Comments on: Split Trinity Mirror in two says pundit as Sly Bailey steps down http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/ The home of UK regional journalism news and jobs Fri, 24 May 2013 15:38:12 +0000 hourly 1 By: Last one out - switch off the light http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19542 Last one out - switch off the light Fri, 04 May 2012 15:24:08 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19542 Any prospective candidates from our contacts?!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've got one and in my opinion he is one of the very best in the business. He knows regionals inside out and has a really feel for new ideas and hates to cut staff numbers!!!!!!!!!!!! He is the one who told his group execs to trade out of a position if possible - not to just make cuts. He is ex Northcliffe (when it was a great company) can anyone guess who it is? Maybe we could give TM a hit list. Would they listen - would they hell. It's just like the "new regionals National initiative" for Trinity/Northclffe and friends. They have appointed an individual who is not a player within the regionals to head up this function (RIP The Word). Obviously there is no talent left that could have taken on this position!! Northcliffe did the same thing with their last Commercial Director - he came from a national press background. Any prospective candidates from our contacts?!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve got one and in my opinion he is one of the very best in the business.
He knows regionals inside out and has a really feel for new ideas and hates to cut staff numbers!!!!!!!!!!!! He is the one who told his group execs to trade out of a position if possible – not to just make cuts.
He is ex Northcliffe (when it was a great company) can anyone guess who it is?
Maybe we could give TM a hit list. Would they listen – would they hell.
It’s just like the “new regionals National initiative” for Trinity/Northclffe and friends.
They have appointed an individual who is not a player within the regionals to head up this function (RIP The Word). Obviously there is no talent left that could have taken on this position!! Northcliffe did the same thing with their last Commercial Director – he came from a national press background.

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]]> By: Milli Tant http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19541 Milli Tant Fri, 04 May 2012 15:07:54 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19541 ''A prediction ! DMGT and Trinity combine their Regional operations into the newspaper equivalent of a toxic bank !'' Quotes like that may no be as far-fancied they once were. And if that doesn't put shivers down your spines nothing will. ”A prediction !
DMGT and Trinity combine their Regional operations into the newspaper equivalent of a toxic bank !”

Quotes like that may no be as far-fancied they once were. And if that doesn’t put shivers down your spines nothing will.

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]]> By: wilber http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19540 wilber Fri, 04 May 2012 13:36:46 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19540 the board should follow her... not one 'newspaper' person on it. All bloody bean counters! Shameful the board should follow her… not one ‘newspaper’ person on it. All bloody bean counters!
Shameful

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]]> By: Spanner http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19538 Spanner Fri, 04 May 2012 13:17:35 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19538 A prediction ! DMGT and Trinity combine their Regional operations into the newspaper equivalent of a toxic bank ! A prediction !

DMGT and Trinity combine their Regional operations into the newspaper equivalent of a toxic bank !

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]]> By: the red postman http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19536 the red postman Fri, 04 May 2012 12:56:39 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19536 As long as the board is fixated on delivering 'robust profits,' then the company is going nowhere, whoever is in charge. A company combining national and regional papers and with an incoherent digital strategy was never going to work. Splitting nationals and regionals makes sense but is anyone going to want to buy the emasculated remains of the latter? As long as the board is fixated on delivering ‘robust profits,’ then the company is going nowhere, whoever is in charge.
A company combining national and regional papers and with an incoherent digital strategy was never going to work. Splitting nationals and regionals makes sense but is anyone going to want to buy the emasculated remains of the latter?

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]]> By: Merganser http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19534 Merganser Fri, 04 May 2012 12:00:18 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19534 Did she decide to jump . . or was she pushed? Perhaps someone had a quiet word in her ear. Talking of the board, is it not time for a clean sweep? I don't think any of them have much of a grip . At least one does not hold a single share in the company - not much confidence there. The current chairman, Sir Ian Gibson, is a very nice fellow but he should have demanded much more of Sly. Wonder what she'll do as from next year - perhaps write her memoirs. Did she decide to jump . . or was she pushed? Perhaps someone had a quiet word in her ear.

Talking of the board, is it not time for a clean sweep? I don’t think any of them have much of a grip . At least one does not hold a single share in the company – not much confidence there.

The current chairman, Sir Ian Gibson, is a very nice fellow but he should have demanded much more of Sly.

Wonder what she’ll do as from next year – perhaps write her memoirs.

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]]> By: Runaway Ed http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19532 Runaway Ed Fri, 04 May 2012 11:41:05 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19532 I watched the company shrink and fall out of the main FTSE as the share price went over the cliff, desks empty as each round of redundancies culled newsrooms, offices and papers vanish, talented commercial people leave, the slow and clunky route to online, and yet there was still one miracle in it all. Somehow Sly Bailey always picked up a salary plus bonus in line with a thriving blue chip market leader. She wasn't alone, apparently magical finance chiefs had similar glitter beyond my humble understanding. I once worked out that you could get more than 60 qualified regional journalists plus all their 'on costs' (equipment/ facilities, exes, employers NI etc) for the price of one Sly. It wasn't the excel chart they wanted of course, but oh... how I marvelled at the mystery. Where did it all go wrong? I watched the company shrink and fall out of the main FTSE as the share price went over the cliff, desks empty as each round of redundancies culled newsrooms, offices and papers vanish, talented commercial people leave, the slow and clunky route to online, and yet there was still one miracle in it all.
Somehow Sly Bailey always picked up a salary plus bonus in line with a thriving blue chip market leader. She wasn’t alone, apparently magical finance chiefs had similar glitter beyond my humble understanding.
I once worked out that you could get more than 60 qualified regional journalists plus all their ‘on costs’ (equipment/ facilities, exes, employers NI etc) for the price of one Sly. It wasn’t the excel chart they wanted of course, but oh… how I marvelled at the mystery.
Where did it all go wrong?

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]]> By: Cherrywonder http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19531 Cherrywonder Fri, 04 May 2012 11:17:15 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19531 I recall when she first started at TM and was asked how her performance should be measured against that of her predecessor's. She said: "Judge me on the share price." No sooner had the words left her lips than the share price fell off a cliff where it has remained gasping on the rocks ever since. Yet she somehow stayed in post for nearly a decade. Weird, isn't it? I recall when she first started at TM and was asked how her performance should be measured against that of her predecessor’s.

She said: “Judge me on the share price.”

No sooner had the words left her lips than the share price fell off a cliff where it has remained gasping on the rocks ever since.

Yet she somehow stayed in post for nearly a decade.

Weird, isn’t it?

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]]> By: Andy T http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19530 Andy T Fri, 04 May 2012 10:36:26 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19530 Trinity Mirror does operate as many different businesses, all of which in the end report in to one of two MDs - a regionals one and a nationals one. So they are different businesses, they just share some things, like HR and IT. Good to see Greenslade on the money as ever. Trinity Mirror does operate as many different businesses, all of which in the end report in to one of two MDs – a regionals one and a nationals one. So they are different businesses, they just share some things, like HR and IT. Good to see Greenslade on the money as ever.

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]]> By: House Rules http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19529 House Rules Fri, 04 May 2012 10:10:30 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19529 You people do realise she doesn't set her own targets right? TM is a PLC so her targets are set by the board. So if she gets big bonuses then she is obviously hitting them. Save some of your anger for the board. You people do realise she doesn’t set her own targets right? TM is a PLC so her targets are set by the board.

So if she gets big bonuses then she is obviously hitting them.

Save some of your anger for the board.

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]]> By: GDK http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19526 GDK Fri, 04 May 2012 09:53:37 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19526 Farewell Sly. Will anybody miss her? As the NUJ was saying years ago, she's a one trick pony. Whatever issue arises, her only strategy is to slash costs. TM needs someone with a genuine feel for newspapers - and who understands what the company should do in the internet age. She had neither of those qualities. Farewell Sly. Will anybody miss her? As the NUJ was saying years ago, she’s a one trick pony. Whatever issue arises, her only strategy is to slash costs. TM needs someone with a genuine feel for newspapers – and who understands what the company should do in the internet age. She had neither of those qualities.

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]]> By: GladImOutOfIt http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19523 GladImOutOfIt Fri, 04 May 2012 09:08:41 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19523 "I have delivered robust profits". Never mind that that has been at the expense of hundreds of jobs, editorial quality, service to the community, etc etc. Unfortunately, the law dictates that for PLCs shareholder value is the be-all and end-all of a company's existence; customers, the community and the employees don't come into it. I guess this doesn't matter so much if you make pink plastic widgets that go into dolls, or run a huge chain of tanning salons, but newspapers? “I have delivered robust profits”. Never mind that that has been at the expense of hundreds of jobs, editorial quality, service to the community, etc etc.
Unfortunately, the law dictates that for PLCs shareholder value is the be-all and end-all of a company’s existence; customers, the community and the employees don’t come into it. I guess this doesn’t matter so much if you make pink plastic widgets that go into dolls, or run a huge chain of tanning salons, but newspapers?

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]]> By: Curious http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19522 Curious Fri, 04 May 2012 09:05:29 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19522 She's eviscerated a noble empire and somehow got fat on it. It's reward for failure. The share price has plummeted from £7+ to under 20p on her watch - before 'recovering' to an unimpressive 40-70p. Why is the board happy with her? The shareholders aren't. She’s eviscerated a noble empire and somehow got fat on it. It’s reward for failure.
The share price has plummeted from £7+ to under 20p on her watch – before ‘recovering’ to an unimpressive 40-70p.
Why is the board happy with her? The shareholders aren’t.

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]]> By: Tog http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19521 Tog Fri, 04 May 2012 09:00:13 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19521 ...she had ensured the company had continued to deliver ‘robust profits.’ At a cost of ever-decreasing revenue, advertising in free-fall, newspapers closing, jobs lost, plummeting quality, the lack of a real digital strategy... I'm sure the shareholders are delighted but if this is continued by her successor the company will shrink to the point where it's unsustainable as a large organisation. …she had ensured the company had continued to deliver ‘robust profits.’

At a cost of ever-decreasing revenue, advertising in free-fall, newspapers closing, jobs lost, plummeting quality, the lack of a real digital strategy…

I’m sure the shareholders are delighted but if this is continued by her successor the company will shrink to the point where it’s unsustainable as a large organisation.

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]]> By: oh dear http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19515 oh dear Fri, 04 May 2012 07:30:40 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19515 Bye bye Sly. Enjoy your millions you really, really deserve them for all your hard work in helping create a strong future for your newspapers. Bye bye Sly.

Enjoy your millions you really, really deserve them for all your hard work in helping create a strong future for your newspapers.

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]]> By: Spanner http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2012/news/trinity-mirror-boss-sly-bailey-to-step-down/#comment-19514 Spanner Fri, 04 May 2012 06:46:58 +0000 http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/?p=1628263#comment-19514 "a fascinating and all consuming role. Newspapers are a business like no other" What about "I am please to have made a significant contribution to the wealth and security of shareholder pensioners and moved the business firmly into the digital age" - NOT “a fascinating and all consuming role. Newspapers are a business like no other”

What about “I am please to have made a significant contribution to the wealth and security of shareholder pensioners and moved the business firmly into the digital age” – NOT

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