As newspapers continue losing circulation as fast as water
runs through your fingers, the race to stay profitable is a challenge many newspaper
executives are finding most difficult to turn around. Last Friday (June 22,
2012) my colleague from Winning at the Race of Life shared the six page sports
section of the Los Angeles Times, what he was revealing to me was the lack of
advertising. There were two four by six inch ads in the entire sports section;
this cannot pay for the cost of producing the newspaper much longer if this
trend continues.
On Thursday June 28th the Los Angeles Times
offered a buyout package to full time pressroom personnel, with twenty-six weeks
of severance pay, which also carries the stipulation that you have no right to
sue for injuries after you depart the company. If you’re a long term employee I
would recommend speaking with attorney Vernon Goldschmid at 213.251.5914 before
accepting the terms of the buyout.
The company is attempting to trim costs by eliminating the
highest paid workers with lower paid apprentices, which will definitely not be
paid what a journeyman pressman earns.
As Freedom shed its newspapers the San Diego Union Tribune
was an interested party in purchasing the Orange County Register, and if this
sale had been made the Los Angeles Times was selected to produce their rival.
Unfortunately the OCR was sold to a firm from Boston, which will also begin
printing three newspapers from the San Bernadino Sun as they shutter their
production facility.
The question at hand now; will Rupert Murdoch purchase the
Los Angeles Times?
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