First Press and Tower Post - Sept. 1, 2008
Three years ago today Press and Tower was born.
Since our humble beginnings on Sept. 1, 2008, we’ve generated 488 posts, received 3,362 approved comments, and almost 160,000 visits to the site, including almost 18,000 different visitors in the past year. Our Facebook page for Erie radio old-timers called “We Rocked Erie in the 20th Century” has over 220 group members from across the country engaged in lively conversation about their days in the Flagship City.
This was a year of celebration and sadness; great improvements and unfortunate setbacks.
We mourned the passing of Frank, Chris, Al, and Bob. Rupolo went to Florida, Nat The Hat to Texas, Cassie to NYC, and Joey to OneCarribeanWeather.com. Even the Jennings rejoined the South.
Sadly, GlobalErie fell off the face of the earth, and we lost 40 skilled workers and about 12 column inches per page when the newspaper outsourced the actual newspaper part of their business south of the border; the Venango County border that is.
But we also gained, especially in the area of a rebounding advertising climate, the embracing of social media and new technology, and some strong investment in the product that the Erie media consumer can benefit from. We now have a fun old-time TV Low Power TV digtial trio, and are getting at least one new FM station, while a couple AM’s simulcast on FM translators now. And the GoErie iPad app is coming.
Don’t forget, as Sean and Kim remind us consistently, we can “Like” them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter!
Let me just say that I “Like!” and appreciate each of you for reading, commenting, encouraging and supporting this effort. I am always open to ideas for improving this special community of consumers and producers and would love your feedback. Thank you for being gracious when my editing gets heavy handed, and for understanding that in the end we all want excellent, responsive, interactive media that improves our community and quality of life. We are all “for Erie.”
That makes this little “two cans and a string” of a media voice worth all of the effort. Thank you…and on to year four!
January 23rd, 2012 
joel 
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Deep Background for November 2011
Here’s a tribute for the newspaper carriers.
These sleep-deprived adults from all over our area awaken at 2 AM and drive their ink-stained vehicles to one of the district distribution centers for the Erie Times-News. There they will do by hand what machines used to do just a few months ago; assemble each newspaper they will deliver, merging the pre-printed features sections and ad inserts with the fresh news sections that just arrived from a two-hour trip from Butler. From there they will load 200, 300, or more papers in their vehicles and begin their run. The papers still have to be delivered by 6:00 no matter the weather, even with all the extra labor, and even if the truck is delayed.
But the Wednesday after Election Day, that 6:00 delivery deadline won’t be met, because the newsroom is staying up late to publish the election returns. Late to Butler means late to your front step and news stand. But don’t blame your carrier.
We sound off on all things media in this open forum through your comments, e-mails and tweets @pressandtower.
Embrace the chaos!