California Angel Still Reading at 102
For a new customer appreciation program at the Lodi (Calif.) News-Sentinel, Circulation Director Steve Knape has been combing through subscriber lists to find longtime readers who are recognized with a note on the front page of Tuesday editions that says, "Good morning (subscriber name here), thanks for reading the News-Sentinel!" And then Hanner came across Sadie Jauch. The 102-year-old has been reading the News-Sentinel religiously for 90 years. 
Buffalo, Buffett-Style
When Warren Buffett told CNBC last November that "newspapers have got a terrible future" and predicted his paper, The Buffalo (N.Y.) News, might be "the last man standing," it drew industry-wide notice. Buffett, among the most astute — and wealthiest — businessmen around, considers himself a real news-paperman. But he also says having just one newspaper makes that easier, allowing him to have a hand in the business he loves but avoid many of the headaches newspaper chains are suffering.
Chicago Bullish on Local News Co-op
Few issues rankled Chicagoans more than the city's decision to lease its parking meters for 75 years to a private company that immediately jacked up rates and ended free parking on Sundays and holidays. So a newspaper report in early December that profits from the meters were going to a big German financial company — and the investment arm of the Abu Dhabi government — not surprisingly stoked civic anger.
Can Pay Walls Work in Small Markets?
A small cluster of newspapers in Northwestern Pennsylvania, halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh, in 1997 started a Web site — a basic operation that published some stories culled from their print editions to go along with obits and classifieds. Twelve years later, a lifetime in Internet years, they decided it was time for an overhaul — and while they were at it, they concluded it was best to affix a price tag to that content.
Hearst Sails this Skiff Into the E-future
For the past several months, speculation about the Hearst-backed FirstPaper e-reader took on a life of its own. While Amazon, Sony, QUE (nee Plastic Logic) and others were busy unveiling digital readers with the hopes of enticing holiday shoppers, Hearst sat quietly — until Dec. 4, when the company that publishes the San Francisco Chronicle, the Houston Chronicle and several magazines announced the arrival of Skiff.
Year-End review: Biz Turnaround Just Ahead?
Newspaper executives were jubilant — defiant, even — during the annual UBS Global Media & Communications Conference in New York, in December. The annual event has been a dismal affair for the last two years, at least for the newspaper companies that still show up to present. But during this latest round, executives were upbeat — projecting that a turnaround is just around the corner, if not already here.
Survey Reveals Times After 'Times'
A survey of 75 ex-Los Angeles Times staffers not only found, unsurprisingly, that leaving the paper had a negative effect on their finances, but also revealed the former journalists' opinions on the paper, their post-Times lives, and the future of their struggling former industry. The unique survey was conducted by the Journalism Shop, an online resource matching former L.A. Times staffers with organizations seeking freelance journalism, corporate writing or design work.
Syndicates: Cartoonist Finds Peace in New Book
Jeffrey Koterba is an award-winning, nationally syndicated editorial cartoonist, lead singer, songwriter and guitarist in a jazz band, and contributor to publications such as the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald and The Daily Beast. With the release of his memoir, Inklings, he adds another line to his resume: author.
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Web Gets Sticky: As Pressure Builds to Grow Online Revenue, Are Standards Falling?
When the group Associated Press Managing Editors (APME) in 2009 received a $60,000 grant from the Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Foundation, it decided to sponsor a project called "Online Journalism Credibility." It asked members to come forward with ideas for research.
Print Pressure Grows: Does the New 'Business As Usual' Go Too Far?
At one time, it was a big deal if a newspaper ran an ad on Page One. Newspaper purists would rail against it, editors would debate the potential plusses and minuses, and ad directors would point out the financial advantages. Today, however, it's almost a story if you don't run ads on that once-hallowed real estate. "There's a concern about revenue, and people have accepted that there are front-page ads," says Marty Kaiser, editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and president of the American Society of News Editors.
'WSJ' Hits 'Special' Coverage, But the Charges Prove False
At times, the new frenzy over ethical matters in newspaper advertising can create a controversy that isn't real. The Detroit Free Press on Nov. 1 published a 10-page special section on Medicare enrollment that included an ad from health insurance company Humana, Inc. The next day, The Wall Street Journal wrote a story that claimed Humana had given the paper the idea for the coverage. Free Press Editor and Publisher Paul Anger says he explained to the Journal reporter that was not the case — but the Journal reported it anyway.
Deal, or No Deal?
Perhaps the best thing to happen for the depressed market for newspapers in 2009 was the sale that didn't happen. After putting The Boston Globe on the auction block for months — and getting at least two offers — The New York Times Co. pulled the paper off the market. The explanation was that the company had won deep cost concessions from the Globe's unions, and the paper was doing better financially.
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(Click on photo to enlarge)
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A FLAG FOR AFGHANISTAN
Chuck Liddy, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)/MCT, Nov. 30 |
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