Gannett Employees: Take A Week Off Without Pay

 

McLEAN, VA (January 15, 2009) – Employees of media outlets owned by Gannett Co. Inc. have been told by CEO Craig A. Dubow to take a week off without pay during the first quarter of this year due to "economic conditions we have never experienced."

Dubow said the furlough of workers is a way to "cut costs while minimizing the effects on readers," while other steps - such as additional layoffs - would be more harmful. The company also imposed a one-year wage freeze that starts February 1.

America's largest newspaper publisher, Gannett owns 85 daily newspapers and 23 television stations in the United States, employing roughly 40,000. It's flagship newspaper is USA Today. Like other newspaper publishers, Gannett is feeling the crunch of the ongoing serious decline in advertising revenues and the world's financial crisis.

The furlough includes everyone, from top executives to hourly workers. Salaried employees must take one full payroll week off, and hourly employees will take off five days.

Last year Gannett went through a round layoffs that slashed a full 10 percent of its workforce companywide in November, and again in December another 5 percent of newsroom jobs at USA Today.

"We find ourselves in an incredibly tough media and economic climate," USA Today publisher Craig Moon wrote to employees in a memo. "Our advertising revenues continue to slump as we enter 2009. With little visibility of future ad schedules, we like others at Gannett, have had to make some very difficult decisions."

in November, Dubow said he would voluntarily take a 17 percent pay reduction in his annual pay "in a show of solidarity with other workers" at the chain. Gannett's records show his base pay last year was $1.2 million, but his total compensation is closer to $7.5 million.

 

NPPA Marketplace

Insure Your Equipment

You go where the action is….so should your insurance! Hays delivers comprehensive insurance for your gear - covering cameras, computers, editing equipment and rental.

Join the NPPA

NPPA members receive a wide range of benefits, from educational opportunities to mentoring, exclusive discounts, insurance options, business tips, and much more.