The NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia

IGM to offer new round of buyouts.

November 5, 2014billrossInquirer

In our pre-bargaining kick-off meeting with owner Gerry Lenfest and senior management, Mr. Lenfest said, “negotiations with the Guild are critical for sustainability at the company.”   Mr. Lenfest then announced that tomorrowmorning the company will offer a buyout to newsroom employees with 25 or more years of service and non-newsroom Guild employees with 35 years […]

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Where have all the bylines gone?

On Tuesday, the guild staff members of the Delaware County Daily Times are participating in a one-day byline strike — in print and online — to call attention to measures Digital First Media has taken to create its regional production hub in Norristown. This action coincides with the release of the redesigned Daily Times print […]

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2015 Guild Officer nominations, and free movie tickets

October 1, 2014billrossInquirer

Dear Guild Member, we have three announcements:   1) At last night’s Rep/Assembly-Gen Membership meeting, the following slate was nominated for the 2015 Inquirer/Daily News/Philly.com Guild Executive Board.   Howard Gensler – President Dan Rodgers – Secretary Eric Churn – Treasurer Cindy Burton – Vice President Melanie Burney – Vice President Maggie O’Brien – Vice President […]

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Wanted: New owners

Wanted: New owners. That’s the message today from journalists, ad reps and other media workers across the country seeking alternatives to Digital First Media, the nation’s second-largest newspaper chain. Today, Guild-represented staff at major newspapers including the Denver Post, San Jose Mercury News and St. Paul Pioneer Press have published ads online and in print seeking local, […]

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work hard, rest easy.

June 24, 2014billrossInquirer

Members of the Newspaper Guild Executive Board had a productive meeting with new owner Gerry Lenfest this afternoon.   Lenfest hopes to have a new publisher in place within three months, he is committed to continuing two print publications and he is considering keeping philly.com as its own entity with its own identity. Lenfest also […]

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Katz Lenfest win auction of IGM with $88 million bid

Subject: GUILD BULLETIN: Lewis Katz and Gerry Lenfest win auction for IGM at $88 million The judge-ordered auction for Interstate General Media took place this morning at the offices of Dechert LLP in the Cira Center. After about 90 minutes of bidding, the winners were Lewis Katz and Gerry Lenfest at $88 million. That’s $11 […]

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If the floor is 77 million, someone else can overpay

April 24, 2014billrossInquirer

In Delaware Chancery Court today the Guild told Judge Donald Parsons that we will not be bidders for Interstate General Media if the auction floor remains $77 million, the amount proposed by owner George Norcross and agreed to by owner Lewis Katz, even though their own experts testified that the company wasn’t worth that.   […]

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Delaware Court rules Guild has right to intervene

April 8, 2014billrossInquirer

Delaware Chancery Court Vice Chancellor Donald F. Parsons, Jr., ruled yesterday that the Newspaper Guild has a right to intervene in the ownership battle over Interstate General Media. The arguments of General American against the Guild’s petition to intervene were all shot down by Judge Parsons in a 12-page ruling.   In solidarity, Howard Gensler, […]

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Newspaper Guild files petition to intervene.

January 13, 2014billrossInquirer

NEWSPAPER GUILD FILES PETITION TO INTERVENE   Following a tumultuous 2013 which saw the rival ownership groups of Interstate General Media wage a public legal battle for control of the company, culminating in decision-making gridlock, a corporate deadlock and opposing suits filed in different jurisdictions to dissolve the company and put it up for auction, […]

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We’re not in business with anyone

October 30, 2013billrossInquirer

In a cleverly-worded Dan Fee press release today, the majority ownership group of Interstate General Media offered $29 million to buy out the interests of the minority ownership group. The release went on to say that the new ownership group, led by George Norcross III,   “… will seek to have as our partners in […]

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