Black Monday?

There's a big staff meeting scheduled at the Tribune on Monday.  I've been pointing out for years that the current newspaper business model is unsustainable.  I was originally subject to a lot of criticism and skepticism, but my predictions have now become conventional wisdom. 

Both newspapers are in trouble, but it think the Republic is better positioned than the Tribune.  In fact, absent an ongoing capital infusion or a major restructuring, I don't see how the Tribune survives for another year. 

Tribune Brass have called a meeting for Monday and the rank and file are naturally pretty nervous.  Staff numbers are getting so thin that it's hard for the paper to function.  A few years ago, Senior Tribune staff (Doug MacEachern and Dan Nowicki for example) had the option of switching to the Republic.  But the Republic is laying off or buying out senior reporters and certainly isn't going to provide a landing place for former Tribune staff. 

Things are bad enough that the Publisher had to write an email to assure staff that shutting down the paper is not on Monday's agenda.

Folks,

I’ve gotten feedback that there are concerns internally and externally that we will be shutting down, and wanted to address that issue.

As you know, I sent out a message earlier about meetings next week. The purpose of those meetings is to bring staff up to speed on the next steps for our business, and to be clear, those conversations will not be about closing the Tribune.

I know it's a tough time right now, and tensions are running high. Pressure on the economy, coupled with pressure on our industry in particular is causing a lot of speculation about a lot of things. The most important thing we can do right now is to keep doing what we do best, and that’s serving our readers and advertisers to the best of our ability.  I’m confident in your ability to do that, and appreciate all your efforts to this end.

Julie Moreno

Publisher, East Valley Tribune/Scottsdale Tribune

There was a time when espresso pundit was the only source for coverage of the local newspaper industry.  Gannett Blog has stepped in to fill the breach and I've been happy to defer and concentrate on the local political scene. 

Here are two interesting updates from Gannett Blog.

As Gannett enters the final quarter, it's hard to imagine a time when the company faced more threats on more fronts at any other moment in its 102-year history. With revenue and earnings threatened anew in the banking crisis, what options lay ahead for the nation's top newspaper publisher -- beyond more immediate layoffs?

Here's a story about the Republic's new format.

When The Arizona Republic became the latest paper to switch to the new 44-inch web format Gannett adopted last year, top Editor Randy Lovely told readers in a note on Wednesday about changes in the Phoenix paper's appearance. But I've re-read it twice, and can't find a word about the paper's getting more narrow. Or did I miss something?

Comments

[Joe Strummer]

The East Valley Tribune never realized what it's business actually was. It was not in the business of selling newspapers. It was in the business of selling information. I mention that because as an information business, it's terrible. For example, look at its website, which was probably designed in the late 90s and is unusable.

The Arizona Republic just happens to be bigger, but it is equally as pathetic in the information-selling business. In addition to all the problems you've mentioned here, it just doesn't provide a very good mechanism for generating information and sending it to people who'd like to consume it.

[Cagaloglu Hamami]

Is there a minimum weight requirement for women getting into management at the Republic? Why is it that nearly every female manager is crushing the 200-lb mark?

[ron]

More car dealerships are going under this weekend...

Foodbank lines get longer.....

Soup kitchens are growing in popularity....

Houses that sold for $200k 18 months ago are being sold for $80k now....