Like scores of others in the print media business (we know who we are), Orange County Register employees are reeling from diminished 401Ks, a freeze on raises and
increased workloads brought on by a company initiative to boost its web
presence. They were not exactly cheered up last week when publisher Terry Horne (pictured) informed employees that “sometimes, life isn't fair” as he revealed the cost-cutting strategies would remain for at least another year.
Horne let that drop right after telling reporters their “hits” on ocregister.com are
up 100 percent from last year–but that they need 250 percent more hits per scribe. The implication was everyone needs to work harder for
no more money or comp time while they are watching their retirement savings plunge. Thus, you can imagine how some Regerinos took just after seeing this posted on the company intranet:
Feb. 6 – OCRC associates held a Celebration of Success breakfast today at the Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Coast for the Advertising Sales and Sales Operations divisions. Associates were recognized for performance in 2008; those that exemplified outstanding achievements in the following categories: customer service, teamwork, high performance, sales goal achievement, accuracy and innovation.
Winners were honored with the following distinctions: Champion's Club, Publisher's Club 100 and Publisher's Council. Champion's Club winners received gift cards and certificates, while Club 100 winners received a commemorative gift. Those who achieved Publisher's Council status are invited on a trip to Maui at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa in May.
The message went on to name the advertising employees who made the Champion's Club and Publisher's Club 100, as well as the lucky 18 Publisher's Council honorees heading to Maui. Besides the indignity of reading this in light of what editorial employees had just been were later told, the Grand Avenue gremlin who passed this along was miffed at the tony Newport Coast resort setting for the ad-travaganza, coupled with the costs of Hawaiian airfares and lodging, mere weeks after other staffers were told there would be no company Christmas party.
OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.