Monday, December 22, 2008

Newspapers trying just about everything

In Detroit, the two newspapers are eliminating home delivery most of the week (delivery on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday only). The other four days, the papers will be sold only on the street and will be cut to 32-page single-section editions. Good luck, but it's hard to see how both papers survive.

The Seattle Times is asking its employees to take a week off -- unpaid. This comes after three rounds of layoffs this year that reduced staff by 22%. Again, it seems that the day of the two-newspaper town (with the exception of New York and maybe Chicago) may be over.

But the award for most-innovative approach goes to the New Britain Herald and Bristol Post in Connecticut, where they are trying to arrange for a taxpayer-funded bailout for the papers.

Update, Tuesday: A reader says that the Connecticut papers are not asking for a bailout, and provides this link to information on the subject. It's good to have multiple views on a subject, and I'm grateful for the information. The question might be what constitutes a "bailout" -- legislators are asking the state Department of Economic and Community Development for assistance for the papers, including low-interest loans or other incentives.

1 comment:

Steve Collins said...

It's simply not true that the Herald or The Bristol Press is trying to get a bailout. Please read what's really going on at bristoltoday.com.