Posts Tagged ‘newspaper layoffs’

Columbia J-school: Federal funding for local news

October 24th, 2009 joel
Columbia Journalism Review

Columbia Journalism Review

A new report from a professor from the Columbia School of Journalism and the former executive editor of the Washington Post calls for a federal loan program to support the generation of local news. The report, appearing in the Columbia Journalism Review, calls to question whether “independent news reporting is a public good whose diminution requires urgent attention.” To further quote The Reconstruction of American Journalism:

What is under threat is independent reporting that provides information, investigation, analysis, and community knowledge, particularly in the coverage of local affairs.

Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post provides some good analysis of the scholarly report, punctuated by many “green shoots” of entrepreneurship by professional journalists.

Considering the massive layoffs throughout the local media community, would easier access to credit benefit those journalists remaining to continue strong independent reporting?

Posted in Newspaper Tags: , , , , 9 Comments »

P&T: the first year

September 1st, 2009 joel

We got our HDTV, and our visit from Ty…along with pain and heartache.

PressandTower Screen Shot

First Press and Tower Post-Sept. 2008

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the launch of this web community devoted to Erie media. Over these last twelve months, through 271 posts, 1,803 approved comments in 12 categories ranging from traditional to new media, we covered the few highs and many lows of a devastating year for local and national media.

First the high notes. This community is a bountifully generous one, and the story that generated the most reaction of a positive nature was our coverage of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition build of a home for East Erie resident Clara Ward. Our daily posts, live blog, video, and audio podcasts gave P&T readers an inside view of what it takes to not only build a 3500 square foot home in less than seven days, but to also shoot a one or two hour network reality television show in the process.

(more…)

Posted in From The Editor Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 5 Comments »

Poll: how relevant are media unions in the current environment

May 18th, 2009 joel

I must say that I’m a little perturbed about results of last week’s poll, which asked whether folks would be willing to pay for premium local content online. The “No” beat “Maybe” 60-40 with no one voting “Yes” with any certainty.

Now I know that these polls are not scientific and may have no relevance to what would happen when reality hits, but what frustrates me is that the same people who are not willing to pay for any content on the web are the ones paying $90 per month for cable/satellite, $75/month for cell service and $2.99 for a ring tone! Add that to the fact that the majority in an earlier poll refuse to click or even look at online advertising and you have an untenable business model for financing the production of content on the web.

Moving on: in the last couple days the NABET union representing workers at WSEE has taken a beating on the comments here at The Press and Tower for their apparent lack of protection of those jobs that are being eliminated this month. We have yet to hear first hand from union representatives regarding what role they did play in ensuring severance and other measures.

Meanwhile, let’s ask the question about the power of the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, The Newspaper Guild, and others.

Given the massive media layoffs nationally and locally, on a scale of one to three, how relevant are media unions currently?

  • 1: the unions are totally impotent in the current media environment and are getting rolled over by media owners (65%, 22 Votes)
  • 2: the unions are arranging for some protections for current and laid off members (21%, 7 Votes)
  • 3: the unions are totally engaged in the process despite the downturn and are saving members from conditions that could be much worse (14%, 5 Votes)

Total Voters: 34

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Posted in Polls Tags: , , , , , , 34 Comments »

Paycuts, price increases arrive at the Times-News

April 29th, 2009 joel

The idea of an ombudsman or reader advocate never really suited the suits at the Erie Times-News. It seemed that the editors didn’t want to waste any ink on admitting that they sometimes get something wrong, or just might be unfair from time to time.

Sometime when Jeff Pinski had the job, they switched the title to Public Editor, and it became the role to explain controversial decisions at the paper and to field the angry calls. Over the years all of the reader advocacy has been rung out of the role, and now the current Public Editor, Liz Allen, basically is the newspaper’s PR flak and spinmeister.

The plates were spinning a couple Sundays ago when Ms. Allen attempted to justify a 50% increase in the price of the newspaper at retail stores and newsstands, bringing the cost for that daily paper from 50 to 75 cents. She compared the price of a paper to her favorite candy (Chuckles), to Buck Night popcorn, and olive oil.

(more…)

Posted in Newspaper Tags: , , , , 27 Comments »

ETN’s Cheeseman speaks: We’re alive

March 15th, 2009 joel

In the past year, the Times Publishing Company, along with most other U.S. newspaper publishers, has had to ensure a severe advertising slow down, the near-evaporation of their classified advertising cash cow to the online space, leading up to employee buyouts at the end of 2008. Nearly every day, the public has heard the drumbeat of negative news about the newspaper business: Tribune Co. goes bankrupt, the Rocky Mountain News folds, the Detroit newspapers go to limited home delivery.

However, throughout this era, the publisher of our local papers, Rosanne Cheeseman, has been conspicuously quiet. Until now.
(more…)

Posted in Newspaper Tags: , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments »

Philly papers go bankrupt, S.F. Chronicle could close

February 26th, 2009 joel

UPDATED: Commenter Danny Lucas alerts P&T to the announcement Thursday of the shuttering of the 150-year-old Rocky Mountain News in Denver. The Friday, Feb. 27th issue will be its last, as parent Scripps cited millions of dollars in losses, including a $16 million in 2008. The demise of “the Rocky” leaves Denver with just one daily, the Post.

The Philadelphia InquirerOver the weekend the company that owns the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The papers in Philly are looking at a 30% decline in revenues this year while they are trying to renegotiate on $390 million in debt.

Meanwhile, it was reported Wednesday that San Francisco could lose the Chronicle should the Hearst Corp. close up shop. They are reeling from a $50 million loss in S.F. last year, and hope to get buyouts from a large number of their 1,500 employees.

So the bad news in the newspaper business keeps coming. This era of economic tsunami has hurt all media, and the decline of the newspaper business model has been in effect long before now. However, it seems like there are some papers taking it more on the chin than others. The common thread among the major metro dailies who are really suffering is their financing via LBO: Leveraged Buy Out.
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Posted in Newspaper Tags: , , , , , , , , 5 Comments »

The Feed for Weekend of January 17th & 18th

January 17th, 2009 joel

Editor’s note: Sound off, give a shout out on “Deep Background,” our totally-random open discussion of all things Erie media.

  • DTV: one month and counting: The transition to digital television is now one month away. According to our calculations at least 24,745 households in the Erie DMA will have to do “something” to get service (many satellite users still need an antenna to get the locals). If you have not purchased a digital TV or converter box, action will need to be taken now to continue to receive over-the-air television. The TV stations are ready to make the switch; are you? Get more info at DTV.gov.

    • (more…)

Posted in The Feed Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »
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