Monday, March 31, 2014

On profanity: As language evolves, should the media?

On profanity: As language evolves, should the media?

Monday Night in the Blogosphere

Maloof Racing Engines can restore any vehicle for you, 
call 626.286.1083, for a quote 



Rethinking the bundle - Economist

Can Mashable pull a BuzzFeed? - Digiday

Jeff Bezos' Master Plan for His Newspaper - The Motley Fool

Eye-Catchers of the Day: March 31, 2014 - Daily News Gems

Many people thought Cesar Chavez was crazy - Capital and Main

Local TV stations defeated in FCC rules on joint ad sales - Poynter

Metro Newspapers buys weeklies - Silicon Valley Business Journal

8,000 readers purchase Austin American-Statesman content day pass - Inma

Are New Media Companies in a Race to the Bottom? - Newspaper Death Watch

Lonnie White dies at 49; Times sportswriter, USC football player - Los Angeles Times


LA Times alums: Ruth Ryon, Lonnie White* - LA Observed

LA Times alums: Ruth Ryon, Lonnie White* - LA Observed

L.A. Times sees a newsroom marriage proposal

L.A. Times sees a newsroom marriage proposal

Today in Labor History

March 31  --  Union Communications Services, Inc.
2014.03.31history-martin-van-buren
President Martin Van Buren issues a broadly-applicable executive order granting the 10-hour day to all government employees engaged in manual labor - 1840
Cowboys earning $40 per month begin what is to become an unsuccessful two-and-a-half-month strike for higher wages at five ranches in the Texas Panhandle - 1883
Cesar Chavez born in Yuma, Ariz.- 1927
Construction begins on the three-mile Hawk’s Nest Tunnel through Gauley Mountain, W. Va., as part of a hydroelectric project. A congressional hearing years later was to report that 476 laborers in the mostly black, migrant workforce of 3,000 were exposed to silica rock dust in the course of their 10-hour-a-day, six-days-a-week shifts and died of silicosis. Some researchers say that more than 1,000 died - 1930
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs legislation establishing the Civilian Conservation Corps to help alleviate suffering during the Depression. By the time the program ended after the start of World War II it had provided jobs for more than six million men and boys. The average enrollee gained 11 pounds in his first three months - 1933
Wisconsin state troopers fail to get scabs across the picket line to break a 76-day Allis-Chalmers strike in Milwaukee led by UAW Local 248. The plant remained closed until the government negotiated a compromise - 19412014.03.31history-sonia-sotomayor
Federal judge Sonia Sotomayor, later to become a Supreme Court justice, issues an injunction against baseball team owners to end a 232-day work stoppage - 1995

Friday, March 28, 2014

SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, March 29 - L.A. Community Job Fair at Dodger Stadium


Today in Labor History

Members of Gas House Workers’ Union Local 18799 begin what is to become a 4-month recognition strike against the Laclede Gas Light Co. in St. Louis. The union later said the strike was the first ever against a public utility in the U.S. - 1935
2014.03.24history-mlk-memphisMartin Luther King, Jr., leads a march of striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tenn. Violence during the march persuades him to return the following week to Memphis, where he was assassinated - 1968

LA Weekly adds new details on Oxy-Felch story - LA Observed

LA Weekly adds new details on Oxy-Felch story - LA Observed

Tribune Company Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2013 Results

Tribune Company (the “Company” or “We”) today reported its results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 29, 2013. The consolidated financial statements along with management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations are available in the Financial Information section of the Company’s corporate website, www.tribune.com.
52 Weeks (2013) vs. 53 Weeks (2012)The Company’s fiscal year ends on the last Sunday in December. The fourth quarter and full year 2013 comprised a 13-week period and 52-week period, respectively. The Company’s fourth quarter and full year 2012 comprised a 14-week period and 53-week period, respectively. The additional week increased consolidated operating revenues, operating expenses and operating profit by approximately 1.5%, 1% and 3%, respectively, in the full year 2012.
Local TVThe acquisition of Local TV closed on December 27, 2013 and the 2013 results reflect contributions from that business from the closing date through December 29, 2013. Local TV contributed $4 million of revenues and $2 million of Adjusted EBITDA to the fourth quarter and full year results for the Broadcasting segment.
Fourth QuarterConsolidated Revenues in the fourth quarter of 2013 were $773 million compared to $871 million in the fourth quarter of 2012. This represented a decline of $97 million, or 11%. The fourth quarter of 2012 consisted of 14 weeks, while the fourth quarter of 2013 consisted of 13 weeks. The impact of the additional week in 2012 accounted for $46 million of the decline in revenues in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Broadcasting Revenues were $267 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, a decline of $36 million compared to $303 million in the fourth quarter of 2012. The decline was primarily due to the impact of the additional week in 2012 of $14 million, lower political advertising revenues, as 2013 was an off-cycle election year, and a $10 million decrease in barter revenues, partially offset by a $7 million increase in retransmission consent revenues. The decline in barter revenues was primarily related to a change in the estimated value of barter programming. The decline in barter revenue had an offsetting decrease in barter programming expense, and thus had no impact on Adjusted EBITDA.
Publishing Revenues in the fourth quarter of 2013 were $507 million, compared to $568 million the fourth quarter of 2012, a decline of $61 million. This decline was primarily due to the impact of the additional week in 2012 of $32 million, a $24 million decline in advertising revenue, a $6 million decline in commercial printing and delivery services and other, offset by a $4 million increase in circulation revenues.
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA declined to $255 million in the fourth quarter of 2013 from $288 million in the fourth quarter of 2012. For comparability purposes, Adjusted EBITDA in
the fourth quarter of 2012 excludes $12 million related to the extra week during the period.
  • Broadcasting Adjusted EBITDA was $94 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to $119 million in the fourth quarter of 2012. The decline was primarily a result of the impact of lower political advertising revenues.
  • Publishing Adjusted EBITDA was $109 million in the fourth quarter of both 2013 and 2012, as lower cash operating expenses offset the impact of revenue declines.
  • Corporate expenses reduced Adjusted EBITDA by $14 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to $11 million in the fourth quarter of 2012, primarily due to higher compensation and recruitment fees.
Full Year 2013Consolidated Revenues in the year ended December 29, 2013 were $2,903 million, compared to $3,145 million in the year ended December 30, 2012. This represented a decline of $241 million, or 7.7%. The full year 2012 results consisted of 53 weeks, while the full year 2013 results consisted of 52 weeks. The impact of the additional week in 2012 accounted for $46 million of the decline in revenues in 2013.
Broadcasting Revenues were $1,014 million for the full year 2013, a decline of $127 million compared to $1,142 million reported in 2012. The decline was primarily due to a $52 million decline in advertising revenue net of agency commissions, a $48 million decrease in barter revenues, a $36 million decline in copyright royalties due to one-time royalties received in 2012 and the impact of the additional week in 2012 of $14 million. These declines were partially offset by a $25 million increase in retransmission consent revenues due to higher rates included in several retransmission consent agreement renewals. More than half of the decline in advertising revenue was attributable to lower political revenue, as 2013 was an off-cycle election year. The remainder of the decline in advertising revenue was primarily related to declines at WPIX-TV, New York resulting from lower ratings, lower Cubs baseball revenue at WGN-TV, Chicago and lower ratings and a weaker national scatter market at WGN America. The decline in barter revenues primarily related to a change in the estimated value of barter programming. The decline in barter revenue had an offsetting decrease in barter programming expense, and thus had no impact on Adjusted EBITDA.
Publishing Revenues for the full year 2013 were $1,889 million, compared to $2,003 million in 2012, a decline of $114 million. The decline was primarily due to an $86 million reduction in advertising revenue, the impact of the additional week in 2012 of $32 million, a $10 million decline in commercial printing and delivery services, offset by a $12 million increase in circulation revenues.
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA declined to $787 million in 2013 from $832 million in 2012. For comparability purposes, Adjusted EBITDA for 2012 excludes $12 million related to the extra week during the period.
  • Broadcasting Adjusted EBITDA was $336 million in 2013, compared to $419 million in 2012. The decline was primarily due to the impact of lower revenues.
  • Publishing Adjusted EBITDA was $296 million in 2013, compared to $298 million in
    2012.
  • Corporate expenses reduced Adjusted EBITDA by $49 million in 2013, compared to $41
    million in 2012.
Cash distributions from equity investments were $208 million in 2013 compared to $232 million in 2012. The distributions received in 2012 included $61 million that was related to dividends that were distributed to the Company in respect of prior periods.
“Broadcasting revenue trends during the first three quarters were disappointing. However, in the fourth quarter, non-political core advertising revenue stabilized year over year. Our root challenges are definable and addressable and we have taken action. In the Publishing business, our operational actions have stabilized profitability and we are confident that we are building a solid foundation for this business’s future. Overall we are excited by our prospects for Q1 and full year 2014,” said Peter Liguori, Tribune Company President and Chief Executive Officer.
###
Media Contact:Investor Contact:
Gary WeitmanDonna Granato
SVP/Corporate RelationsVP/Corporate Finance & Investor Relations
312/222-3394 (office)212/210-2703 (office)
gweitman@tribune.comdgranato@tribune.com
————————————-
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release includes a discussion of Adjusted EBITDA for the Company and our operating segments (Publishing, Broadcasting and Corporate). Adjusted EBITDA is a financial measure that is not recognized under accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”). Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings before income taxes, interest income, interest expense, pension expense, equity income and losses, depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation, certain special items (including severance), non-operating items and reorganization items plus cash distributions from equity investments less cash pension contributions. Adjusted EBITDA for the Company’s operating segments is calculated as segment operating profit plus depreciation, amortization, pension expense, stock-based compensation and certain special items (including severance). We believe that Adjusted EBITDA is a measure commonly used by investors to evaluate our performance and that of our competitors. We also present Adjusted EBITDA because we believe investors, analysts and rating agencies consider it useful in measuring our ability to meet our debt service obligations. We further believe that the disclosure of Adjusted EBITDA is useful to investors, as this non-GAAP measure is used, among other measures, by our management to evaluate our performance. By disclosing Adjusted EBITDA, we believe that we create for investors a greater understanding of, and an enhanced level of transparency into, the means by which our management operates our company. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure presented in accordance with GAAP, and our use of the term Adjusted EBITDA may vary from that of others in our industry. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss), operating profit, revenues or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP as measures of operating performance or liquidity.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain disclosures in this press release include certain forward-looking statements that are based largely on our current expectations and reflect various estimates and assumptions by the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results and achievements to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements, and are in some instances beyond our control. Such risks, trends and uncertainties include: the Company’s adoption of fresh-start reporting which caused its consolidated financial statements for periods subsequent to the date we and our subsidiaries (the “Debtors”) emerged from chapter 11 bankruptcy to not be comparable to prior periods; the Company’s ability to satisfy future capital and liquidity requirements; our ability to access the credit and capital markets at the times and in the amounts needed and on acceptable terms; our ability to retire outstanding debt and satisfy other contractual commitments; increased interest rate risk due to variable rate indebtedness; changes in advertising demand, circulation levels and audience shares; changes in the overall market for television advertising, regulatory and judicial rulings; availability and cost of broadcast rights; competition and other economic conditions including fragmentation of the media landscape and competition from other media alternatives; our ability to develop and grow its on-line businesses; changes in newsprint prices; changes in accounting standards; adverse results from litigation, governmental investigations or tax-related proceedings or audits; our ability to settle unresolved claims filed in connection with the Debtors’ chapter 11 cases and resolve the appeals seeking to overturn the confirmation order issued by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on July 23, 2012; our ability to satisfy its pension and other postretirement employee benefit obligations; our ability to attract and retain employees; the effect of labor strikes, lock-outs and labor negotiations; our ability to realize benefits or synergies from acquisitions or divestitures or to operate our businesses effectively following acquisitions or divestitures; our ability to successfully integrate the acquisition of Local TV Holdings, LLC (“Local TV”), including our ability to program the acquired stations to successfully generate improved ratings and increased advertising revenue and to maintain relationships with cable operators, satellite providers and other key commercial partners of Local TV, retain key Local TV employees, and realize the expected benefits and synergies including the expected accretion in earnings; our ability to successfully complete the proposed spin-off of essentially all of our publishing businesses, including the ability to (i) realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed spin-off transaction, achieve requisite regulatory approvals and retain key personnel and (ii) successfully navigate unanticipated developments that may delay or negatively impact the proposed spin-off transaction, changes in market conditions and disruption to business operations as a result of the proposed transaction; our reliance on third-party vendors for various services; our ability to adapt to technological changes; and other events beyond our control that may result in unexpected adverse operating results. Further, there can be no assurance that the proposed spin-off of essentially all of our publishing businesses will be completed as anticipated or at all.
The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “could,” “should,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “seek,” “will,” “designed,” “assume,” “implied” and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. Whether or not any such forward-looking statements are in fact achieved will depend on future events, some of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are being made as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

TRIBUNE is one of the country’s leading multimedia companies, operating businesses in broadcasting, publishing, and interactive. The company’s broadcasting group owns or operates 42 television stations, WGN America on national cable, the national multicast networks Antenna TV and THIS TV, Tribune Studios and Chicago’s WGN-AM. In publishing, Tribune’s leading daily newspapers include the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, Sun Sentinel (South Florida), Orlando Sentinel, Hartford Courant, The Morning Call and Daily Press. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune’s broadcast and print properties and extend the company’s nationwide audience.

SOURCE: Tribune Company

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Soft Launch of Los Angeles Register set for April 16th



Thursday Night in the Blogosphere

The Sysco food show a few days ago



Local reporting is suffering from a ‘gradual erosion’ - Poynter

Eye-Catchers of the Day: March 27, 2014 - Daily News Gems

Newsday Gets 3rd New Publisher in 6 Years - Long Island Press

L.A. Times Jason Felch Firing Raises More Questions - LA Weekly

Inside The Sexual Assault Civil War At Occidental College - Buzzfeed

Charting the years-long decline of local news reporting - Washington Post

Editor of Los Angeles Register to Speak at Distinguished Journalists Awards - spjla

Publisher of Star-Ledger unveils plan to launch new media company - NorthJersey.com

Times Free Press wins top magazine honor as one of 10 newspapers that do it right - TFP

Shangri-La Hotels And Resorts Replaces Print Newspapers Distributed to Guests - Hotel News


In defense of ugly journalism

In defense of ugly journalism

Today in Labor History

Mother Jones is ordered to leave Colorado, where state authorities accuse her of “stirring up” striking coal miners - 1904

(Mother Jones: The Most Dangerous Woman in America: Her rallying cry was famous: "Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living." A century ago, Mother Jones was a celebrated organizer and agitator, the very soul of the modern American labor movement. At coal strikes, steel strikes, railroad, textile, and brewery strikes, Mother Jones was always there, stirring the workers to action and enraging the powerful. In this first biography of "the most dangerous woman in America," Elliott J. Gorn proves why, in the words of Eugene V. Debs, Mother Jones "has won her way into the hearts of the nation's toilers, and... will be lovingly remembered by their children and their children's children forever.")
U.S. Supreme Court rules that undocumented workers do not have the same rights as Americans when they are wrongly fired - 2002

XYLOVAN - the musical art car - Phase 2!

Help the family that built the amazing XyloVan raise funds on Indiegogo to make it stronger, brighter, louder and even more beautiful! Come see our campaign and our awesome perks (musical instruments, gongs, chimes and jewelry!) at  http://igg.me/at/xylovan


Nugget of the day from Sammy Maloof


KCBS: Garcetti, City Leaders Announce Expansion Of 10K Summer Jobs For LA Youth

Mayor Eric Garcetti was joined by White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Robert Iger, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson, Los Angles City Councilmember Joe Buscaino and other leaders at a press conference to announce the expansion of Los Angeles' summer youth jobs program to provide 10,000 summer jobs for LA youth aged 14 to 24.

"Too often young people can fall behind during the summers when school is out," said Mayor Garcetti. "This program provides youth a path to be productive, not only with gainful employment, but with skills and pride."




YOUNG ADULTS!!!! DON'T SLEEP ON THIS ONE...BE THERE!!
Hire LA’s Youth Enrollment
Los Angeles Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) will be placing thousands of youth in jobs this summer. Youth must complete an application online to enter into a lottery to be selected for the program. 
1. You must be 14 - 24 years old
2. •You must live in the City of Los Angeles
3. •Your family must meet the low income criteria or receive public assistance or you are a foster child or homeless
4. •You must have the right to work in the U.S.
5. There may be other eligibility requirements, depending on program funding.

*submitting the SYEP application is NOT a guarantee employment*

Use the PVJOBS resource center computers to apply for the Hire LA’s Youth Summer Employment Program.

April 1st, 2014
3:00- 4:00 PM
@
PVJOBS

4112 S. Main St. Los Angeles, CA
www.pvjobs.org

Also learn about the PVJOBS Right Turn Program, designed to assist system-involved youth ages 14-25 with education and employment opportunities.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Today in Labor History

March 26

San Francisco brewery workers begin a 9-month strike as local employers follow the union-busting lead of the National Brewer’s Association. and fire their unionized workers, replacing them with scabs. Two unionized brewers refused to go along, kept producing beer, prospered wildly and induced the Association to capitulate. A contract benefit since having unionized two years earlier, certainly worth defending: free beer - 1888 ~DE


JUNE 1886: Brewery workers union formed among mostly socialist German workers, to resist the prevailing 16-18 hour workday. On July 22, 1886 breweries admitted defeat and gave in to union demands for FREE BEER, the closed shop, freedom to live anywhere for brewery workers (who had up until then typically lived in the brewery itself), a 10-hour day, six-day week, and a board of arbitration.


MARCH 26, 1888: Having broken the union everywhere except San Francisco during the previous two years, the National Brewer's Association issued a manifesto against unionism. The national organization ordered its affiliated San Francisco members to fire union workers and replace them with scabs, which led to a 9 month strike. During the strike, two union breweries, the Fredericksburg of San Jose and another in Sacramento, were prospering wildly, which helped the San Francisco boycott to hold and induced the Brewers' Association to capitulate on June 5, 1889.


The great success of the strike led to many others by the militant young union that would eventually be called the International Union of United Brewery, Flour, Cereal, Soft Drink and Distillery Workers of America (BFCSD). The BFCSD even used their abilities to assist workers to organize in other sectors. They successfully organized the Retail Clerks International Protective Association in 1890, and the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America in 1897.

Willow Bay to lead journalism school at USC Annenberg

Willow Bay to lead journalism school at USC Annenberg

The Los Angeles Shelter Challenge

“In Los Angeles County, over 57,700 people are estimated to be homeless nightly; and more than 43,000 men, women and children – a staggering 75 percent of our homeless population – have no options for shelter on any given night.” – The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority 

We are offering Mayor Garcetti and the LA City Council a challenge. Put together a shelter plan that increases the number of shelter beds available and improve the conditions in our shelters within 60 days, or spend one night in the courtyard of the Midnight Mission in Skid-row, downtown LA.

The Midnight Mission courtyard is the last option for someone looking for shelter in Los Angeles. This way our Mayor and City Council can experience for themselves exactly what their constituents live through each night. So they can judge firsthand if the great city of Los Angeles is adequately taking care of our homeless men, women and children or if they need to do more.

The conditions our homeless brothers and sisters face on the streets of LA are unacceptable and it’s time we put our foot down asking the City of LA to do more.

Join this event page by saying that you are “going” if you agree that the City of LA and it’s leaders need to do much more and come up with solutions ASAP to protect the 43,000 men, women and children who have no shelter each night.

Please invite your family and friends to this online event!

The deadline for Mayor Garcetti and the LA council to put forth a plan is May 23rd!

Thank you,

Monday Night Mission



Growth in online video news consumption slows

Growth in online video news consumption slows

Mainstream media journalist so redundant they will be replaced with robots

Wednesday Morning in the Blogosphere

The view of Skid Row Los Angeles from 6th and San Julian Streets



Re-learning the Labor Movement - Capital and Main

Two Newspapers vs. the App Stores - The Motley Fool

News gets less local as station owners get bigger - Poynter

Is the OC Register's Paywall Coming Down? - OC Weekly

Will TV News Learn Anything From Newspapers? - Media Post

State of the News Media 2014 - PewResearch Journalism Project

L.A. drops appeal of ban on taking homeless people's property - LA Times

Six newspapers come together to launch common ad platform - Business Standard

Professor: 90% of News Stories to be Written by Computers by 2030 - Info Wars

LA Times’ Jason Felch Firing: TheWrap Uncovers 8 Awkward Questions - The Wrap


Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Classified Ventures’ assets could be worth more than all Tribune’s papers

Classified Ventures’ assets could be worth more than all Tribune’s papers

Today in Labor History

Toronto printers strike for the 9-hour day in what is believed to be Canada’s first major strike - 1872
First “Poor People’s March” on Washington, in which jobless workers demanded creation of a public works program. Led by populist Jacob Coxey, the 500 to 1,000 unemployed protesters became known as “Coxey’s Army” - 1894
A total of 146 workers are killed in a fire at New York’s Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, a disaster that would launch a national movement for safer working conditions - 1911

2014.03.24history-triangle(Triangle: The Fire that Changed America: On March 25, 1911, a fire broke out at the Triangle shirtwaist factory in New York City. Within minutes it engulfed three upper floors, burning to death—or causing to jump to their deaths—146 workers, 123 of them women, some as young as 15.)
An explosion at a coal mine in Centralia, Ill., kills 111 miners. Mineworkers President John L. Lewis calls a 6-day work stoppage by the nation’s 400,000 soft coal miners to demand safer working conditions - 1947

March 242014.03.24history-nyc-subway-ceremony
Groundbreaking on the first section of the New York City subway system, from City Hall to the Bronx. According to the New York Times, this was a worker’s review of the digging style of the well-dressed Subway Commissioners: "I wouldn't give th' Commish'ners foive cents a day fer a digging job. They're too shtiff" - 1900

Friday, March 21, 2014

Ace San Gabriel Trench Project Adversely Affecting Businesses

The City of San Gabriel, which is located just ten miles east of Los Angeles, has embarked on a track lowering project named, Ace San Gabriel Trench Project. The work began in late 2012 and is not expected to be completed until sometime in 2017.


The purpose of the work is to increase traffic flow at four locations by building bridges over San Gabriel Boulevard, Del Mar Avenue, Mission Road, and Ramona over the recessed rail line. Personally, I haven't noticed many freight trains using the line, but I'm certain someone ran a study proving a need.

  
Two business owners contacted me regarding the negative impact the Ace San Gabriel Trench Project has had on their income, and wondered if they will be able to remain in business due to the length this project will take? The business owners most affected are on Commercial Avenue, that has limited access from San Gabriel Boulevard, as their street can only be accessed from the north bound San Gabriel Blvd.


Over the next few months I will be exploring this story from both sides in hopes of gaining additional insight, and bring compensation for lost income to the business owners that are struggling to stay afloat during the disruption of their customers.

If your business has been disrupted please contact me at 909.230.2061 or ed.padgett@gmail.com .

Friday Afternoon in the Blogosphere





‘Robot’ to write 1 billion stories in 2014 - Poynter

Living to write another day in Liberia - Editors Weblog

Fox 32 barely admits pay-for-play news - Robert Feder

THE STAGES OF NEWSPAPERS’ DECLINE - Stratechery

Publishers, Stop Crying Over Spilled Ink - Editor and Publisher

TV broadcaster Media General buys LIN Media for $1.6B - USA Today

Newspapers dying? Not so says former USA Today editor - Florida Today

Al Jazeera America C.E.O.: ‘We’re here for the long haul’ - Capital New York

7 Stunning Things You Didn’t Know About Warren Buffett’s Empire - Motley Fool

Ex-Tribune Journalist tries to come to peace with being ‘put out to pasture’ - Romenesko


Freedom signs Letter of Intent with ACI California LLC as newspaper distribution partner

March 21, 2014 – SANTA ANA, CALIF. – Freedom Communications today announced it has signed a Letter of Intent agreement (“LOI”) under which ACI California LLC (ACI) would become the exclusive distributor of the Los Angeles Register daily newspaper and more than a dozen community newspaper editions distributed in Los Angeles County. 

Bruce Blair, vice president of Circulation at the Register, said: "ACI has been an invaluable distribution partner and is now positioned to help us expand our delivery and distribution network, while continuing the exceptional levels of service that our subscribers and advertisers expect from us." 

"We are extremely pleased to be in a position to expand our existing relationship with Freedom with the responsibility of providing distribution capabilities for the Los Angeles Register. Through our network of independent distribution companies, as well as our newspaper contacts, we will provide Freedom what they are looking for in terms of both quality and customer service," said Keith Somers, CEO of ACI California. 

The agreement is the latest development in a larger expansion plan by Freedom Communications. Since purchasing Freedom in 2012, co-owners Aaron Kushner and Eric Spitz have nearly doubled staff in the Register newsroom, launched the Long Beach Register as a new daily newspaper in August, purchased The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, Calif. in November, introduced an enhanced edition of The Press-Enterprise with a larger circulation footprint, more original reporting and a new Inland SoCal Register section in January, and debuted the Desert Enterprise as a new weekly newspaper as part of its expanded service to Riverside County in February. 

About Freedom Communications, Inc. 
Freedom Communications, headquartered in Santa Ana, Calif., is a privately-owned company that publishes three daily newspapers - Long Beach Register in Long Beach, Calif., The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, Calif. and the Orange County Register in Santa Ana, Calif. with a fourth daily newspaper soon to be launched, the Los Angeles Register. Freedom also publishes more than 25 community newspapers that serve specific cities, audiences and geographic areas, including Spanish-language Unidos en el Sur de California, the Desert Enterprise in Coachella Valley, and the Easy Reader publications along the coast of Los Angeles. Freedom publishes highly designed glossy magazines and operates a custom publishing unit. The company's portfolio also includes news and entertainment websites and mobile applications.

Paycheck to Paycheck: The Life and Times of Katrina Gilbert

“Paycheck to Paycheck”: Can this documentary help raise the minimum wage?

HBO's portrait of a single mother struggling to keep her family together offers a new look at poverty in America




Volunteer Opportunity in La Verne - Sowing Seeds for Life


Several weeks ago my neighbor Jim invited me to the local food bank, that aids him with food twice per month, which has been extremely helpful for him. Jim is a retired truck driver that gets by on $850 per month, so the food he receives helps him very much.

My first thought was to observe and see how the process works, but after waiting in the long line I decided to actually go through the line myself, to get a feel of what the recipients go through. The only requirement being you must live in Los Angeles County, I made the cut and registered with the ladies at the first desk, I was also given my paper pass that is shown to the volunteers distributing the food and other health care products.

Everyone I encountered was friendly and offered a smile, the clients were much different from the folks on Skid Row Los Angeles, I would guess most would be considered the working poor? The volunteers range in age from twenty to seventy-seven, the older workers were either retired or preparing to retire shortly. The young ones were from the University of La Verne and Kohls, they proudly wore shirts showing where they were from.

The creator of this group is Ms. Vicky Brown, she holds a prayer with all the volunteers before giving away the food to almost 500 hundred families, she's a blessing for many that are struggling to survive.

I volunteered two days ago, and it was well worth the six hours I put in.

If you would like to volunteer, drop by 1350 Arrow Highway, La Verne, CA. 91750
The food bank is open the 1st and 3rd Wednesday every month from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

An overview of the newspaper production process, from start to finish.

City Hall trying to limit media access again* - LA Observed

City Hall trying to limit media access again* - LA Observed

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Tribune builds robot to read the news

Tribune builds robot to read the news

Today in Labor History

Michigan authorizes formation of workers’ cooperatives. Thirteen are formed in the state over a 25-year period. Labor reform organizations were advocating "cooperation" over "competitive" capitalism following the Civil War and several thousand cooperatives opened for business across the country during this era. Participants envisioned a world free from conflict where workers would receive the full value of their labor and freely exercise democratic citizenship in the political and economic realms – 1865

Fifty-eight workers are killed, 150 injured when a boiler explosion levels the R.B. Grover shoe factory in Brockton, Mass. The2014.03.17history-rb-grover four-story wooden building collapsed and the ruins burst into flames, incinerating workers trapped in the wreckage - 1905
The American Federation of Labor issues a charter to a new Building Trades Department. Trades unions had formed a Structural Building Trades Alliance several years earlier to work out jurisdictional conflicts, but lacked the power to enforce Alliance rulings - 1908
Members of the Int’l Union of Electrical Workers reach agreement with Westinghouse Electric Corp., end a 156-day strike - 1956
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that employers could not exclude women from jobs where exposure to toxic chemicals could potentially damage a fetus - 1991
Three hundred family farmers at a National Pork Producers Council meeting in Iowa protest factory-style hog farms - 1997

Congratulations Kimi Yoshino - Los Angeles Times

Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 11:02 AM
To: yyeditall
Subject: Message from Davan Maharaj and Marc Duvoisin

To the staff:

We’re pleased to announce that Kimi Yoshino is the new Business editor of the Los Angeles Times.

Kimi brings many valuable qualities to this important job: a passion for news, a commitment to digital journalism, a background in business reporting and a collaborative spirit.

For the past few years, Kimi has been the morning assigning editor in Metro and a driving force behind L.A. Now, our most-read blog. During her tenure, L.A. Now established itself as the go-to source for reliable, real-time coverage of the biggest stories in Southern California. A very partial list of highlights would include coverage of the Christopher Dorner saga, the LAX shooting and numerous Southern California wildfires.

Kimi also helped guide our reporting on the Bell corruption scandal, which won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal for Public Service. Last year, she helped shepherd an eye-opening series about construction on or near seismic faults in L.A. and the mortal risks posed by inadequately reinforced concrete buildings.

Kimi came to The Times in 2000 after stints at the Fresno Bee and Stockton Record. She started in Orange County, where she covered Disney theme parks and quickly became our resident expert on dangerous rides.

As a reporter for Metro and Business, she covered Anaheim, the Orange County beach cities and the cruise industry, among other beats. Along the way, she did two reporting rotations in The Times’ Baghdad bureau, where she met her future husband, Saif, then a translator for the paper.

Kimi grew up in Modesto and attended UC Davis. She and her husband live in Long Beach.

Please join us in congratulating her on her new job.

Davan and Marc

Friends try to cheer up dying prof and writing coach - LA Observed

Friends try to cheer up dying prof and writing coach - LA Observed

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

NAA’s new chairman says newspaper biz should have collaborated sooner

NAA’s new chairman says newspaper biz should have collaborated sooner

Today in Labor History

In an effort to block massive layoffs and end a strike, New York City moves to condemn and seize Fifth Avenue Coach, the largest privately owned bus company in the world - 1962
U.S. Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of the Adamson Act, a federal law that established an eight-hour workday, with overtime pay, for interstate railway workers. Congress passed the law a year earlier to avert a nationwide rail strike - 1917
2014.03.17history-laborlaw-sourcebook(The Labor Law Source Book: Texts of 20 Federal Labor Laws is a handy collection that puts the full texts of all the major U.S. labor laws into one book. Includes the National Labor Relations Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, Family and Medical Leave Act and 15 more.)

Three workers are killed, five injured during a test of the Space Shuttle Columbia - 1981

Wednesday Morning in the Blogosphere

The Impact on the businesses, due to the construction to lower the train tracks in San Gabriel, 
is hurting many of the people that have been long time business owners 



Oxy and the L.A. Times - Occidental College

Newspapers Need Entrepreneurial - Net News Check

Automatic approval for weak study on robot journalism - cjr.org

What ‘MAD MEN’-ERA circulation guys did for fun - Romenesko

Journalists of Color Sought to Cover Criminal-Justice System - The Root

The Baltimore Sun puts 2 properties up for sale - Baltimore Business Journal

Los Angeles Times and its fired investigative reporter: A critical look - WaPo

Washington Post in Partnership to Expand Digital Presence - Wall Street Journal

Data Journalism website FiveThirtyEight re-launches with a thud - Editors Weblog

Prisoner creates 39-panel mural with sheets, hair gel and newspapers - Designboom

Monday Night Mission

Monday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night Mission
Monday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night Mission
Monday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night Mission
Monday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night MissionMonday Night Mission
Monday Night Mission, a set on Flickr.
Mel Tillekeratne created this group over three years ago and he's on the streets five nights per week feeding the poor whom were unable to secure housing for the night. Extremely well run organization that briefs the volunteers before heading to Skid Row. You're welcome to join his group Monday through Friday at 7:30 PM at the Burger King on Grand and Cesar Chavez. You can learn more by visiting Monday Night Mission on Facebook.