Everyone heard the news today about the rumored downsizing and potential end to home delivery for one, or both, of the Detroit dailies. A faithful Free From Editors reader dug up the attached link from Editor and Publisher:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003921897
Here's another take:
http://newsosaur.blogspot.com/2008/12/motown-madness-home-delivery-cut.html#comments
Sounds like a pretty bad Christmas for the Detroit newspapers.
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3 comments:
I heard today they're talking about home delivery only on Thursday and Sunday.
Jim, WWJ reported Thursday sources said that the Detroit papers are going to a three-day a week delivery schedule, with about 300 job cuts.
While this is supposed to be their big secret management is announcing next week, a pal of mine in Detroit says the ciculation department has already been calling subscribers, telling them this is going to be the new world order of subscription/delivery -- three days, days with ad inserts. Other than that, you buy it yourself or read it online.
Sounds like a first step in trying to go to online subscritions, but is anybody going to really pay for news this way?
I'm an old timer -- so 20th century -- I actually want the paper I pay for brought to my home,. Sure I look for breaking news online at times, but I'll have to think about cancelling my Free Press subscription if they can't bring me a physical, deadwood edition. I bet thousands of senior citizens and AARP members LIKE YOU will do the same, and we are the last people on Earth still reading..
Even before the collapse of the Wall Street firms, housing, credit, major banks and the rest of the economy earlier this year, friends said word was the Detroit papers were losing a combined $2 million a month, God only knows what it is now with the plunge of car sales and GM-Chrysler bankruptcy talk.
Yep, if you loved '08, '09 is going to be a real blast in the newspaper biz. Merry Christmas, everybody, and Happy New Year.
Gemmie Rewrite
The way the FJ is going they'll stop delivering certain days of the week, but still stay an afternoon paper.
Hopefully the News and Frep totally go down in flames by doing this and keep other papers from doing the same dumb move.
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