Gannett
Headquarters:
7950 Jones Branch Dr.
McLean, VA 22107
Employees: 41,000
CEO: Craig Dubow
Stock Symbol: GCI
Website:
http://www.gannett.com
Career
Site
Gannett Inc. is the nation's leading newspaper
publisher with 85 daily newspapers. The company's flagship publication,
USA Today, is the largest daily newspaper in the country with
circulation over 2.3 million. Other daily newspapers include
Louisville Courier-Journal, Nashville Tennessean, Journal News
of Westchester (NY) and Detroit Free Press.
Along with each of its daily newspapers,
the company operates Internet Web sites offering news and advertising
that is customized for the market served and integrated with
its publishing operations. USA TODAY.com is one of the most popular
news sites on the Web.
Gannett also owns 900 non-daily publications including The Army Times, USA Weekend and Clipper Magazine. The company also has a stake in the CareerBuilder recruiting site.
Gannett subsidiary Newsquest is the United
Kingdom's second-largest regional newspaper company. Newsquest
publishes nearly 300 titles, including 17 daily newspapers, and
a network of prize-winning Web sites.
The company also has a presence in broadcasting
with 23 television stations in the U.S. with a market reach of
more than 20 million households. Each of these stations also
operates locally oriented Internet Web sites offering news, entertainment
and advertising content, in text and video format.
The company's newspapers have been hurt
by weak advertising and circulation loss due to the economy and
competition from the Internet.
In 2008, Gannett reported total revenues of $6.76 billion, a 9.0% decline, and net loss of $1.78 billion.
The company laid off over 2,000 employees in 2008 to the poor economy affecting newspapers.
In January, Gannett announced it would require unpaid furloughs of almost all employees for one week to save money and prevent more layoffs. There will be a one-year pay freeze for all USA Today employees. The company ordered another furlough in March for most employees and pay cuts for higher paid employees.
History
Gannett traces its origins to 1906, when
Frank Gannett and business partners bought a half interest in
the Elmira Gazette in Elmira, NY. From this small venture, Gannett
and his partners expanded gradually, purchasing another newspaper
there and merging them to form the Star-Gazette. In 1912, Gannett
bought The Ithaca Journal, in nearby Ithaca, NY.
In 1918 Frank Gannett and his associates
moved to Rochester, N.Y. They purchased two newspapers, merged
them into the Rochester Times-Union and consolidated their holdings
under the name Empire State Group. In 1923, Frank Gannett purchased
the holdings of his associates, forming Gannett Co., Inc. At
that time, the company consisted of six newspapers located in
four upstate New York cities, including Utica.
Early in its history, Gannett became a
major innovator of technology in the newspaper industry. In 1929,
Frank Gannett invested in the development of the teletypesetter.
Later, Gannett newsrooms were equipped with shortwave radio sets
to speed reporting of distant events. Printing presses were adapted
for color at the Gannett Rochester newspapers as early as 1938.
And in 1945, Gannett newspapers became the first newspaper group
to be united by the Telephoto Network. Gannett radio stations
were early pioneers in broadcasting the latest news and the Gannett
corporate airplane aided in the timely gathering of news from
across the region.
The company launched USA Today on Sept.
15, 1982 as a new national newspaper printed in color with easy-to-read
charts and graphics. The newspaper was transmitted via satellite
and printed at plants around the country. USA Today quickly established
itself, selling more than 1.3 million copies a day all across
the nation by the end of 1983. Despite heavy losses, the paper
managed to turn a profit after more than 10 years and is the
nation's largest-selling daily newspaper and Gannett flagship
publication.
Gannett sold four daily newspapers in 2007
to GateHouse Media, Inc. for $410 million. The four papers are:
the Norwich (CT) Bulletin; the Rockford (IL) Register Star; the
Observer-Dispatch in Utica, NY; and The Herald-Dispatch in Huntington,
WV.
Benefits
Gannett offers the following benefits to
most employees:
HEALTH INSURANCE
A variety of different health insurance options to eligible employees:
including: EPO, PPO, HMO, and Health Fund plan options.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLANS
Detail and Mail order coverage included in the medical plans
listed above.
DENTAL COVERAGE
The plan provides 100% coverage for preventive services, 80%
with a $50 deductible for minor restorative services, 50% with
a deductible for major services and 50% with a deductible for
orthodontic services.
VISION COVERAGE
EyeMed, The Eye Care Plan of America coverage includes eye exams,
lenses, frames and contacts with co-pays.
LIFE INSURANCE
Core coverage provided by the company equal to one times the
employee's annual basic compensation (including bonus and/or
commissions, if applicable) for non-union employees. Employees
may purchase supplemental insurance to cover themselves and their
dependents.
DOMESTIC PARTNER INSURANCE
Employees can enroll their domestic partners (same-sex or opposite-sex)
and eligible children of the domestic partner as covered dependents
under the medical, dental, vision and voluntary life insurance
plans if the employee meets the criteria.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The Gannett Foundation/Madelyn P. Jennings Scholarships are awarded
annually to children of full-time Gannett employees. Scholarships
are awarded through a competition conducted by the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation.
4O1(k) PLAN
Employees are immediately eligible to participate if they are
regular full-time or part-time employees scheduled to work at
least 1, 000 hours per year (approximately 20 hours per week).
Employees may contribute up to 15% of compensation (up to the
IRS limitations). Gannett will match 75% of employees' contributions
up to the first 4% and second 4% with 25% with a three-year vesting
schedule.
PENSION PLAN
Employees are enrolled in the Gannett Pension Plan following
one year of service and completion of 1,000 hours. Employees
are fully vested after five years of service. This is a portable
benefit should the vested employee leave the company with five
or more years of vested service.
OTHER BENEFITS OFFERED
Gannett Flexible Spending Accounts, Travel Accident Insurance,
Employee Assistance Program, Stock Purchase Plan, Adoption Assistance
Plan, Employee Mortgage Program, and Tuition Reimbursement Program,
Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability.
Updated March 25, 2009
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