Nudniks Tout $1500 Prize, Don’t Report Layoffs
No news. Empty newsstands stored in the Asbury Park Press’s empty parking lot in Neptune. July, 12 2013
Between 13 and 40 people were laid-off at the Asbury Park Press last week, as part of a nationwide RIF in parent company Gannett’s newspaper division.
Gannett, a publically traded company, is not saying how many employees they have cut loose. The Gannet Blog, which first reported the story which was picked up by the Associated Press, estimates that 200 newspaper employees have been let go from the Asbury Park Press, The Burlington Free Press in Vermont, The Arizona Republic in Phoenix and The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky.
The Asbury Park Sun was the first New Jersey news outlet to report the story.
The Asbury Park Press Neptune Nudniks have yet to find the story newsworthy, preferring instead to report how they won a $1500 prize from the Associated Press Media Editors for their Superstom Sandy coverage.
“We are honored by the great recognition the journalism community has given to the entire staff of the Asbury Park Press and APP.com for their unflagging
dedication during such a terrible storm, which affected each of us in some way,” said Hollis R. Towns, executive editor/vice president for news at the Press.
“Our team worked tirelessly before, during and after the storm to ensure the community received the most accurate, useful information as quickly as
possible.”
In the same article, the Nudniks touted a prize they received yesterday from the National Association of Black Journalists for their “Gripped by Violence” report on shootings in Asbury Park.
Veteran reporter Bill Bowman was among those riffed by Gannett, according to a post he made on facebook Thursday. He said he will be ok and plans to take up the ukulele.
Hopefully, Bowman will be remembered for his excellent work exposing the false reports from the Pentagon that led to Fort Monmouth being closed and its operations being moved to Aberdeen, Maryland, and not for the baseless controversy he created over Oceanport Mayor Michael Mahon and Tinton Falls Mayor Michael Skudera necessary briefings to their respective borough councils about the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority.
Gannett announced in June that it is buying 20 television stations for $1.5 billion in cash and the assumption of $715 million in debt. Last week they announced a $46 million quarterly dividend will be paid to their shareholders.
In other New Jersey media news, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc, is purchasing Press of Atlantic City.
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