified by union members (never a slam dunk). I know nothing of the details, although I imagine Steve Volk will figure it out soon. The upshot is you still have Attytood to kick around — aren’t you glad? GUILD PDF: NO STRIKE PREVIOUSLY: A Strike Would Be ‘Mutual Suicide’ SGT BYKO REPORTS: The Guild and the PN reached a tentative agreement on all issues at 10:15 p.m. […]
Stop The Presses: It’s Official, Philebrity Is Megaphone Of THE MAN, Phawker Is Soapbox Of THE PEOPLE
Breaking: Tierney Speaks To PN Rank & File, Makes Stunning Use Of Bold Italics December 7, 2006 To: PN Employees From: Brian Tierney An Open Letter to Employees: At the very beginning of negotiations with our unions, I said that I would treat our discussions with confidentiality and respect, and not negotiate in public. However, with all the rhetoric going around, I feel we must separate some facts from fiction. Let me highlight a few examples. We are not proposing to take away anyone’s pension benefit. The Pension Fund is federally guaranteed. We are only proposing to no longer make […]
Stop The Presses: MEXICAN STANDOFF After Talks Breakdown Over Pension Fund Deal-Breaker, From The Look Of Things Christmas May Have To Be Cancelled
SGT. BYKO REPORTS: Today, the Company refused to move on its plan to freeze the pension fund. It wouldn’t budge on its desire to take full control of our fund away from the joint board of trustees. The Company wants all that power as it, and it alone, seeks a multi-employer plan in which to place the frozen fund. The Guild negotiating team told the Company it would go into a multi-employer pension fund, but it would not relinquish its place in the decision making process. Under the Guild plan, the pension trustees — composed of an equal number of […]
STOP THE PRESSES: 457 Articles About THE STRIKE Add Up To A LOT Of Dead Trees And Not Much News
Taken as mash-up, the incompleteness of this moment, repeated over and over again, is actually quite hypnotic and we find it helps to pass the time until some actual news happens, here you try… Papers, Union Continue Contract Talks Houston Chronicle — United States – 7 hours ago WASHINGTON POST By JOANN LOVIGLIO AP Writer. — 2006 AP. PHILADELPHIA — The largest union at Philadelphia’s two biggest newspapers resumed contract … Philly Papers, Union Talks to Continue Forbes, NY — 19 hours ago By DEBORAH YAO 12.03.06, 1:58 AM ET. The largest union at Philadelphia’s two biggest newspapers reported some progress […]
STOP THE PRESSES: Let The Measuring of The Circumference Of Each Side’s Sack Commence
THIS JUST IN FROM SGT. BYKO: CWA BOARD APPROVES GUILD STRIKE AS BARGAINING CONTINUES The Communications Workers of America executive board has authorized International President Larry Cohen to call a strike at The Inquirer and Daily News if the local bargaining committee believes talks have broken down and there is no alternative. Local President Henry J. Holcomb was informed of the our parent union?s decision by James J. Short, CWA district vice president for Pennsylvania (District 13), and Linda K. Foley, the Guild’s international president. Holcomb received the news at a meeting in Short’s Center City office with Foley participating […]
STOP THE PRESSES: Not Yet
HOLCOMB: NO NEWSPAPER STRIKE TONIGHT “We’re not going to finish tonight,” said Local President Henry Holcomb at 9:42 p.m., during a break in negotiations. “We will keep talking as long as we are making progress, and we are.” For that reason, a strike will not be called tonight. Negotiators for both sides will continue talking until the federal mediator sends them home for the night. They will return tomorrow to resume talks. This is not an “extension,” Holcomb said. Even though the contract expires at midnight, it will remain in effect. “We will keep talking and keep making progress,” Holcomb […]
Stop The Presses: HANDICAPPING THE HANDICAPPED or So Fucked I Can’t Believe It
IF THEY SETTLE: The ownership will have expended all goodwill and local-boys-make-good political capital earned from buying the Inky/DN out of Knight-Ridder indentured servitude and now leads a dispirited and mutinous newsroom aboard a creaking wooden ship into the darkening seas of print journalism’s final voyage, hoping against hope that the scout team sent to Online Island returns with news of a place to dock, potable water and low-hanging fruit that can sustain the captain and crew into the sunset of senescence. IF THEY STRIKE: Guild puts out online paper and really gets the hang of this Web content thing […]
STOP THE PRESSES: And Fire Up The Internets, There’s A New Paper In Town And You Can’t Read It On The Can
From Sgt. Byko’s Lips To Our Ears: Guild And The Company are in FINAL bargaining meeting, could last an hour, could last 48 hours, but if THE STRIKE comes: Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News staffers to launch competing online paper if workers strike By Associated Press Wednesday, November 29, 2006 – Updated: 08:14 AM EST PHILADELPHIA – The largest union at Philadelphia’s two biggest daily newspapers is planning to launch\ an online newspaper to compete with the company Web site if workers go on strike after midnight on Thursday. Employees from The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News would contribute local […]