The coronavirus crisis continues to roil the newspaper
industry. Here are some updates.
• With
demand for news high around the country, McClatchy is restoring paywalls around
some coronavirus stories, Axios reported. "With a lower paywall we're
missing opportunities to convert drive-by readers into subscribers," Vice
President of News Kristin Roberts told Axios.
• EO Media
Group, the parent company of more than a dozen newspapers in Oregon
and Washington ,
announced March 25 that it’s cutting staff by 47, the Bulletin of Bend
reported.
• Untold
numbers of weekly, alternative and specialty papers are cutting staff, stopping
print or shutting down. Among them, the Portland Mercury, the Portland
Observer, Portland Monthly and Street Roots have put on hold or delayed
upcoming issues, while Willamette Week cut its print run in half, The Oregonian
reported. At least one person was cut from The Independent, a Rhode Island weekly, WPRI reported. The
Isthmus in Madison , Wisconsin , said it will stop producing for
an undetermined amount of time.
• Gannett
is suspending its dividend and undertaking a slew of cost cuts, a company press
release said. The company had previously announced that newsroom employees
making at least $38,000 a year will take a week of unpaid furlough in April,
May and June. The USA Today owner is also instituting pay cuts.
• Lee has
announced impending furloughs or pay cuts. Layoffs are slated for the Lee-owned
Buffalo News, WGRZ reported. The number of cuts wasn’t specified.
• The Plain
Dealer (Cleveland) announced the cutting of 22 newsroom employees.
• The Sun
Chronicle (Attleboro , Massachusetts ) has seen layoffs, WPRI
reported. The TV station didn’t specify the number of cuts. The weekly
Providence Business News said it will temporarily stop its print edition, WPRI
said.
• Pamplin
Media Group is merging all 20 of its papers into regional publications. The
Portland Tribune and other papers in the Pamplin Media chain cut reporters’
hours, according to employees, The Oregonian reported. The Columbian (Vancouver , Washington )
cut its printed page number, The Oregonian said.
• The
Times-Picayune and The Advocate (New Orleans), will furlough about 10 percent
of its employees and C & G Newspapers has suspended publication of its 19
print papers around Detroit, AFP reported.
• The
Dalles Chronicle and Hood River News were going to stop publishing this week,
according to sources at the papers, The Oregonian reported. That was staved off
when Publisher Chelsea Marr moved to buy the papers from ex-congressman Denny
Smith.
• The
Duluth News Tribune is shifting on April 6 to a single-section, 12-page paper
Mondays through Saturdays. Sunday’s print version of the News Tribune won't
change.
• Rupert
Murdoch’s Australian media group News Corp will cease printing some 60 regional
papers, converting them to digital-only, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Analysis
and tips
• Nieman
Lab’s Ken Doctor provides a nice analysis of the big picture here.
• The News
Media Alliance
is providing a page of links with useful information for publishers about the
stimulus package, CARES Act, small business loans and more. The Alliance says it will
continue to update the page as more resources become available.
• WAN-IFRA
features tips on navigating the crisis, via The Dallas Morning News.
Other news
• The
former Columbus Dispatch printing plant is for sale at a price of $20 million,
Columbus Business First reported. The paper’s move away from the plant was
announced in January.
• The
Springfield News-Leader (Missouri )
has seen 41 layoffs, but not because of the virus, the Springfield Business
Journal reported. News-Leader Editor Amos Bridges said 41 people were cut
because with the shuttering of the paper's press on Boonville Avenue .
• The
Wisconsin Free Press group of publications, including the Dodge County Pionier,
Campbellsport News and Kewaskum Statesman, has merged with Multi Media
Channels, WiscNews reported. Andrew and Laura Johnson transferred the
publications to the Wood family. Multi Media Channels, owned by the Wood
family, involves some 30 print publications and 17 digital channels.
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