Monthly Archives: March 2020

COVID-19: Another Newspaper trims down

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Paul Tash is the chairman and chief executive officer of Times Publishing Co. had this Page One announcement today:

Starting next week, we will print and deliver the Tampa Bay Times every Wednesday and Sunday. …

But while we are in the depths of this pandemic, we simply cannot afford to produce the ink- and-paper version every day.

… Newspaper publishing was already a challenging business, even before the pandemic. More than half our revenue comes from advertisers. The screeching halt to the economy has sent sales plummeting for many businesses, and everybody is anxious about the future.

In the last two weeks, retailers have canceled more than $1 million in advertising they had already scheduled. Until ad revenues recover, we must sharply reduce the costs of producing and delivering an edition in print.

Tampa bay times

COVID-19: It’s OK to touch the Newspaper

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The Telegram put this up at the tippy top of Page One today. Don’t strain to read it, here’s what it says (emphasis is mine):

The World Health Organization confirms that potential transmission of COVID-19 through commercial goods is extremely low. Newsprint – due to its porous nature – is particularly safe. There are no known cases of transmission through paper products. SaltWire Network uses automated packaging with very low-levels of touch and finished bundles are strapped and wrapped to reduce human contact. This means you can continue to read your daily paper or flyer package with peace of mind. Enjoy

Texas legend Archer Fullingim

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My good friend Bill Clough is posting photos he’s made over his 60-year career in Journalism. Stealing this one for the Newspaper angle.

Archer Fullingim, county editor, Kountze, Texas, October, 1972 – 01265 © Bill Clough

“Archer Fullingim was a Texas legend as the editor of the Kountze, Texas newspaper. He is credited as originating the label ‘Tricky Dick.’ His columns demanded statewide attention. His legacy is his tireless devotion to saving the Big Thicket.”

Bill clough

For you young’ens Tricky Dick is the derogatory nickname for Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th US President.

COVID-19 the last straw?

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Newspapers are closing down, cutting back print editions and laying off staff thanks to COVID-19. People self-isolating and business restrictions means advertising dollars are drying up.

Newspapers are cutting where they know how to cut: their people.

This is not good.

Here are some of the cuts I’ve run across:

ABC.NET.AU
Providence Business News

And layoffs

The Advocate

This week, we will be temporarily furloughing about a tenth of our 400-member workforce, and the rest of us will begin four-day workweeks. Our newsroom, with about 120 employees, is the largest in Louisiana, and the furloughs will chiefly impact people who cover sports and social events, which have been curtailed.

The advocate

Smaller, buy longtime Newspapers, in Vermont, the Rutland Herald and Barre-Montpelier Times Argus

sevendaysvt.com

The (publisher and owner) agreed to lay off 20 out of 42 employees and reduce the frequency of the papers’ print editions from five days a week to three.

sevendaysvt.com

Even a larger Newspaper:

tampabay.com

The Tampa Bay Times has laid off 11 journalists, the newsroom’s executive editor said in a note to the staff on Wednesday.

Three additional positions, held by people who are planning to leave the Times, also will be eliminated.

tampabay.com

And don’t forget there are individual layoffs

COVID-19: Newspaper rips Rand Paul a new one

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The Courier-Journal lets Senator Rand Paul really have it over his COVID-19 testing/infection debacle.

Shame on you, Rand Paul.

What you did — no, what you didn’t do — was irresponsible. Even reprehensible.

You were concerned enough about your own health to get tested for the coronavirus, but you didn’t care enough about other people to self-quarantine until you got the results.

Courier-Journal

It gets better, especially the end:

Paul said he didn’t self-quarantine because he had no symptoms and had no contact with anyone who has tested positive or been sick.

Really?

Paul should know that with COVID-19, people have had the disease and shown no symptoms.

There is no acceptable excuse for Paul’s behavior.

His actions are a disgrace.

Feel better, Sen. Paul. Get healthy.

But Kentucky won’t soon forget this horrible lapse in judgment.

We deserve better.

COIVD-19 prompts newspaper to slash print editions

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Getty Images

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (03/24)

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.

The Southeast Missourian newspaper in Cape Girardeau is temporarily suspending three days of print publication, citing the economic impact of the coronavirus.

Publisher Jon Rust said in Monday’s edition that the newspaper will be printed on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, but the Southeast Missourian will bulk up online content. Local stories will be published both online and in the print editions.

A story in the Southeast Missourian cited a “steep drop-off in newspaper pre-prints and advertising, caused by store closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.” Pre-prints are advertising inserts, typically from big retailers like Macy’s or Kohl’s.

COVID-19: Kudos & a WTF edition

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Great graphic from the folks at the Spokesman-Review

Lets their readers know what to expect for the drive through COVID-19 testing. Great information!

Sometime we all need a little bit of Mr. Rogers

You should cut this picture out and tape it up in your home.

Seriously WRONG message to be sending

This is just bad.

Whoever thought to do this is a dumbass. Keep Calm and Carry on got the Brits through WWII, makes cute postes and other tchotchkes, but it is the totally wrong message to be sending to the Rockaway Beach, N.Y. readers.

“EXTRA EXTRA”

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“Paper Stand” created by 72-year old Paul Cruz in Grand Junction, Colo.

The Daily Sentinel in Grand Junction, Colo., recently ran a profile about neon artist Paul Cruz, and I saw this in one of their photo galleries.

I suspect that a lot of old Newspaper boxes ended by headed to the recycler as sales have dropped.

I’ve seen some old boxes turned into Little Free Libraries and years ago, the museum at Cox Enterprises has one decked out with a printer inside it and visitors could print a front page of one of the Cox-owned Newspapers.