Business
Publisher Fred Ryan Leaves After 9 Years At Helm Of Washington Post
Fred Ryan, publisher and CEO of the Washington Post, announced his resignation on Monday. Ryan oversaw the publication’s rapid rise throughout the Trump administration but was powerless to stop the industry’s decline in recent years.
According to the publication, Ryan, 68, will be the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation’s newly established Centre on Public Civility director. According to Post owner and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Patty Stonesifer, a former Gates Foundation executive and board member, will temporarily replace him at the Post.
Sally Buzbee, the former executive editor of the Associated Press, was appointed by Ryan, Politico’s former CEO and founder, to succeed Marty Baron as the Post’s chief editor in 2021.
Ryan was chosen to lead The Washington Post a year after Bezos purchased it in 2013, succeeding Katharine Weymouth, the legendary longtime CEO, and ending the Graham family’s eight-decade run as editors of the largest newspaper in the nation’s capital.
The Post, with the tagline “Democracy dies in darkness,” aggressively and creatively covered Donald Trump’s election and inauguration, nearly tripling its newsroom personnel and significantly expanding its online presence.
While leading such a huge organization is never simple, Neil Brown, president of the Poynter Institute, a think tank for the news business, said that “if you step back and look at the last nine years, it has been an excellent period at The Washington Post and for the journalism it holds dear.”
Fred Ryan, publisher and CEO of the Washington Post, announced his resignation on Monday.
Brown said, “He took an exceptional brand and modernised it with vibrant and significant journalism.”
According to Tom Rosenstiel, a seasoned Washington journalist currently a professor at the University of Maryland, even if the Post benefited from a “Trump bump” like other news organizations, a news organization in Washington was also vulnerable to the issues that would arise with that outcome.
At the end of the Trump presidency, it had three million digital subscribers; however, that number has fallen to around 2.5 million. According to the Post, its digital site saw 139 million visitors in March 2020 but only 58 million in December 2022.
Did it fully make the switch to digital that the (New York) Times did? stated Rosenstiel. “You would have to respond “no” by all standards. Additionally, the previous few years have been much harder.
Late in 2018 and early in 2023, The Post underwent rounds of layoffs and suffered budget cuts that included discontinuing its Sunday magazine. The Los Angeles Times announced this week that it was laying off around 10% of its newsroom personnel, and NPR made a similar announcement earlier this year. Both the pandemic and inflation have severely damaged the journalism sector. The largest newspaper chain in the country, Gannett, has fired hundreds of journalists.
Fred Ryan, publisher and CEO of the Washington Post, announced his resignation on Monday.
When Ryan declined to answer questions about layoffs from journalists from his organization at a newsroom meeting in the latter part of last year, he infuriated several people at The Post.
Ryan claimed to the Post that the current downturn had nothing to do with his decision to leave.
He remarked, “I do not doubt that The Washington Post’s high-caliber journalism will always be successful.
Ryan has overseen the Post “through a period of innovation, journalistic excellence and growth,” Bezos wrote in a memo to the newspaper workers. His attention to the nexus of journalism and technology has been extremely beneficial to readers and has set the stage for further development.
With Bezos funding the Post, Brown said, the company and a new leader would seem to have ownership in a place devoted to maintaining quality.
Ryan is presently the chair of the board of trustees at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute and served as Reagan’s chief of staff from the time he left office until 1995.
If you think being in the news industry is difficult, Rosenstiel remarked, “the only job Fred Ryan can find that might be potentially more difficult is taking on the challenge of bringing civility to public debates.”
SOURCE – (AP)
Business
Sonic the Hedgehog Dominates Christmas Wish Lists
Sonic the Hedgehog is dominating Christmas wish lists this year. The lovable blue hedgehog is back in the spotlight, from sonic the hedgehog toys and games to sonic the hedgehog coloring pages and movie hype.
Sonic-themed holiday merchandise is on fire, from quirky sweaters to action figures flying off shelves. Sonic the Hedgehog Christmas outfits for kids are selling out fast, making them a go-to gift option for festive fun.
Retailers have been quick to recognize Sonic’s holiday appeal. Special promotions and exclusive items, like the Sonic holiday t-shirts, are everywhere.
Everyone’s stocking up on Sonic merchandise, from big-box stores to boutique retailers.
Online shopping platforms are seeing a surge in searches for Sonic items. Whether it’s Sonic Christmas-themed tops or Sonic the Hedgehog coloring pages, Sonic the Hedgehog toys or Sonic and the Hedgehog 3, the demand is skyrocketing.
Retailers who tap into this trend are sure to see strong holiday sales.
Sonic has been around since the early 90s, but his popularity never wanes. With the release of Sonic 3, fans are more excited than ever.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4
Meanwhile, Paramount Pictures is preparing “Sonic the Hedgehog 4,” with the newest addition in the family-friendly genre set for a spring 2027 release.
The announcement comes as “Sonic 3” opens in theatres on Friday, estimated to gross $55 million to $60 million from 3,800 North American locations.
The sequel is shaping up to be a good holiday season blockbuster for Paramount, which explains the desire in future “Sonic” adventures. On the international front, the film will be released on Christmas Day in 52 markets.
On Rotten Tomatoes, critics gave “Sonic 3” an outstanding 87% fresh score.
The first two films grossed a total of $725.2 million at the global box office and generated over $180 million in global consumer expenditure through home entertainment rentals and digital purchases.
They also inspired a spinoff Paramount+ series, “Knuckles,” which premiered earlier this year.
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Business
Amazon Strike Called By Teamsters Union 10,000 Walkout
An Amazon strike has hit facilities in the United States in an effort by the Teamsters union to pressure the corporation for a labour agreement during a peak shopping season.
The Teamsters union told the Associated Press that Amazon delivery drivers at seven facilities in the United States walked off the job on Thursday after the firm failed to discuss a labour contract.
According to the union, Amazon employees in Teamsters union jackets were protesting at “hundreds” of additional Amazon facilities, which the union billed as the “largest strike” in US history involving the company.
The corporation, which employs over 800,000 people in its US delivery network, stated that its services will be unaffected.
It was unclear how many people, including members of Germany’s United Services Union, participated in Thursday’s demonstration. The Teamsters union reported that thousands of Amazon employees were implicated in the United States.
Amazon Strike at 10 Locations
Overall, the group claims to represent “nearly 10,000” Amazon strikers, having signed up thousands of people at roughly ten locations across the country, many of whom have joined in recent months.
The organization has claimed recognition from Amazon going on strike, claiming the firm illegally neglected its obligation to bargain collectively over salary and working conditions.
The Teamsters is a long-standing US union with nearly one million members. It is well-known for securing lucrative contracts for its members at companies like delivery behemoth UPS.
Most of the Teamsters’ Amazon campaigns have concerned drivers working for third-party delivery companies that partner with the tech behemoth.
Amazon denies that it is liable as an employer in those circumstances, which is a point of legal contention. In at least one case, labour officials have taken a preliminary stance in favour of the union.
Stalled Contract Negotiations
Amazon employees at a major warehouse on Staten Island in New York have also chosen to join the Teamsters. Their warehouse is the only Amazon facility in the United States where labour officials have formally recognized a union win.
However, the Amazon strike is because contract negotiations have not progressed since the 2022 vote. It was not one of the areas scheduled to go on strike on Thursday.
Amazon, one of the largest employers in the United States, has long received criticism for its working conditions and has been the target of activists seeking to gain traction among its employees.
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Business
Amazon Encounters Numerous Strikes As Unions Aim At The Holiday Shopping Surge.
(VOR News) – Thousands of Amazon employees at various sites across the country were scheduled to go on strike on Thursday in an effort by the Teamsters union to pressure the retail behemoth to acknowledge its unionised workers in the United States.
The walkout is expected to concentrate on seven Amazon locations across the country during the holiday purchasing surge and may be the most significant union action against Amazon in the nation’s history.
The business announced on Thursday morning that there had been no effect on operations. It also stated that it is “continuing to concentrate on fulfilling customers’ holiday orders.”
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters maintains that it represents more than 10,000 Amazon employees and contractors in aviation centres, warehouses, and delivery centres.
Amazon has refused to acknowledge the union for many years.
The retail giant, which employs approximately 1.5 million individuals, excludes contractors and part-timers. A strike has been initiated by delivery couriers and warehouse employees at seven distinct locations in order to exert pressure on the company to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement that would encompass modifications to compensation, amenities, and working conditions.
Picketing was intended for New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Skokie, Illinois.
Also, the Teamsters assert that they are establishing picket lines at “hundreds” of additional warehouses and delivery centres by encouraging non-unionized workers to picket under U.S. labour law, which protects workers’ ability to take collective action to further their interests.
“Amazon workers are exercising their power,” Randy Korgan stated to NPR.
“They now realise there is a pathway to take on a corporate giant like this – and that they hold the power.” Amazon responds by accusing the Teamsters of fabricating information regarding the strikes, asserting that the participants are “entirely” outsiders rather than employees or subcontractors of the corporation.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel stated that “the reality is that they were unable to secure sufficient support from our employees and partners and have invited external parties to harass and intimidate our team.” For more than a year, the Teamsters have been intentionally misleading the public by claiming to represent “thousands of employees and drivers.” They do not.
The Teamsters did not provide a specific duration for the strike; however, they informed NPR that it would extend beyond one day. Workers would receive $1,000 per week in strike money, as per the union.
Teamsters President Sean O’Brien issued a statement in which he stated, “If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can attribute it to Amazon’s insatiable greed.” We established a firm deadline for Amazon to attend the meeting and treat our members equitably. They disregarded it.
The Teamsters granted until December 15 to convene with its unionised employees and develop a collective bargaining agreement.
Amazon has opposed all unionisation efforts in court, asserting that unions were not advantageous to its employees and emphasising the compensation and benefits that the organisation currently provides.
Amazon has been accused of discriminatory labour practices on numerous occasions, including the termination of labour organisers. Furthermore, it has disputed its official status as a contract employer.
Teamsters organize Amazon delivery couriers and other employees.
In June, Amazon established its first unionised warehouse in Staten Island, New York, two years after making history by voting to join the fledgling Amazon Labour Union, which is also affiliated with the Teamsters.
The union is one of the most influential in the United States and Canada, with 1.3 million members. On Thursday, the German United Services Union declared that Amazon employees in Germany would participate in a strike in conjunction with their American counterparts.
In the past, Amazon has experienced demonstrations in Germany and Spain that were related to the holiday season in order to advocate for improved wages and working conditions.
“The holiday season has arrived.” Delivery is anticipated. Patricia Campos-Medina, the executive director of Cornell University’s Worker Institute, asserts that “this is the moment in which workers have control over the supply chain.”
The Teamsters have reported that Amazon’s profits have increased both during and after the pandemic. The corporation is currently valued at over $2.3 trillion, with net income of $15 billion in the most recent quarter alone. It is the second-largest private employer in the United States, following Walmart.
SOURCE: NPR
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