Head of circulation leaving
Gary DiSanto put his Clermont County home up for sale in last summer, but it doesn't appear it's been sold. The Clermont County Auditor web site still lists DiSanto as the owner.
Margaret misspells "role" in the second sentence, and she says nothing about a replacement.I am pleased to announce Gary DiSanto, VP/Circulation, will be leaving us to be the Senior Vice President/Circulation for the New Jersey Group Newspapers. In his new roll, Gary will direct the statewide circulation operations for the New Jersey Group. His last day here will be Friday, April 4.
Gary has put an excellent team and structure in place for us to build on from here. Gary ’s work on the JOA was remarkable and we could not have done it without him. We are saddened to lose Gary but excited for him and this great opportunity.
We wish him well and thank him for all he has done to make our Circulation what it is today!
Margaret
posted by Newsache at 5:26 PM
14 Comments:
Ask home delivery subscribers about circulation issues! Also, most don't know that the paper who is "community driven" eliminated circulation customer services jobs and now customer service for circulation is done from a Gannett Call Center in the Midwest (Iowa perhaps). Customer service in circulation is almost non existent. And it was DiSanto's idea to stop the free newspaper subscription for Enquirer retirees.
Life long loyal Enquirer employees, can't even get a home delivery subscription in appreciation of their dedication.
What a legacy DiSanto left!
She's using "roll" as in "that's the way I roll," indicating that DiSanto will be rolling in a new, more hip, way in NJ.
Enquirer's customer service is provided through a Gannett call center in Tulsa, OK.
Gary is so much sales oriented that customer service is at the bottom of his list.
Gary Di Santo: The man who created the lies of Bonus and Premium editions.
Dear Newsache,
What is the Enquirer's current circulation?
I believe it would be more accurate to say that Gary DiSanto was more “numbers” driven than sales driven. Basically, his task is to deliver the numbers by whatever means it takes and that isn’t always by selling subscriptions!
Examples of some (but not all) recent Enquirer tactics to achieve circulation goals:
Contrived Premium Days. Sunday only and Weekend Subscribers receive Premium Editions throughout the year at the discretion of the Enquirer. How many times a year does premium news or advertising happen? Right now 59 days and counting. Whenever the circ number looks like it is faltering from the monthly goal, additional days will be added to ensure the number is met (and bigwig bonuses are achieved). By the way, these papers are not free to the subscriber. The subscriber is billed an additional 39 cents per premium delivery.
See the complete and ridiculous list of what The Enquirer passes off as Premium content at: http://www.cincinnati.com/premiumissues/
“Bonus Days.” Today’s paper is tagged as a Bonus Edition. That means that a select target group of non-subscribers will find a Sunday Enquirer in their driveway. Even though the paper was never ordered by the consumer, it will be counted as Sunday circulation.
“Free” delivery to select target non-subscribers. For example, former Post subscribers are getting the Enquirer at no charge—that way the circulation numbers associated with the defunct Post can still go on the Enquirer books. Same for KY folks who won’t willingly subscribe. They get the paper delivered anyway—FREE.
The Bonus and free delivery “sales strategies” costs all hit the bottom line at the Enquirer as expense known as discount dollars. Not sure what that total stands at …it must be astronomical. So to make up for that, the rest of circulation expenses are cut to the bone. Circ employees (except at the highest levels, where some Directors are earning six figures to dream up these so called sales strategies) are held to low raises, tight budgets and work twice as hard due to unfilled positions. Equipment is not replaced or updated and Customer Service is sent to Tulsa.
The “excellent team and structure” to which Buchanan refers seems like a house of cards to me, but apparently not to the industry watchdog—Audit Bureau of Circulation. They are the ones that “audit” the books and the numbers. No one has called the Enquirer out on it yet…and for that Gannett will reward DiSanto with a plum job created just for him and I am betting they will buy the Clermont county house as part of his corporate relo package.
The anonymous above explains it all. Enquirer brags that it is one of the few newspapers in the country gaining subscribers although it's circulation numbers are driven up by bonus days and premium issues. And for that, Gary and his directors get rewarded!
Subscribers pay for things they did not order? Is there some clause somewhere that allows the Enquirer to do this? Does the Attorney General's office know?
Many daily papers use bonus and premium days, and the common practice is tracked and audited by the Audit Bureau of Circulation. Many papers also have free sampling programs because it's a good way of getting subscribers. Not saying it's good or bad, just reminding folks it's commonplace in the U.S. newspaper industry.
But, the Audit Bureau of Circulation only looks at the Enquirer once every five years or so?
9:18 i think pretty much all major newspapers deal with ABC all the time, at least annually. i know they do audits and reports, and i think the reports are less frequent than the audits. anyway, it's all on their web site but you have to dig around.
My favorite comment by Gary, "I'm basically in it for what's good for me". Like him or not, you have to at least respect his honesty about it.
"Gary's work on the JOA was remarkable and we could not have done it without him."
As a former Postie, I am astounded at such a comment. It gives more proof that the Enqy was dedicated to killing the Post, and Gary fulfilled that task.
Truly a job well done.
Hey, don't be so quick to judge...
It's been more than three and one-half months since the demise of the Post and Gary has yet to fully kill it off.
Just call 513-651-4500 and you'll reach voice mail that still welcomes you to the Enquirer and Post Circulation department, including all the appropriate prompts.
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