For The Weekend: We've All Had These Days...

TRIBUNE COMPANY PRESS RELEASE

Mark Shapiro Elected to Tribune Board of Directors

CHICAGO, May 9, 2008 – Tribune Company today announced that Mark Shapiro, a native Chicagoan, has been elected to the company’s board of directors. Shapiro is president and chief executive officer of Six Flags, Inc., the world’s largest regional amusement park company, a position he has held since December 2005.

"Mark is a great addition to the board," said Sam Zell, Tribune’s chairman and chief executive officer. "This company’s been on a rollercoaster ride the last few years --
who better to help guide us into the future than a guy in charge of amusement parks? Mark has great experience in broadcasting and entertainment and knows how to reach
audiences -- he’s smart and innovative. Besides, we’re hoping he’ll cut us a break on season passes to Six Flags!"

Shapiro has helped Six Flags grow its entertainment portfolio, leading the company’s acquisition of 40% of Dick Clark productions in 2007. Prior to joining Six Flags,
Shapiro served as executive vice president/programming and production at ESPN, responsible for the development and scheduling of all programming on ESPN, ESPN2 and its affiliate networks. Shapiro was elected at Tribune’s regularly scheduled board meeting held May 7.

In other business, the board also elected Gary Weitman as senior vice president/corporate relations. Weitman joined Tribune in 2000 as vice president/corporate communications. He oversees internal and external communication, including media and investor relations, employee communications, and Tribune’s internal and external websites.

SOURCE: Tribune Company

Friday Afternoon News

Formerly Los Angeles Times Federal Credit Union

• Hachette Guts Online Editorial Staff - Paid Content
• The Thinking Behind the 'Post's' Price Hike - Portfolio
• Is Neutrality Now a Liability? - Newspaper Death Watch
• New York Times: The Web 'Is Our Future' - New York Times
• Big Changes Coming for the St. Petersburg Times - The Feed
• Broadcasters dispute Los Angeles Times ad - Kevin Roderick
• Tax gain hands Tribune 1st-quarter net profit - Chicago Tribune
• Thomson Reuters facing strike threat over job cuts - Press Gazette
• Washington P wants identities of readers who post comments - C/net
• RBI considers pay-per-page view for online journalists - Journalism UK

San Francisco Peninsula Press Club: Examiner cuts back delivery to 2 days a week

The Examiner announced today that it will only deliver papers to homes and businesses two days a week — Thursdays and Sundays — starting July 13.

The free tabloid, owned by Denver billionaire oilman Phil Anschutz, says it is increasing the number of papers available at newspaper racks and vendors while ending six-day-a-week home delivery. It also is moving its weekend Saturday edition to Sunday.

The Examiner also says it will beef up its Web site and turn examiner.com into an aggregator of news.

The Examiner's sister papers in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., are making similiar cuts, the AP reports.

The move follows complaints by residents in all three markets that they have been unable to stop delivery of the Examiner despite repeated calls to the paper. That has prompted legislation in Maryland and San Francisco. The Maryland bill was withdrawn after the Examiner promised to do a better job responding to calls to stop the paper. In San Francisco, an ordinance to fine publishers who deliver after a stop request is being drafted by Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi. Fines would range from $100 to $500 per violation.

According to AP, Examiner CEO Ryan McKibben said the moves are in response to advertiser and reader wishes while allowing the company to "protect the core of what we do and that is gathering news and information."

"It's no secret that this is a very difficult period for our industry. But it's actually an exciting time when one has the necessary talent and is sufficiently nimble and innovative to effectively meet the demands of rapidly changing markets," McKibben said in a statement.

Opossum Attack in San Dimas

Before slipping into bed tonight I opened the morning Los Angeles Times, and ran across an article that caught my attention titled California urges caution around coyotes after Inland Empire attacks, by David Kelly. Our home is located approximately one mile south of the foothills in the northern portion of San Dimas, and we have many coyotes running the streets seeking food in the wee hours of the night.

We are not certain, but we highly suspect coyotes are responsible for all the missing cats and small dogs in the area, but this is not what the article brought to mind.

About five weeks ago tomorrow my daughter Joanna and her friend Nick Monges were walking to our community pool, and as they turned the corner a opossum was standing in the middle of the sidewalk, startling both of the teenagers. I suppose a natural defense overcame Nick as he kicked at the opossum, which caused the opossum to sink it’s teeth through the tongue of Nick’s tennis shoe, and into his flesh.

Not sure what to do, Nick called his sister for a ride back home to Baldwin Park, and after removing his tennis shoe discovered a massive swelling at the point of entry on the top of his foot. Upon hearing what had occurred, Nick’s grandmother rushed Nick to the emergency room of Kaiser Hospital, also located in Baldwin Park.

We all know emergency room visits can take three to five hours of waiting to see a doctor, in this case, Nick was rushed into an examining room. The attending nurse began cleaning his wound as soon as he was admitted, with the entire staff taking turns to gawk at this very unusual bite. One of the nurses exclaimed, “In twenty-two years in the nursing field, I have never heard of anyone being bitten by a opossum”.

Nick’s wait for the attending physician was short, and the doctor also said this was his first case of a opossum attack, and wondered if the opossum was protecting it’s babies or was rabid?

Not having any rabies serum on hand, the hospital sent out a call, which brought the serum to the hospital within ninety minutes. Nick was given one shot in his shoulder, one to the leg, and one at the wound. The series of shots consist of six visits to the hospital, and are not like years ago when the shots were injected into the stomach, a very painful experience.

Since the opossum attack, the Health Department has set out traps in and around the home where the attack happened, in an attempt to capture the opossum to test for rabies.

We must all remember that wild animals are wild, and will react to what they perceive as an invasion of their territory with force.

Message From Sam Zell 05.07.08

Partners:

As the pace of change quickens and we work to integrate best practices and common themes, the board and I have decided to expand Randy’s role to Chief Operating Officer of the company. Consequently, all our lines of business--publishing, broadcasting and interactive--will report to him. Times are tough and we have a long way to go, and we will only get there with exciting, challenging, thoughtful and out-of-the-box leadership. I’m not sure I could come up with a better description of Randy.

Attached is the press release announcing Randy's appointment.

This in no way diminishes my involvement, nor will it impede my commitment to read your emails to me. I feel as though we are beginning to create a community with shared objectives and a desire to win. Let’s see it through.

Sam

SOURCE: TELL ZELL

New Sam Zell Blog

We need to thank our friend, Kevin Roderick, over at LAObserved for bringing a new blog to our attention this morning, which many Tribune Employees will enjoy.

The new blog is titled Tell Zell, and is written by a colleague from the Los Angeles Times, that uses the handle Ink Stained Retch. We do not know if the blogger is male or female, work location, or anything else regarding the anonymous blogger for that matter, which will make this a must see blog for myself and my colleagues.

The new blogger is not tongue-tied in their translations of what Sam Zell is quoted communicating to Tribunites, and what he actually really means. The same holds true with Lee Abrams statements, which are translated and quite humorous, yet possibly accurate.

And speaking of new blogs, the Los Angeles Times has launched five new blogs, which are all linked here, bringing the total blog count to forty-four, with many more to come this year.

The Zell money image comes from William Couch, and was created by Rich Pope.

TRIBUNE COMPANY PRESS RELEASE

Tribune Reports 2008 First Quarter Results

CHICAGO, May 8, 2008 -- Tribune Company today reported first quarter 2008 earnings from continuing operations of $1.82 billion compared with $11 million in the first quarter of 2007. The first quarter 2008 operating results included a favorable non-cash income tax adjustment of $1.86 billion related to the elimination of essentially all of the Company’s net deferred tax liabilities due to the Company’s change in tax status at the beginning of the year to a subchapter S corporation. The Company reported a loss from continuing operations before income taxes of $30 million in the first quarter of 2008 compared with income from continuing operations before income taxes of $31 million in the first quarter of 2007.

First quarter 2008 and 2007 results from continuing operations included the following:

A pretax charge of $63 million for severance and special termination benefits in the 2008 quarter, compared with a pretax charge of $1 million in the 2007 quarter.

A pretax charge of $8 million for stock-based compensation related to the Company’s new management equity incentive plan in the 2008 quarter, compared to $18 million of stock-based compensation expense in the 2007 quarter.

A pretax gain of $83 million in the 2008 quarter related to the sale of the real estate and related assets of the Company’s studio production lot located in Hollywood, California.

An after-tax non-operating gain of $1.93 billion in the 2008 quarter, which includes the income tax adjustment related to the Company’s change in tax status to a subchapter S corporation, compared with an after-tax non-operating loss of $57 million in the 2007 quarter.

“As we stated on our call in April, print ad revenues continue to be challenged by the weak economy’s impact on real estate and classified advertising,” commented Sam Zell, Tribune’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Broadcasting operating results are notably more stable. This business segment is tracking ahead of 2007 and it is outperforming the industry average. We continue to make significant progress on our strategy to transform operations, and to realize the full value of the Company’s unparalleled brands.”

The full report can be accessed here.

Thursday Afternoon News

Olympic Pressman Yee-Leung Fu

• The Consecration of Obama - Boi from Troy
• Murdoch's crowing about Newsday - CNN Money
• Tearing down the news-opinion divide - Buzz Machine
• New Sam Zell-watching blog: Tell Zell - Kevin Roderick
• L.A. Times Goes From Watchdog To Peeping Tom - Mayrav Saar
• Why The Times Should Abandon The News-Opinion Divide - Gawker
• Local Papers Debate Paid Online Model - Newspaper Death Watch
• Will You Get A Round Tuit Before Disaster Strikes? - Brian Humphrey
• Union-Tribune Lays Off Three Who Spearheaded Electronic News - SDR
• Adults Spend Slightly More Than Half Their Media Hours With TV - Ad Age

Los Angeles Times Employee Recognition Week Video

Mini documentary on The Times coverage of the October, 2007 wildfires. Great photos.

Editors Note: Los Angeles Times Employees eligible for last years cancelled employee recognition dinner, annually held at the Peterson Automotive Museum in November, were informed the dinner had been rescheduled to February 2008 in the memo below.

As one of a handful of individuals who were eligible for service awards in 2007,I would like to inform you that your years of commitment to the Los Angeles Times will now be incorporated into the departmental activities of Employee Recognition Week occurring in February 2008. A separate Service Recognition Dinner will not be held. More information regarding the schedule for Employee Recognition Week will be provided at a later date.

If you have any
questions or comments, feel free to contact me at (213) 237-3223.

Again,
thank you and congratulations.

Sincerely,

Marcello Sawyer
Employee Services Specialist

And according to David Hiller's memo, dated 04.08.08

And speaking of recognition, we are planning to go forward with employee
recognition events, and this year each department will be planning and hosting its own celebration (I hope to be invited to all of them J). You will be hearing from your department about these plans soon.

TRIBUNE COMPANY PRESS RELEASE

Tribune Names Randy Michaels Chief Operating Officer

CHICAGO, May 7, 2008 -- Tribune Company today announced that Randy Michaels has been named chief operating officer, responsible for all aspects of the company’s publishing,broadcasting and interactive divisions. The appointment is effective immediately.

“Randy is one of the most creative human beings I’ve ever known,” said Sam Zell, Tribune’s chairman and chief executive officer. “But he is exactly what Tribune needs to keep moving forward—smart, decisive, relentless, irreverent, fun and cutting edge.”

Michaels had been serving as executive vice president and chief executive officer of Tribune’s interactive and broadcast divisions, a post he assumed on Dec. 20, 2007, when the company completed its going-private transaction.

“The advertising environment is tough, the real estate crisis is affecting our classifieds something awful, and people are saying ‘newspapers are dead,’” said Michaels. “So, naturally, I want to take on even more responsibility for our print business.” He added, “Despite the problems, we have world-class brands with unlimited potential. We’re in the biggest markets and print still grabs a bigger share of advertising revenue than any other medium. On the broadcasting side, our TV
stations are leading the industry in growth. By using the resources and support of these amazing brands, we can also build tremendously strong interactive businesses. There is a lot of upside here.”

Wednesday Afternoon Linkage

Los Angeles Times Globe Lobby

• BANG publisher on union petition - Gary Scott
• SCBA Shoots Back At L.A. Times Ad - Radio Ink
• 'NYT' Editor: Newsroom Staff Cuts on the Way - E&P
• Clinton Should Quit Now And Fully Back Obama - Ken Reich
• Online Comments: 'free Flow Of Ideas' Or Simply A 'Sewer'? - The Day
• Former LA Times Editors Sound Off on Zell - Newspaper Death Watch
• Rocky Mountain Chronicle will publish our last weekly print version - RMC
• Herald-Leader Seeks Buyout from 4 Percent of Staff - Business Lexington
• Star Tribune's owner forced to write off much of its investment - Star Tribune
• Can Cablevision Turn a Triple Play into a Newsday Home Run? - Ken Doctor

Fashion: Sisterhood Of The Scary Underwear

"Ages ago, I'd watch my mother climb into a girdle. It was a feat that involved contortions --two steps in, then a wriggle, followed by a squat, all whilst pulling the mighty sheath on. Sadly, there was no Olympic competition for putting on girdles, had there been, she'd of gotten a gold medal."

Read the rest on:
Get Lost With Easy-Writer

Tuesday Afternoon News

Venice Beach, California

• NBC reporter robbed while covering story on robberies - David Markland
• Newsroom Barometer results released today, May 6 - Editors Weblog
• Inspiring Tales of Success and Spirit - Newspaper Death Watch
• Former Los Angeles Times Editors Speak Out - Mayrav Saar
• Abrams brings his act to L.A. — and likes it - Kevin Roderick
• Price Just One Factor as Zell Mulls Newsday Bid - Newsday
• Against the Grain: New Daily Launched in Kansas - E&P
• Newspaper Web Sites Attract Record Audiences - NAA
• Newspapers likely to be free in the future - Reuters
• Illinois Paperboy Helps Save Elderly Woman - E&P

Inflammatory Comments

Over the past 12 hours, we've rejected no less than 8 comments.
They were repetitive and used profanity to attack one another.

As Ed Padgett said, "We thought they would've gotten tired of fighting by now."
So we're doing the little kid thing. For the next 24 hours, there will be no anonymous postings. Sorry to ruin it for the vast majority who were respectful.

Get Lost With Easy-Writer: Plain Talk

"One day, after a meeting, I was talking to them. Over the years they'd gotten hard of hearing and often I had to repeat myself.
"Last night I went and ate Chinese food," I said.
"What?" asked DeAnne."

Read the rest on:
Get Lost With Easy-Writer

San Francisco Peninsula Press Club: Web site offers live feeds from 100 stations

Here's a link to a new Web site, LiveNewsCameras.com, that provides live feeds from 100 news stations across the country.

Susan Young of the Oakland Tribune says former KTVU news director Andrew Finlayson, who now works for the Fox station in Chicago, helped come up with the idea of sharing the feeds on a Web site.

"Some of us in our newsroom thought that we could open up the system. We thought it would be interesting to do an experiment in journalism where we let people see what we see — all the raw live feeds from around the world,"

Finlayson told Young. "We tried it out and decided to test it in a big way on Super Tuesday. We streamed all sorts of events with candidates and their supporters, and we had such a great reaction to it that we just kept it going."Finlayson convinced Chicago's ABC, CBS, NBC and independent stations to join his newsroom in putting their feeds on the site. "Stations from different networks agreed to be part of it, even our competitors, because if we don't, someone else will," Finlayson says. "And it will probably be Google."

Currently no Bay Area stations are providing feeds, but KRON 4 is expected to be the first, according to Young.

San Francisco Peninsula Press Club: Web site offers live feeds from 100 stations

Increasing Online Sales

Every month Meredith Artely, Executive Editor of LATimes.com, releases the number of unique visitors to the Los Angeles Times online edition. And every month the numbers grow to a new record, which prompts champagne toasts by the online group. This reminds me of the pressroom of old, where we would toast a beer or maybe more (usually the latter)at Anthony’s bar everyday for no particular reason, which was razed to make way for a new police headquarters at 1st and Spring.

The online advertising revenue has not kept pace with the crowd of online readers, which should prompt the Los Angeles Times, and other online newspaper editions, to educate their users on the safety of using the Internet for ordering products and services via their web sites.

Many online users have mentioned fear of using the Internet to order anything, with all the ado about identity theft. Which prompt’s my explanation of my online experiences over the last two decades, from purchasing my home, car, music, books, software, and anything else you can think of without a problem.

It’s rather easy to see the Internet surpassing the print edition of newspapers for advertising dollars down the road, which will certainly impact my colleagues and I in the pressroom.

If newspapers want to increase online sales, educate your audience that online sales are safe and secure.

Motivational Word for Month of May

EXCELLENCE

The quality of being excellent; superiority.

Quality doesn't just happen. It requires intention, effort and skill.

WHY ADVERTISE IN NEWSPAPERS VS TELEVISON RARE 1966

The largest collection of TV SHOWS,FILMS, CARTOONS, NEWSREELS,FILM SHORT SUBJECTS, SILENT & SOUND FILMS, HOME MOVIES, ,INDUSTRIALS & especially TV COMMERCIALS from the 1950's/60's can be found on DVD or on GOOGLE VIDEO DOWNLOADS at www.tvdays.com Aging Baby-Boomer Ira H. Gallen has spent over 30 years collecting and restoring this collection from 16mm & 35mm Celluloid Film, and Kinescopes to Video tape, with the help of Museum of Television and Radio in New York. Now he's trying to save his VIDEO ARCHIVES from decomposing by transferring to new digital formats by offering his life's work so far on DVD or GOOGLE VIDEO DOWNLOADS. www.mtr.org