By: Joe Strupp Clarity Media Group, which operates the free Examiner newspapers in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and San Francisco, plans to add a Sunday edition to each and expand the current Thursday editions, the company revealed Thursday.
Home delivery, which had occurred on each day of the week, will be scaled back to only Thursday and Sunday, according to Clarity Media Group CEO Ryan McKibben. "We are shuffling assets that were of marginal value to better serve the reader pre-weekend and Sunday and on the web," he told E&P. "They have the most opportunity and the most demand."
The free Examiner papers are owned by the Anschutz Company, controlled by Denver-based billionaire Philip Anschutz, who launched them in 2004 with the first in San Francisco, followed by those in Washington and Baltimore in 2006.
McKibben said today that changes also will include doubling the number of single-copy papers circulated through newspaper racks and street distribution teams and offering home delivery of the Sunday and Thursday editions.
"When the changes begin taking effect Sunday, July 13, the Examiner will be published in its three markets Monday-through?Friday and on Sunday and home-delivered on Thursday and Sunday," a company statement read. "The Examiner?s internet presence continues to grow and mature. Newspaper websites associated with the Washington, Baltimore and San Francisco Examiners are being upgraded to better support local newsroom operations."
"Through extensive discussions with our readers and advertisers we have been very pleased to learn how much they value the Examiner," McKibben added in his statement. "Also emerging from these discussions were suggestions about what would make the Examiner even more relevant to them. Consumers and advertisers alike confirm the significant value provided by our subscription-free newspapers and the Examiners? strong emphasis on local news.?
McKibben said expanding its offerings in such tight industry times should not be a surprise: ?It?s no secret that this is a very difficult period for our industry. But it?s actually an exciting time when one has the necessary talent and is sufficiently nimble and innovative -- to effectively meet the demands of rapidly changing markets. That?s where Clarity Media Group, with the Examiner newspapers and examiner.com, is well positioned.?
No layoffs or other cuts are tied to the changes, the company said. No other financial details related to the changes were revealed.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here