It must be a quiet news day

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Jama

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Topic # 10025 31-Oct-2006 13:29

If you can not think of anything else to write you may as well rehash the same old rumours

1. AAPT sale rumour was again raised in the The Australian on October 24th. On October 25th Telecom told the Herald AAPT was not up for sale and Telecom was instead investing another A$120M in the business

2. The number of redundancies was fixed at 700 by the Herald (October 18th 'Telecom Slashing Up To 700 Jobs') as quoted by an 'internal Telecom unnamed source'. In this same article the number was refuted by Telecom.

I find it interesting that Computerworld has reported the 700 redundancies as a fact when I can not recall seeing any official Telecom statement to this effect. The orginal Herald article lacks all credibiliy and any basis of fact because it does not name the source.

The article is clearly a rehash of every major Telecom story from the month of October.

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Reply # 50437 31-Oct-2006 13:43

Jama, you seem to take delight in giving Juha a hard time.

He's got his job to do as you have got yours so why don't you just leave him be?

Jama

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Reply # 50440 31-Oct-2006 13:48

It wasn't personal and we all at some time or another post media inaccuracies (as we see them) in GZ. Are you implying that I shouldn't comment on the media if said journalist is a part of the GZ community?

freitasm

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Reply # 50450 31-Oct-2006 14:06

Look this way: at least Jama didn't refute the part in the article about Tim Miles.

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juha

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Reply # 50457 31-Oct-2006 14:19

I don't mind if Jama criticises things, but I do note that it would've been more valuable if he had written into Computerworld to say what said here. I'm sure that Computerworld would print his letter to the editor (or email as it would most likely be). So please feel free to do so, Jama.

As for the rumours, we'll see what happens in the end. The piece was just a summary of all the rumours swirling around Telecom at the moment. My crystal ball isn't working too good, so I wasn't able to include Telecom comment and denials issued after the story had been published.

As for job cuts I've heard since the publication of the story, and on good authority, that Telecom's management isn't exempt from any redundancies that may or may not happen.

More as things unfold :)

Juha

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Reply # 50459 31-Oct-2006 14:26

juha: I don't mind if Jama criticises things, but I do note that it would've been more valuable if he had written into Computerworld to say what said here. I'm sure that Computerworld would print his letter to the editor (or email as it would most likely be). So please feel free to do so, Jama.

Would he get the $50 if his was the best letter? Or do Computerworld not do that?

juha

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Reply # 50460 31-Oct-2006 14:29

Oh, and if you wonder about the timing of some of these things... Computerworld's print edition has a weekly deadline. This means I write stories several days in advance for print, which then go up on the web afterwards. It can be a bit confusing, and it's something that I've been thinking could do with a tweaking perhaps.

Juha

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Reply # 50461 31-Oct-2006 14:32

bradstewart: Would he get the $50 if his was the best letter? Or do Computerworld not do that?

Heh! Nah, we just say thank you, very politely.

Juha

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Reply # 50464 31-Oct-2006 14:38

Pfft well thats the last time i send in letters using my fake name....

/me goes back to watching ice hockey game

Jama

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Reply # 50469 31-Oct-2006 14:44

'After announcing a 10% cut in its workforce recently...'

Who announced it and where was it announced? I do not recall any official announcement unless the Herald rumour is counted as 'official'.

I could send an email to Computerworld as I could send an email to the Herald when I don't agree with an article but I choose to air my views on GZ. The reaction is instant and more rewarding.

You are right Juha the delay between when you write the article and when it is published is confusing.

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Reply # 50472 31-Oct-2006 14:56

How many staff to Telecom actually have these days? How many of those work for "Telecom" vs it's subsidary companies such as Gen-i and so on?

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Reply # 50585 1-Nov-2006 10:13

I heard an unsubstantiated rumour from an unnamed source that Fairfax was dumping it's English speaking staff and moving operations to India... apparently the believe is that if most people don't understand anything in their magazines time will be saved in having to print retractions and defending what amounts to lies...

juha

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Reply # 50596 1-Nov-2006 11:06

Felix: I heard an unsubstantiated rumour from an unnamed source that Fairfax was dumping it's English speaking staff and moving operations to India... apparently the believe is that if most people don't understand anything in their magazines time will be saved in having to print retractions and defending what amounts to lies...

Did you mean to write "Australia" there?

On a more serious note, I'm not entirely happy with people slagging off India all the time. There are more English speakers there than in any other country in the world and generally speaking, the standard is pretty good. If it's the accent you're referring to, remember that everyone has one - and it can sound funny to others.

Mauricio: maybe there could be a forum set up for Telecom employees wanting to vent their spleen on the rest of the world? Like their customers, wholesale partners and media? It's seems to be an edict from above you see to flame all and sundry... here's what Theresa said at the TUANZ meet yesterday:

Sometimes over the last six months we have had to bite our tongues when some in the industry make claims and allegations that get a run in the media, even if they are patently untrue.

Unfortunately, the tongue-biting prevented Theresa from naming the "some" in the industry or the "claims and allegations" she's referring to.

Anyway, not to going to respond to any more Telecom trolling in this thread.

Juha

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Reply # 50597 1-Nov-2006 11:10

True, true...

In the last few monhs I observed that most of the media in New Zealand is always looking for the "bad" stuff. But that's what sells, right? Telecom, and Vodafone have the right to feel offended when the good things don't get as much publicity as the bad stuff, but having a go is just not the way to solve things.

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bradstewart

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Reply # 50602 1-Nov-2006 11:21

In being completely unbiased, it's easy to see why Telecom employees want to vent;

Telecom is constantly under attack, being called all sorts of things like Telescum, Telecon and evil. Now when you work for a company that treats its employess well and is a great place to work then that will foster loyalty.

So of course eventually all Telecom hating is going to get too much and some are going fire back which is understandable.

If you expect anything less than this loyalty then you are very misguided. For those who would say this kind of behaviour doesnt belong on Geekzone, you are of course right. But neither do the constant attacks on their employer. Hostility begets hostility.

Not very eloquent (I haven't had my caffeine for the day) but you get the point. Let's try and raise the level of civility around here a little please.

Jama

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Reply # 50607 1-Nov-2006 11:33

I am quite happy if the media are accurate and honest in their reporting but to continually perpetuate a myth around the number of redundancies is quite frankly disturbing. This is especially so when the 'number' can not be backed up by fact and is attributed to an 'unnamed' or 'non referenced' Telecom announcement.

Just remember that yes we are going through a restructure and this is an unsettling time for all of us who have families and mortgages. Telecom is often considered a faceless corporate monolith but behind that supposed faceless facade do exist real people. I am one of those real people.

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