Alden's takeover attempt is "terrible news for Gannett's readers and anyone who works for Gannett," said Dan Kennedy, associate professor at Northeastern University's School of Journalism. Gannett has garnered its share of criticism for severe staff cuts, but Kennedy said Digital First takes the slashing to new lows. "Gannett is no day at the beach, but at least Gannett is trying to figure out how to operate newspapers in long term," he said. "With DFM, it doesn't seem there is any particular interest in surviving."