Michael Geppert, the man who oversaw the revamp of the Omaha World-Herald's website, is no longer employed by the newspaper.
According to a press release which was published in the World-Herald's Monday editions, Geppert is now president of First Data Solutions in Omaha.
After receiving a tip that Geppert was leaving the World-Herald just days after Omaha.com re-launched in late January, The Reader's Media Notes tried several times unsuccessfully over the next two weeks to reach Geppert or obtain a comment from senior level managers at the newspaper about his depature.
The new look of Omaha.com has been the subject of discussion -- much of it unfavorable -- on several Omaha message boards. An employee at the newspaper who wished to remain anonymous tells The Reader's Media Notes that dozens of readers have responded with phone calls and e-mails criticizing the changes.
Geppert had worked at the World-Herald for seven years. The newspaper has not announced his replacement.
Mediocrity is a way of life at First Data. He should fit in nicely.
ReplyDeleteTo know him is to love him. He's like a cat with nine lives! I worked with him previously at First Data Solutions.....
ReplyDeletealexa.com stats show omaha.com dropping from about a 21,000 ranking to outside the top 100,000 today..
ReplyDeleteGood! Someone deserved to fired over the fiasco of omaha.com. Now... can you make it the way it used to be?
ReplyDeleteHis shouldn't be the only head rolling for this pathetic revamp. Anyone who signed on to this idea should be shown the door.
ReplyDeleteWow, that new site is really from the 1997 school of web design.
ReplyDeleteWhen you're fired from one job they usually don't give you time to find another.
ReplyDeleteHaving worked at Omaha.com, The World-Herald always treated us like an unwanted child. Geppert probably did his best to enhance Omaha.com and its support of the newspaper franchise, but was ultimately forced to produce a website that didn't "threaten" subscription numbers at the newspaper.
The current site is what Geppert spent years fighting against and demonstrates to me that his battle with senior World-Herald management was finally lost. It's no surprise that Geppert left since it's now crystal clear the newspaper will never understand the true value of their website.
Geez 10:55 anonymous, you could at least try to hide your identity.
ReplyDelete"geppert spent years fighting against" - please - nothing EVER happened on that site that he didn't approve.
Geez 10:55 anonymous, you could at least try to hide your identity.
ReplyDelete"geppert spent years fighting against" - please - nothing EVER happened on that site that he didn't approve.
Now would be an excellent time for someone to resurrect DiscoverOmaha.com
ReplyDeleteIt is February 19th and I still haven't been able to locate the Opinion section on the new Omaha World Herald website. Maybe you should re-address the issue (the new but not improved OWH website) in your blog.
ReplyDeletehe's like cream in milk, he always manages to rise to the top. Generally at the expense of others around him.
ReplyDelete