Furlough for 20-page newspaper workers

     Gannett announced Wednesday that it was mandating a one-week UNPAID furlough for all its employees (FT & PT) to be taken within this quarter. This drastic move (perhaps stolen from Detroit’s sorry play book) is meant to save jobs, management says.
     What about saving the newspapers you’re, in essence, destroying with your illogical management?
     Two days this week the local newspaper has been but 20 pages in two scrunched-up sections. Features of the past in all sections have been dropped with oddly chosen basic representation of them. Most often dumped: commentary across all departments. There’s been a sudden drop in the use of color, too. That’s within the newshole, of course. The ads continue to be a mash-up of garish color.
     Today, Gannett Blog also reports that Gannett management is pushing for use of USA Today content instead of Associated Press.
     What a freakin’ disaster! What a tragedy for the American public!