OPUBCO / Oklahoman Business Practices

[gopokes88]

Maybe they are "auditioning" to see who is missed the least workwise during the unpaid furlough, in the ever-ending quest to whittle down the number of "essential" employees and save/make money.

Every business will be doing this, not necessarily the unpaid part, but the whittle and learn who is essential.

[Rover]

Every business will be doing this, not necessarily the unpaid part, but the whittle and learn who is essential.

Yes, there are some who were feeling safe skating by who will be surprised to learn they just weren't that essential to the mission anyway. Everybody has to step up their game to survive these things and show their worth.

[keyboard]

Every business will be doing this, not necessarily the unpaid part, but the whittle and learn who is essential.

You can only whittle so much or nothing will be left. Look at the paper today compared to what it was. Many truly essential people have been eliminated, no matter what the PR spin.

[keyboard]

Yes, there are some who were feeling safe skating by who will be surprised to learn they just weren't that essential to the mission anyway. Everybody has to step up their game to survive these things and show their worth.

I can understand if a company can't afford to hire someone anymore, but the employer will not come out and say that. Instead, the blame is placed on the laid-off workers, who are devalued as "nonessential," when in reality the company is doing it for strictly financial reasons while still trying to present itself as the same product to its customers. Which is a disservice to the customers. Maybe there's a reality TV show here: "Survivor: The Oklahoman."

[Rover]

I can understand if a company can't afford to hire someone anymore, but the employer will not come out and say that. Instead, the blame is placed on the laid-off workers, who are devalued as "nonessential," when in reality the company is doing it for strictly financial reasons while still trying to present itself as the same product to its customers. Which is a disservice to the customers. Maybe there's a reality TV show here: "Survivor: The Oklahoman."

There's a difference between devaluing a person and devaluing a position, or even a skill set. Companies discover all the time that a certain position is not needed to survive or that it costs them more than the revenue it enables. And, it also discovers that some individuals don't provide the value that they expected them to. Companies who pad their payroll and aren't efficient go out of business.

Private for profit companies exist to make money, not to be a public service. Their first rule is survival. They cannot stay in business if they continue to lose money. Make no mistake, capitalism IS about profit, not about a guarantee of work for the citizens of the country.

[keyboard]

There's a difference between devaluing a person and devaluing a position, or even a skill set. Companies discover all the time that a certain position is not needed to survive or that it costs them more than the revenue it enables. And, it also discovers that some individuals don't provide the value that they expected them to. Companies who pad their payroll and aren't efficient go out of business.

Private for profit companies exist to make money, not to be a public service. Their first rule is survival. They cannot stay in business if they continue to lose money. Make no mistake, capitalism IS about profit, not about a guarantee of work for the citizens of the country.

But newspapers like to tout that they are a public service, and their employees use words like "mission." I think they should actually fall into a nonprofit category, but that raises all sorts of ethical issues about funding. Technically, The Oklahoman still has a print issue, but it's suffered badly and is a shadow of its former self in terms of advertising vs. editorial space, size, delivery, paper quality and coverage. Any longtime reader will tell you that. I would hope that, with less employees and a paper that still needs to be put out, if The Oklahoman tries to make people work unpaid overtime, it gets reported to the Labor Department. Its employees may be on a mission for news, but the company is on a mission for money.

[Rover]

But newspapers like to tout that they are a public service, and their employees use words like "mission." I think they should actually fall into a nonprofit category, but that raises all sorts of ethical issues about funding. Technically, The Oklahoman still has a print issue, but it's suffered badly and is a shadow of its former self in terms of advertising vs. editorial space, size, delivery, paper quality and coverage. Any longtime reader will tell you that. I would hope that, with less employees and a paper that still needs to be put out, if The Oklahoman tries to make people work unpaid overtime, it gets reported to the Labor Department. Its employees may be on a mission for news, but the company is on a mission for money.

A paper may provide a service to citizens but is like any business...it MUST make money to survive. Unless you want a government run press then they have to be for profit. If people are willing to pay for a free press, heaven help America.

By the way, even non profits have to actually take in more than they pay out. Non profit isn’t not for profit.

[Rover]

A paper may provide a service to citizens but is like any business...it MUST make money to survive. Unless you want a government run press then they have to be for profit. If people are NOT willing to pay for a free press, heaven help America.

By the way, even non profits have to actually take in more than they pay out. Non profit isn’t not for profit.

See correction

[keyboard]

A paper may provide a service to citizens but is like any business...it MUST make money to survive. Unless you want a government run press then they have to be for profit. If people are willing to pay for a free press, heaven help America.

By the way, even non profits have to actually take in more than they pay out. Non profit isn’t not for profit.

Have you heard of the Poynter Institute? It's a nonprofit journalism school and research organization in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school is the owner of the Tampa Bay Times newspaper and the International Fact-Checking Network. Also, some newspapers have gone to being employee owned. The current business model of megachains buying all of these papers and slashing them to bits is not helping journalism.

[Rover]

Have you heard of the Poynter Institute? It's a nonprofit journalism school and research organization in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school is the owner of the Tampa Bay Times newspaper and the International Fact-Checking Network. Also, some newspapers have gone to being employee owned. The current business model of megachains buying all of these papers and slashing them to bits is not helping journalism.

Ultimately, even employee owned must pay the bills to stay afloat. They either need earned income or donations. And, as I said, non-profit doesn't mean they can survive if they are consistently in the red. Non-profit isn't a magic status that suspends the laws of business and economics.

I agree that the chains aren't good, but there's a reason local newspapers are selling to them. It's a very difficult and expensive thing to have newsrooms and hire qualified and good journalists.

[keyboard]

Ultimately, even employee owned must pay the bills to stay afloat. They either need earned income or donations. And, as I said, non-profit doesn't mean they can survive if they are consistently in the red. Non-profit isn't a magic status that suspends the laws of business and economics.

I agree that the chains aren't good, but there's a reason local newspapers are selling to them. It's a very difficult and expensive thing to have newsrooms and hire qualified and good journalists.

Well, eventually everything will be online, but nobody's figured out how to abandon print while retaining ad revenue. There's also subscriptions, but the product has to be worth the price to compete with all of the free content online. That's why all of the staff reductions are so bad; they hurt the quality of the product even if all of the "essential" people are still on staff. Things happen behind the scenes, too. I'm really pulling for the employee-owned publications out there. That takes tremendous dedication.

[Dob Hooligan]

Well, eventually everything will be online, but nobody's figured out how to abandon print while retaining ad revenue. There's also subscriptions, but the product has to be worth the price to compete with all of the free content online. That's why all of the staff reductions are so bad; they hurt the quality of the product even if all of the "essential" people are still on staff. Things happen behind the scenes, too. I'm really pulling for the employee-owned publications out there. That takes tremendous dedication.

I have begun to think that we are on the track to sustainability. I'm around 60 and subscribe to 4 papers online. In 2019 I thought the Oklahoman under the GateHouse model of cross platform content sharing (using stories from all their other newspapers around America, including USA Today) had a product that was essential reading for me in the print replica. The Wall Street Journal web content was essential. The Washington Post under Angel Owner Jeff Bezos had essential content on it's web version with my Amazon Prime discount. And the Las Vegas Review-Journal under Angel Owner Sheldon Adelson is actually providing solid journalistic content that is free of his hyper conservative political views, also in the print replica. My son lets me use his WSJ sub, and the other 3 cost me less than $25 a month combined.

[keyboard]

I have begun to think that we are on the track to sustainability. I'm around 60 and subscribe to 4 papers online. In 2019 I thought the Oklahoman under the GateHouse model of cross platform content sharing (using stories from all their other newspapers around America, including USA Today) had a product that was essential reading for me in the print replica. The Wall Street Journal web content was essential. The Washington Post under Angel Owner Jeff Bezos had essential content on it's web version with my Amazon Prime discount. And the Las Vegas Review-Journal under Angel Owner Sheldon Adelson is actually providing solid journalistic content that is free of his hyper conservative political views, also in the print replica. My son lets me use his WSJ sub, and the other 3 cost me less than $25 a month combined.

That's fantastic for you, especially if you agree with The Oklahoman politically. By using your son's subscription, though, you kind of cut into the WSJ's profit, which I'm not saying to be catty. Seems like you might want to support free press.

[Rover]

Just wondering what everyone on here thinks the value a local newspaper should have... what kind of content must it have? What will you pay for? Will you pay for quality free press? Does it have to slant towards your existing political and social beliefs to be considered real news?

[mugofbeer]

Just wondering what everyone on here thinks the value a local newspaper should have... what kind of content must it have? What will you pay for? Will you pay for quality free press? Does it have to slant towards your existing political and social beliefs to be considered real news?

What would be nice is if there were sort of a subscription "cable" system that provided multiple print medium for a single discounted price instead of paying separate subscriptions for each publication.

So, Gannett, put all your papers online for a single $20/mo subscription.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

What would be nice is if there were sort of a subscription "cable" system that provided multiple print medium for a single discounted price instead of paying separate subscriptions for each publication.

So, Gannett, put all your papers online for a single $20/mo subscription.

Anybody in Oklahoma County (probably the same up in Colorado) with a library card has access to almost every major daily newspaper. Kind of a "public bundle." Many major magazines (most, actually) are freely available through the library's connection with RBDigital - simple as pie, too. There is so much good material, most available with simple apps, that many don't know about. Kanopy is full of great films, many movies that rent for $3.00 at Amazon Video or Google Play are available free on Kanopy. Throw in Hoopla and Overdrive with their huge libraries of ebooks and audiobooks and you've got online access to more than most people realize. A library card is your lifelong learning university -- online and off. My library card is my single most prized possession. No kidding!

[Dob Hooligan]

That's fantastic for you, especially if you agree with The Oklahoman politically. By using your son's subscription, though, you kind of cut into the WSJ's profit, which I'm not saying to be catty. Seems like you might want to support free press.

I do not agree with The Oklahoman politically. That doesn't mean they do not provide informative news copy. I find the news, sports and business coverage good enough to pay for. If I only took information from people I agree with I would a very closed mind.

The comment about the WSJ subscription is a good starting point to talk about online subscriptions. Pay web sites expect some degree of family sharing. Print copies of newspapers and magazines are build on the expectation of multiple readings within the family or office. Ad rates are based on that. So are online subscription rates.

[keyboard]

I do not agree with The Oklahoman politically. That doesn't mean they do not provide informative news copy. I find the news, sports and business coverage good enough to pay for. If I only took information from people I agree with I would a very closed mind.

The comment about the WSJ subscription is a good starting point to talk about online subscriptions. Pay web sites expect some degree of family sharing. Print copies of newspapers and magazines are build on the expectation of multiple readings within the family or office. Ad rates are based on that. So are online subscription rates.

Good for you. Hope your and The Oklahoman remain very happy together. I prefer a variety of news sources.

[Dob Hooligan]

Good for you. Hope your and The Oklahoman remain very happy together. I prefer a variety of news sources.

Do you pay for any of them?

[keyboard]

Do you pay for any of them?

I pay for several print publications. Disappointed? Also, I read news from sources with a wide spectrum of political views.

[mugofbeer]

Anybody in Oklahoma County (probably the same up in Colorado) with a library card has access to almost every major daily newspaper. Kind of a "public bundle." Many major magazines (most, actually) are freely available through the library's connection with RBDigital - simple as pie, too. There is so much good material, most available with simple apps, that many don't know about. Kanopy is full of great films, many movies that rent for $3.00 at Amazon Video or Google Play are available free on Kanopy. Throw in Hoopla and Overdrive with their huge libraries of ebooks and audiobooks and you've got online access to more than most people realize. A library card is your lifelong learning university -- online and off. My library card is my single most prized possession. No kidding!

Thank you!

Got one but my libraries are all COVID closed! ��

[Hondo1]

Unless I overlooked it today’s Sports Business section had no business items.

[ctchandler]

Hondo1,
The markets were closed yesterday. Historically, there is never a business section (with the exception of Sunday) after a Wall Street holiday. Sunday is a weekly wrap up for the previous week.
C. T.

[catcherinthewry]

Anyone else unable to download the digital version of The Oklahoman this morning?

[Dob Hooligan]

Anyone else unable to download the digital version of The Oklahoman this morning?

Finally got it to load after 8AM