November 18th, 2008 
joel The global economic crisis and national newspaper downturn has now hit our local paper hard.
On GoErie.com yesterday and in this morning’s Erie Times-News, the newspaper reports a staff reduction of 25 employees or 9 percent of its 273 workers. Publisher Rosanne Cheeseman is quoted as saying,
This is a tough business decision in the toughest economy in memory, and one that we have tried to avoid making.
According to the paper’s report, 51 employees are eligible for the buyout which includes severance pay, five years of health insurance or a cash equivalent, and a $10,000 signing bonus. If enough workers take the deal, the buyout may eliminate inevitable layoffs that could come next year.
The last sentence in the article articulates what ETN readers have been sensing when they feel the thinness of the paper lately. “Even tougher market conditions in October prompted the bailout plan, Cheeseman said.”
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One day after the ETN announcement, the NY Times ran this title:
“Web Sites That Dig for News Rise as Watchdogs”.
Relevant two paragraphs:
“As America’s newspapers shrink and shed staff, and broadcast news outlets sink in the ratings, a new kind of Web-based news operation has arisen in several cities, forcing the papers to follow the stories they uncover.
Here it is VoiceofSanDiego.org, offering a brand of serious, original reporting by professional journalists — the province of the traditional media, but at a much lower cost of doing business. Since it began in 2005, similar operations have cropped up in New Haven, the Twin Cities, Seattle, St. Louis and Chicago. More are on the way”
Despite clear directions to the future, GoErie has failed repeatedly to do what makes for survival in the business. The web in Erie News at ETN regurgitates the written word and nothing more.
The new, new, new design is extremely important at GoErie.
I can now punch the link from Homepage to Obituaries, and then, leave faster.
[Note to Erie Blogs --- if you had Obituaries, GoErie audience is yours.]
As I read the downsize of 25 out of 273 local families, I pondered which would leave if it were up to the reading audience. Maybe the Times could list the writers and learn who would be missed least.
The ETN is rather demoralized already. When 1 in 10 of your coworkers is leaving, it has to hit hard on those left behind. Slimmer does not mean better. But, if the choice is to cut costs, or increase revenues with quality reporting, you can be sure the first will be made.
ETN/GoErie really needs help to survive and make a total transition to new media. Family pride precludes that.
Imagine if Erie was the first place on the Globe to eradicate the newspaper and get moving on the Web exclusively, impeccably, and with innovation that makes the planet check in here to see how it is done right.
The NY Times article today shows several cities leading the way. Erie is not listed.
Full article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/business/media/18voice.html?em=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1227016922-/fCroZK/RyqhsEttZ7Da0w
I see paragraphs were removed in the process of posting. A glitch?
Here is a tip.
Hit Ctrl and + simultaneously on any page you read to ENLARGE the font. Read with ease.
Hit Ctrl and – simultaneously to reduce back to original on that page.
Let’s see if we can get 5 paragraphs this time.
PC Magazine will go online only next year and stop all print editions.
There is still time for ETN to be the first newspaper to do the same. But not much.
Resources could be better utilized with online only, if GoErie ever goes.
Here’s the PC Magazine decision:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=081119192919.36ul595y&show_article=1