Thursday, August 25, 2005
CBC Lockout XXIII: "Fire seven managers" and other notes
John Doyle in this morning's Globe and Mail comments on what he says is the high ratio of managers to employees at the CBC, at least in the department he used to deal with, the outsourced communications department.
The normal ratio, Doyle says is one manager for every eight to eleven employees. At the CBC Doyle says it is one manager for every 2.3 employees.
That reminded me of an incident that happened in the first round of Martin's deficit fighting cutbacks about a decade ago.
CBC News management decided to end its long-standing relationship with the Reuters video news feed (which had begun when it was Visnews).
A senior workling journalist went to the manager to object.
"But we have to save $700,000 a year," the manager said.
"That's easy," the journalist replied, "fire seven managers."
(By the way for those who are outside Toronto or Canada who want to read Doyle's column, you can't, unless, in Canada, you go to a corner newspaper box. It's behind the Globe's pay wall. Back in April, on my other blog, on research, I commented on how stupid that is. See: A list of best US newspapers for web research )
Other notes
Maffin's news site
Tod Maffin has created a special news page for his excellent lockout coverage, so what was on the main page of his blog is now consolidated on the news page.
I have also borrowed Tod's code and added a list of the CBC blogs to the right side of The Garret Tree.
So with both Tod and John Gushue in St. John's covering the daily news of the lockout, I am going to continue my original idea of looking at the long term implications of the lockout. So consider me the op ed for those guys.
Another manager
Another manager, "Rue," has joined the ranks of the bloggers. Unfortunately the first post is a personal attack on John Doyle by a person who is angry and frustrated. My problem with this post is that it comes close (but doesn't cross that line) of the nasty, small-minded and vindictive blogs from the mostly anonymous CBC haters out in blogsphere (or blogosphere if you prefer).
Rue, get some exercise. It's amazing how walking around and around each day actually calms you down and helps centre your thoughts. There are a lot of very angry, very calm people on those picket lines. (Maybe my next book should be Zen and walking on a picket line) If you're from Toronto, walk around the block, if you're one of those stuck in a crummy hotel room walk down to the lakeshore since you can't be seen walking the line.
(Personal disclosure: My assignment is as one of the photographers for the newsletter. I walk the line every day, usually in the opposite direction. I don't carry a sign, I carry a camera. I do, however, wear a button.)
Ouimet is back, and she (the consensus seems to be that Ouimet is she), on other hand, says John Doyle is 90 % right.
Technorati tags
writing, journalism, CBC, blog, news, Globe and Mail
8:55 AM posted by Robin Rowland
Permanent Link
Links to this post
John Doyle in this morning's Globe and Mail comments on what he says is the high ratio of managers to employees at the CBC, at least in the department he used to deal with, the outsourced communications department.
The normal ratio, Doyle says is one manager for every eight to eleven employees. At the CBC Doyle says it is one manager for every 2.3 employees.
That reminded me of an incident that happened in the first round of Martin's deficit fighting cutbacks about a decade ago.
CBC News management decided to end its long-standing relationship with the Reuters video news feed (which had begun when it was Visnews).
A senior workling journalist went to the manager to object.
"But we have to save $700,000 a year," the manager said.
"That's easy," the journalist replied, "fire seven managers."
(By the way for those who are outside Toronto or Canada who want to read Doyle's column, you can't, unless, in Canada, you go to a corner newspaper box. It's behind the Globe's pay wall. Back in April, on my other blog, on research, I commented on how stupid that is. See: A list of best US newspapers for web research )
Other notes
Maffin's news site
Tod Maffin has created a special news page for his excellent lockout coverage, so what was on the main page of his blog is now consolidated on the news page.
I have also borrowed Tod's code and added a list of the CBC blogs to the right side of The Garret Tree.
So with both Tod and John Gushue in St. John's covering the daily news of the lockout, I am going to continue my original idea of looking at the long term implications of the lockout. So consider me the op ed for those guys.
Another manager
Another manager, "Rue," has joined the ranks of the bloggers. Unfortunately the first post is a personal attack on John Doyle by a person who is angry and frustrated. My problem with this post is that it comes close (but doesn't cross that line) of the nasty, small-minded and vindictive blogs from the mostly anonymous CBC haters out in blogsphere (or blogosphere if you prefer).
Rue, get some exercise. It's amazing how walking around and around each day actually calms you down and helps centre your thoughts. There are a lot of very angry, very calm people on those picket lines. (Maybe my next book should be Zen and walking on a picket line) If you're from Toronto, walk around the block, if you're one of those stuck in a crummy hotel room walk down to the lakeshore since you can't be seen walking the line.
(Personal disclosure: My assignment is as one of the photographers for the newsletter. I walk the line every day, usually in the opposite direction. I don't carry a sign, I carry a camera. I do, however, wear a button.)
Ouimet is back, and she (the consensus seems to be that Ouimet is she), on other hand, says John Doyle is 90 % right.
Technorati tags
writing, journalism, CBC, blog, news, Globe and Mail
8:55 AM posted by Robin Rowland
Permanent Link
