Gawker
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modern and awkward
Yahoo's Cuddly Flack Sends Adorable Email
There's some kind of sick good cop/bad cop deal going down at Yahoo. CEO Carol Bartz swears, smacks down reporters and threatens "dropkicks." Her enforcer, meanwhile, has a Pomeranian named Clio and loves David Sedaris and peach cobbler ice cream. More »
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By Ryan TateComment by Firsthand: can you get any more gay than this guy 3 Responses | Other threads
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memos
AP Tells Reporters To Muzzle Facebook Friends
Someone sent us the Associated Press' guidelines for staff social networking and, in keeping with company tradition, they're on the paranoid side. You should probably read them, since basically everyone in the world must now follow them. More »
8,311
By Ryan TateComment by DrunkRobot: WTF? I may be wrong but if you work for the AP, you'd fall into one of three categories. Your... 1 Responses | Other threads
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from the mailbag
Bloomberg's Dubious Claim: Three Times Scoopier This Year
Bloomberg retains a reputation as the most brutal and authoritarian of the news wires, so it's no wonder the company's internal memos could pass for North Korean propaganda. Scoop production increased threefold, the glorious regime just reported! More »
3,143
By Ryan TateComment by Schadenfrau: Did anyone ever have a job interview at this place that still chills them to the bone today? Anyone? 7 Responses | Other threads
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memos
Yahoo's New Top Flack: Cuddly and Awake
Yahoo's PR operation has been a disaster of late. Its former top flack maybe leaked an ex-employee's nasty performance evaluation; another was caught sleeping during a shareholder's meeting. So Yahoo spread word: its new guy is nice and conscious! More »
3,520
By Ryan TateComment by GORDONGARTRELLE: Nothing screams cutting-edge technology executive like "surfing the web." 1 Responses | Other threads
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Disabled persons
The*Real* Idiot's Guide to Workplace Racism
We live in a racist world, but the Delaware Department of Transportation is doing something about it: issuing a hilarious memo! Who wrote this, some "retard" "homo" "typical white person?" Below, the best idiot guidelines: More »
8,713
Comment by seyswho: Other names you cannot call a guy even if you suspect him of anally poking another man's hoo-hah: Pole SmokerAss GoblinButt... 7 Responses | Other threads
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torture
One Fun Little Torture Memo Fact
There is so much torture news! Honestly? Just grow up and read the Times, Journal, and Post stories yourselves. But there is one small torture anecdote that sums up the whole thing nicely. More »
8,367
By PareeneComment by CountryClubRepublican: You mean, "the dumber and the more psychotic elements of the commentariat", as in Obama's Director of National Intelligence? [www.politico.com] Here's "one... 3 Responses | Other threads
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exits
Boat-Loving Fast Company CEO Out of His Office
John Koten, the nautical-enthusiast CEO of Fast Company and Inc. publisher Mansueto Ventures, moved out of his office last week ... into a cubicle. The move has magazine workers "freaking out," a tipster tells us. More »
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By Owen ThomasComment by ChillbearLatrigue: I thought that this story was going to be about the Love Boat. Not Boat-Loving. Imagine my chagrine. 5 Responses | Other threads
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torture
Bush Officials Explain Why We Shouldn't Admit Torture: Because Then They'll Know We Torture!
Two disgraced Bush flunkies have written a Wall Street Journal op-ed attacking Barack Obama for releasing the torture memos. In doing so, they admit that what we did actually was torture. More »
5,433
By John CookComment by Kari's Favorite Mark: I like dogs so I'd find their presence comforting. 15 Responses | Other threads
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memos
NYPD Chief Offers Press Center in Lieu of Cop Shack
Yesterday we reported that the NYPD was booting the New York media out of One Police Plaza. Last night, commissioner Ray Kelly relented, telling papers they can have a filing center in the building. More »
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By John CookComment by Aaron Altman: One Police Plaza is a monolithic shithole. Room 9 at City Hall was fully renovated a few years back;... 6 Responses | Other threads
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memos
Bad Boss's Get-Back-To-Work Email Sparks Online Revenge
When times are tough, bad bosses lash out. After John Soden III, a managing director at Thomas Weisel Partners in San Francisco, sent a hectoring email ordering employees into the office, his underlings struck back. More »
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By Owen ThomasComment by phlox✔: Men using III bug me. Sorry John Soden, Davis Love & George(s) Foreman but the only reason you ever had... 10 Responses | Other threads
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memos
New School E-mail About Yesterday's Occupation
The New School has sent the student body a detailed account of yesterday's brouhaha, including allegations that some of the occupiers weren't students and that they looted the cafeteria cash register. More »
3,533
By John CookComment by ChillbearLatrigue: Sounds like the NY laws are a little soft. In Florida, breaking into a building with crow bars and grabbing... 38 Responses | Other threads
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leaks
Fast Company CEO: 'Show Some Respect'
What thoughts keep magazines bosses up late at night? Late last night John Koten, the CEO of Fast Company publisher Mansueto Ventures, was wondering why his staff hasn't asked him about how great he is. More »
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By Owen ThomasComment by FracturedAcetabulum: Are they hiring? I'd love to work for this guy. He sounds like an inspiring leader, and someone from whom... 2 Responses | Other threads
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memos
Googler Rant to New Ad Boss: 'Please Fix This Mess Sire'
Google's top European salesman, Dennis Woodside, stepped in for New York-based sales chief Tim Armstrong after Armstrong left to become AOL's CEO. An anonymous Googler sent him this memo detailing the New York office's many problems: More »
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By Owen ThomasComment by MisterHippity: I guess he isn't feeling lucky. 1 Responses | Other threads
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memos
Departing WSJ Writer: 'All That Is "Urgent" Has Doubtless Stifled the Boundless Creativity of the Journal Staff'
Wall Street Journal feature writer Joshua Prager was known to work painstakingly slow. But the pieces he produced for the front page were always memorable, such as his investigation into the anonymous Iranian photographer who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1980. He announced that he's leaving the paper because he doesn't fit in any more. In the farewell that he sent his colleagues, he lobbed a few attacks at Robert Thomson, the new editor of the paper since it was bought by Rupert Murdoch. "URGENT" is a new wire service copy system that Thomson announced a couple weeks ago. More »
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Comment by Botswana Meat Commission FC: I'm sure this dude is an awesome journalist, but he basically admits: - he works at a snail's pace and... 1 Responses | Other threads
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memos
New York Times Union: Fire 'Superfluous Managers' Before Docking Our Pay
The New York Times would like to cut its employees pay by 5%, but before that goes into effect for reporters and other members of the Newspaper Guild, they need the union's okay. A memo that just went out after a council meeting says the Guild is loath to take the pay cut because a) they're pretty sure the 60-80 layoffs the NYT is threatening will happen with or without the pay cut and b) it would make more sense to save money by firing some of the do-nothing managers. More »
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Comment by friend_of_a_friend: Let me get this straight. A union is advocating for the firing of "superfluous" employees and "exempts whohold few responsibilities"?... 3 Responses | Other threads
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memos
Something Smells at ESPN the Magazine
The unending cavalacade of bad news is not the only reason people are feeling nauseous in magazineland these days. Earlier today a stench was making people feel sick at ESPN and they had to evacuate. Happily everyone's back to work. More »
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Comment by Paul.B.Dodd: The stench came from the fact that ESPN the Magazine is a rotten rag not worth the paper it's printed... more » | Other threads
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april fool's day
Send Us Your April Fool's Media Memos
Yes, we saw the Guardian piece, YouTube's upside-down layout and Google's blogging robot Panda. Sorta funny. Funnier are the memos being forwarded around media orgs, such as "Forbes to Sell Brother." Send us others! More »
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Comment by BadUncle: The only one I've come across today is this: [jezebel.com] 47 Responses | Other threads
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internal memos
The NYT Cost-Cutting Memos
For your perusal. The salary cut memo: More »
4,525
Comment by beccavel: Is it horrible that my week is going so badly i'd TAKE the days off. I know, I know. I'm... 1 Responses | Other threads
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media
The New York Times Discovers Arithmetic
The New York Times has completed the first step: admitting it has a problem. The internal memo is out, confirming today's rumored pay cuts (and layoffs). This is big news. More »
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Comment by spotted-dog: how much did the nyt pay for about.com? i remember an absurd figure like $250 million but i'm not... 4 Responses | Other threads
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Media Crack
Passing Off a Plagiarized Column As My Wedding Story Was Totally Unintentional
In your customary Monday media column: Another paper goes online-only, new magazines magically appear, a plagiarism scandal rocks Ocala, and a nice happy WSJ memo: More »
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Comment by Kari's Favorite Mark: God, even newsie's say 'content'? It's news, you idiots - that's what distinguishes you from, say, Shrek. 3 Responses | Other threads
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documents
AIG Corporate Security's Tips for Surviving an Angry Mob
An AIG corporate security memo, leaked to Gawker, advises employees on how not to fall victim to the populist horde calling for their heads. Click to see it in full. More »
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Comment by limber: This is actually totally enraging. I worked at AIG for a year (yeah yeah, stone me later, I didn't... 22 Responses | Other threads
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without comment
WSJ Editor: 'New Nomenclature Alone Will Not Generate News'
Wall Street Journal editor Robert Thomson urged his charges to work faster. To underline the point, some system that feeds WSJ stories to Dow Jones Newswires will now be called "URGENT" instead of "Speedy." More »
1,871
Comment by Pope John Peeps II: What if we just renamed "news" as "vaginas". Would that increase interest in "vaginas"? 13 Responses | Other threads
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bloglash
Mayor Says Bloggers Put Her City 'Under Siege'
The Salisbury, Maryland mayor's State of the City address starts typically enough, with talk of drainage, crime, road paving and federal stimulus funds. Then comes the part about the fascist blogger coup. More »
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By Ryan TateComment by Uncle_Billy_Slumming: We should train for that here. Then run guerilla operations against corrupt local governments. That could be a... 5 Responses | Other threads
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exits
Time Inc. Managing Editor Resigns
After thirty years at Time Inc., Jim Kelly is stepping down as the magazine group's managing editor, according to an email he just sent out, reproduced after the jump. More » -
memos
Nickelodeon Declares Chris Brown Unfit for Kids to Choose
Nickelodeon has finally read the internet. A week too late. They sent an urgent memo out today, recognizing their dumb mistake in keeping girlfriend-beater Chris Brown among the nominees for their Kids' Choice Awards.
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memos
Condé Nast CEO: Be More Afraid
Condé Nast advertising is down a terrifying 30 percent this year, leading to speculation a bunch more people will be fired. Condé's CEO reassured everyone that, yes, they could be fired. More »
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By Ryan TateComment by DeadliestSin: I get simmilar memos from the head of the media conglomertate I work for in canada- lots of words, not... 3 Responses | Other threads
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struggling writers
Google's Piddling $60 Promise To Writers
Google paid $125 million to settle copyright charges over its scanning of 7 million books. Today authors were told their cut: $60 to $300 per title. Woo? More »
6,080
By Ryan TateComment by Bottle_by_the_Scrivener: Why should Google have to pay anything? Content wants to be free, man. Like, free love and free content man.... 2 Responses | Other threads
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yahoo
Carol Bartz Gets New Yahoo Org Chart Half Right
Yahoo's new CEO Carol Bartz hates leaks, and we love Yahoo org charts, so the fact that we've received her announcement of the new Yahoo corporate structure is some kind of harmonic convergence. More »
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By Owen ThomasComment by Rock tha Hizzee: How different is the Customer Advocacy group from the Customer Insights group that Sue Decker championed? I mean, seriously. 4 Responses | Other threads
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memos
Weak Are Slaughtered and Devoured At Politico
Jesus, working at Politico.com sounds basically like joining the brutal, conniving gang of "Others" on ABC island thriller Lost, judging from an internal memo that just surfaced. Click for highlights. More »
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By Ryan TateComment by Televangelist: Uh, what are you guys smoking? I'm not in journalism, more in government, but this memo makes me *want*... 5 Responses | Other threads
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memos
Daily News Eliminates 401(k) Contributions
It was upsetting enough for employees to hear the New York Daily News was ending its 401(k) contributions (memo below). The jokes about bigwigs' extensive stock holdings only made matters worse. More »
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By Ryan TateComment by pretendtheresanumlaut: FIRST!!!!!Yeah, I know, I'm banned. But it was worth. Good times. 3 Responses | Other threads
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request for information
Send Us Your Stupid Corporate Recession Tricks
Useless middle managers, desperate to stay busy and avoid layoffs, are coming up with ever dumber corporate responses to the recession. We will discover and mock them all, with your assistance. More »
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Comment by Heneage: The Firm replaced our Evian with Poland Springs. Bastards. 8 Responses | Other threads
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lee abrams
Curing The Celebrity Disease With
Tribune Co. Chief InnLOLvation Officer Lee Abrams has a new memo! "CELEBRITY CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY...We can't underestimate our importance these days. We can change this cultural disease." Both of those assertions are false. More »BongsMemos
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Comment by relunctant entity: When he looks at the Blue Man Group, what does he really see? 2 Responses | Other threads
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journalismism
Maureen Dowd Must Have Spa Massages, Cost be Damned
Last Friday the New York Times sent out a memo telling staffers it's cracking down on expenses across the board. Sunday it published Maureen Dowd's (expensed) account of three days at Canyon Ranch resort. Huh: More »
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Comment by Artful Dodger: I'm guessing Maureen couldn't have paid more than $50 for that botched dye job on her hair so she is... 24 Responses | Other threads
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recessionomics
Your 2009 Times Salary Freeze Memo
Look, a "note from Arthur." He probably wants to wish us merry Christmas, right? No, he is announcing that he will give none of you a raise in 2009. More »
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By PareeneComment by Nick Denton: The most interesting aspect of the memo was the use of the word forgo. Sulzberger said "we have decided to... 5 Responses | Other threads
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memos
Nickelodeon President Taking Christmas into Her Own Hands
Viacom, the parent company of MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon (among others), recently laid off 7% of their staff. That is 850 people, folks! But apparently, Nickelodeon president Cyma Zarghami doesn't think it's any reason to cancel Christmas, hosting a party for a chosen few— but Viacom's employee party was officially taken away this year due to lack of funds. This, of course, really pisses off the uninvited. Memo follows.
3,990
By SheilaComment by gladys_kravitz: Jesus, Joanie, take that point size down several notches. 1 Responses | Other threads
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books
No Raises Next Year at Macmillan... and Merry Christmas!
Macmillan, the publishing giant that's been around since 1843 and includes imprints like Farrar, Strauss & Giroux (home to Thomas Friedman), Picador (Naomi Klein) and St. Martin's (South Beach Diet), gave its employees what passes as a Christmas bonus this year: he didn't lay off anyone but did announce a pay freeze for 2009 "for everyone making over $50,000." That's not as bad as getting laid off, however, which is what happened at Simon & Schuster, Doubleday, and maybe Random House. Lovely! Full memo after the jump.
3,793
By SheilaComment by tammyfey: Some people in publishing make over $50K? Well, la dee fuckin' da! 3 Responses | Other threads
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never forget
White House Memo: Please Damn Bush With Faint Praise
Are you a Republican who feels some sort of responsibility to aid in the creation of a whitewashed false memory of an uneventful, maybe mildly successful Bush presidency? Yes? Then the White House has a memo for you! More »
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By PareeneComment by SinisterRouge: Bin Laden Determined to Attack Within the US - Aug 2001. 9/11- Sept 2001. Way to go on the keeping us safe... 14 Responses | Other threads
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memos
Major Gallerist's Advice to His Staff: "I Suggest You Sell Some Art"
Wow, this beats even the douchey memos or subject-only e-mail missives we're used to receiving. Larry Gagosian, probably the richest gallerist in the world, sent this message to send to his staff in November: "If you would like to continue working for Gagosian I suggest you start to sell some art." The memo originally appeared on Flash Art Online, but now we can't find it—maybe because Gagosian is a big advertiser on that site?—and was also picked up by More Intelligent Life. The rest of the threatening memo—"If you are not willing to make that kind of commitment please let me know"—after the jump. -
people magazine
Blasé People Editor Confirms Layoffs
People editor Larry Hackett sent out a memo late today indicating the celebrity magazine got rid of 18 editorial staff, per the goal it set in early November. The communique, reprinted after the jump, gave no indication of whether the voluntary buyouts the Time Inc. title sought had to be supplemented with involuntary firings. Nor did it specify which staffers were leaving, or which bureaus were most heavily affected. But then it was written by the same guy who let his magazine slide into the common tabloid muck it was once a cut above, only to rationalize and narrowly deny the whole scandal, so what do you expect, forthright, expansive honesty? More »
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By Ryan TateComment by belltolls: I also wanted to let you know if you see your old co-workers on the street (perhaps in a park... 13 Responses | Other threads
memos
New York, 6:33 PM
Sat Jul 11
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