Houston, San Antonio Dailies Discuss Joint Feature Production

By: Joe Strupp The Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News are in talks to share some feature-section production and design efforts, according to Chronicle Publisher Jack Sweeney -- who said the move could include using similar generic stories.

However, he stressed that the changes are in the planning stage and would not dilute local stories from either newspaper. "There would still be local content," Sweeney told E&P. "It would be more of a layout and production thing."

The Chronicle and Express-News are both owned by Hearst Newspapers. The potential joint effort comes as both papers are seeing more niche products and feature efforts.

Terry Bertling, assistant managing editor/features at the Express-News, said her department produces seven daily feature sections, in addition to a Friday weekend tab, Sunday travel and a string of niche products, from a glossy fashion magazine to a quarterly pet tab.

"In my mind, the feature section plays a big role," says Bertling, who declined to discuss any joint efforts with the Chronicle. "We have been flexible in adding niche products and are very creative in how we use staff and freelancers to get it done."

Express-News Editor Robert Rivard and Publisher Thomas A. Stephenson did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

Sweeney says the consolidated effort is "still in the exploratory stage," but added, "we are looking at some different types of things such as a shared production approach to put together certain feature sections. Producing features out of one place to have certain types of sections put together in one layout design."

Sweeney said his paper already prints sections of the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise, another Hearst daily: "Anytime you have papers owned by the same company, you look for efficiencies."

He said the two papers want to proceed carefully given what a major move it would be: "The tough part is the dramatic change. You have to be very, very patient about how you explore it."

Sweeney declined to discuss what cost savings could come from a joint effort, saying no plans have been formalized. "That is what we don?t have our arms around," he said. "Are there real savings?"