Syndicated Options for These Challenging Days: The Outlook

By: Shawn Moynihan With each passing day newspapers continue to cut writers and editors, and there's only so much output they can get from their remaining staffers. But they still have to get the print edition out, and that content has to come from somewhere. So, as budgets and newsholes tighten, one has to wonder what this means for syndicated material ? and what options remain when searching for growth opportunities.

"With a few exceptions, that's one of the great urban myths of our business," says Alan Shearer, executive director and general manager of the Washington Post Writers Group, when asked whether newspapers' loss of manpower is translating into increased sales of syndicated content. "Because saving costs involves not just reducing staff, but reducing space. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Not only are [newspapers'] resources reduced, but their editorial space is reduced also," concurs Lisa Klem Wilson, senior vice president/general manager of syndicates at United Media. "We have to be creative about what we give them, and what they can use and sell against."

Newspapers, she notes, have to be "more clever" in that regard, and some have done just that by purchasing packages of syndicated content on weddings, gardening or home repair, all topics that continue to prove popular with readers ? and local advertisers.

Wilson says comics and puzzles remain very popular ("in any kind of market," she points out), punditry less so. She says newspapers are electing to run fewer syndicated columnists on the Op-Ed page, and some columnists are also disappearing from financial pages as those sections are reduced or consolidated into other sections.

Cheryl Whitsitt, managing editor of The Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader, says, "We tried to take a look at syndicated solutions where they target more to your area," but her paper hasn't taken on any new features in several years. Instead, these days its editorial page features more letters from readers, encouraging more local conversation. "This is a local newspaper, that is our mandate," she adds. "We're filling those spaces with getting more of our own folks involved, rather than going the syndicated route."

Some papers, like The Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J., say their use of syndicated content has held steady ("No changes here," reports Editor Jim Willse), while others have trimmed. At The Fresno (Calif.) Bee, "We've cut back slightly," says Features Editor Kathy Mahan. "With fewer pages and tighter budgets, we've had to adjust. We dropped one column so far for this year, mainly to offset a rate increase."

Mary Elson, managing editor at Tribune Media Services, tells E&P, "A lot of editors don't want to reach that threshold, but you reach a certain point where editors don't have a choice ? and start looking for less expensive ways to get quality content." Most of the conversations she's had recently with editors have "centered around efficiencies, trying to put out really good newspapers for less money. We think we're in a position to offer some really good solutions."

If the money is still there, of course.

"I would like to buy more, but I just can't," says Sonya Colberg, features editor at The Oklahoman in Oklahoma City. Her paper began trimming its syndicated content two years ago (one columnist was cut and the paper switched to a more inexpensive provider for some of its puzzles). Last June it conducted a reader survey to determine which strips would be removed from its comics page. Six were cut, including "Judge Parker" and "Apartment 3-G".

The Oklahoman, however, is now supplementing its pages by employing a strategy that's been gathering steam ? content sharing ? with its longtime rival, the Tulsa World (see page 22). In late January, the two papers started swapping everything from lifestyle content and features to breaking news stories and photos.

"We certainly haven't added more syndicated content as the staff has gotten smaller," says Mike Wilson, managing editor/enterprise at the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times. But at the same time, at least in his case, "we haven't stopped using any syndicated content for money reasons."

He says the type of content his readers are requesting these days is "more consumer-friendly content ? jobs advice, how to buy and sell a car, how to deal with your home better ... more useful stuff that's broadly applicable."

In Billings, Mont., Editor Steve Prosinski at the Billings Gazette is feeling the pinch, like many others. He says as newshole tightens and his staff shrinks, "we don't have the luxury of buying a syndicated columnist and only using him or her once or twice a month."

The syndicates recognize the new reality. "We don't expect to see significant increases in text features until the current economic climate improves and more space is available, but it's not all bleak," says Kathie Kerr, assistant vice president/communications at Andrews McMeel Universal. "We are still selling text features that showcase writers with certain areas of expertise like environment, pets, food and home design, and we are still selling advice and entertainment columns."

Margo Sugrue, national sales director at Creators Syndicate, says, "a lot of editors are coming to us for content, and group deals are becoming more and more common." She cites Sun Media in Toronto, which replaced all of its daily and Sunday comics with Creators comics in five major markets, and increased interest in the syndicate's package of Op-Ed columnists ? particularly those with a conservative bent, like Tony Blankley.

One offering that newspapers will be hearing more about in months to come is Creators' "Rev-Up" feature, which allows papers to get the syndicates' comics, features, columns, puzzles, and political cartoons for free in exchange for an ad on the newspaper's Web pages. "We provide a few lines of javascript code that includes the REV-UP template and one skyscraper ad," explains Andrea Fryrear, Creators' director of new media. "The client Web site simply pastes this code into their existing Web site template to implement the feed, and the content within the Rev-Up frame will update automatically."

Creators keeps the revenue from the skyscraper ad, in exchange for the content it provides. The template provides room for a banner ad on the page, which the newspaper can sell and keep that revenue. "It is kind of an 'a-ha' moment that many of us have had," Sugrue says of the "Rev-Up" strategy. "There's no downside."

Shearer at the Washington Post Writers Group is optimistic that finances will eventually turn around for newspapers, but adds, "When you take away the things that readers enjoy, I don't know what kind of base you're going to have when the advertising comes back. That's a discussion you don't see, and one that people should be engaging in."