Thursday, October 24, 2024

StartleGram contines to implode and 3x a week print is pissing off many

 The Fort Worth Report has the details on the Star-Telegram's announcement that it was going to just three times a week in print, and those delivered by the USPS, not carriers.

Given that the Charlotte Observer announced similar plans this summer, I venture this is happening across the McLatchKey chain, owned by the vulture capitalists at Chatham Capital.

First, man that's ugly if they're down to 13K print subscribers. And, 40 or less in the newsroom.

Second, beyond the reaction of people in Cowtown? The StartleGram still delivers up here on the Red. I don't know of any subscribers, but they are on a few racks. Is that being killed?

Third, but of course you're being charged the same price for print subscriptions as before.

Fourth, on the future? Why would you hire someone from New York City to be a community-type columnist? Did they come cheap due to cost of living?

Fifth, speaking of the Snooze? That dinosaur has a new trick or two ... including partnering with the Fort Worth Report for expanded Cowtown coverage.

Sixth, it's pretty hypocritical for a former StartleGram publisher who now is a consultant for Advance, the newspaper company that pioneered schedule-cutting, and union-busting in places like Cleveland, to row his oar like this:

Wes Turner, a Fort Worth civic leader who was publisher of the Star-Telegram from 1997 to 2008 and now serves as co-chair of the board of directors for the Fort Worth Report, said the Star-Telegram’s print reduction “is very disappointing for print subscribers.”
“The reduction in the frequency of the print edition is going to result in much less timely news in the print edition,” said Turner, a consultant for Advance Newhouse publications that owns publishing companies like Condé Nast and American City Business Journals. “Personally, I’m very skeptical that this will help turn things around.”

GTFO.

Seventh, are you saving THAT much getting rid of carriers and going to the USPS?

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