By: E&P Staff Employees of the San Jose Mercury News on Thursday launched a website called savethemerc.com, part of a "campaign by employees and the Silicon Valley community to save one of America's best newspapers." The paper was one of the 12 Knight Ridder properties recently secured by the McClatchy Co., and then put right back on the market.
In a statement on the website by employees, they declare that "Silicon Valley deserves a daily newspaper equal to the ambitions and accomplishments of its readers" and ask readers, leaders and advertisers in Silicon Valley "to
insist that any prospective owner meet the community's equally high expectations." The invite visitors to sign a community statement of support, which states "we do not want the sale of the Mercury News to lead to a smaller, less ambitious newspaper."
Among early supporters are leaders of business, labor, cultural and neighborhood groups. They include
former Silicon Valley Congressman Tom Campbell and former Mayor Susan Hammer.
"Community members are concerned about the future of the Mercury News and they are showing they care on this website," said Becky Bartindale, president of the San Jose Newspaper Guild, in a statement. "Journalism is a sacred trust, and that is something Silicon Valley leaders and the paper's readers, advertisers and employees understand."
Aiming for wide exposure--and to reinforce the need for an owner who understands the opportunities of the Internet, as they put it-- the employees have purchased keyword ads on Google. Whenever someone types in the search query Knight Ridder, McClatchy or Mercury News, an ad linking to the Web site will appear.
Separately, as E&P previously reported, the Newspaper Guild-CWA has launched an effort aimed at employee ownership of Knight Ridder's Mercury News, the Monterey County Herald and Contra Costa Times.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here