jackson weather: 97f (36c)


home > Jackblog > ladd

“USA Today: Mississippi Edition”? The ‘Nuclear Option’?

Things are so bad in the Gannett world (including layoffs nationwide, and 5 percent of The Clarion-Ledger staff, and dropping revenue and see-saw stock prices) that rumors are flying about what the company might try to do to save itself. Over on the very-active Gannett Blog, a tipster says that Gannett papers may "go nuclear"—in this case, apparently meaning to fold the local editions and become different editions of the national USA Today.

Gannett blogger Jim Hopkins writes:

" ... I got an e-mail from a former colleague detailing the "tip/rumor/street talk" that flew around one state last Friday where Gannett now does business.

Here's the gist of my tipster's note: "Gannett is considering dropping daily production of 10-12 of its U.S. papers, and folding a local news section or sections into USA Today, which the company would attempt to circulate to local readers as the primary daily newspaper."

What's more, my tipster says, employees at one newspaper in particular have "heard that their paper is one of the 10-12 on the list." I'm not going to identify that paper. But assuming this tip is good, I'm hoping those employees step forward here with more details.

 
posted by ladd on 08/22/08 at 12:55 PM. [printer-friendly version]   

COMMENTS

 

which the company would attempt to circulate to local readers as the primary daily newspaper."

What's really wacky is that Gannett might, just might entertain the notion that that would work. Will they ever understand that they committed suicide by taking their eye off the news ball and hiring so many people who don't know how to inspire, motivate and lead high-quality news operations?

I really, really wish they would now try to pass off USA Today as a "local" paper. That would (almost?) be worse than what they've already been trying to pass off as a "local" newspaper in Mississippi. I guess you could argue that it would be more honest. But it wouldn't save them.

posted by ladd on 08/22/08 at 01:13 PM

Any thoughts on making JFP a daily? With delivery in my driveway every morning? Please say you will...

posted by Rico on 08/22/08 at 01:35 PM

Rico...aren't you up in the 'burbs? ;-)

posted by itodd on 08/22/08 at 04:08 PM

Rico...the JFP is a daily...online. I really think the printed newspaper is on the way out. We have a really good free paper in Nashville that used to print daily. It also has a really cool web page. However, a few months back it made the decision to only print a Monday and Friday edition and to focus more on the web site. These days, that's where most people get their news.

posted by James Hester on 08/22/08 at 04:20 PM

Yeah I know; and I am doing more reading on the computer these days too.

But I like walking out on the driveway every morning in my bathrobe to get my paper. It's so.... suburban!

posted by Rico on 08/22/08 at 04:32 PM

I like having the paper delivered—or used to, back before the "local" daily option was The Clarion-Ledger. I hate somebody having the gall to throw a paper in my yard that I don't want, though. That's like getting ads on my cell phone.

However, the model is changing fast. Our model (which introduced blogging and user-generated content to the market in 2002) has the Ledger dancing on one foot because it is more the wave of the future than a newspaper thrown in your yard that is dated by the time it hits the ground.

So, yes, we are a daily online—and will become more so, even as we continue to give readers other useful and local Web and print products (like Jackpedia.com, Lounge List, jfpevents.com, Boom Jackson and others to be announced. ;-) And all the while, we will not desert our core compentency: solid, indepth reporting.

That is, please think of us as your local daily. As we continue to grow and our resources allow, we will do more coverage than ever online daily. And thank you for all your support in helping us get to this point. The future is bright. ;-)

posted by ladd on 08/22/08 at 04:39 PM

You are not logged-in. To post a comment, you must be a registered user and logged in. Click here to register or click here to login.

:: recentcomments
Jul 04, 2009 | 03:50 PM
Mississippi No. 1 in Obesity, Again
L.W.: I also take issue with the BMI. When I was 19, my weight got down to about 130 pounds when I was usually 10-15 pounds heavier. Since I'm only 5'3", one would think that's a decent ...
Jul 04, 2009 | 02:33 PM
Sarah Palin to Step Down as First-term Governor
WMartin: Is that pic from the actual resignation? LOL
Jul 04, 2009 | 12:54 PM
Precinct 4 to Relocate
J.T.: YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! This is such a wonderful move for Precinct 4's residents.
Jul 04, 2009 | 11:42 AM
Sarah Palin to Step Down as First-term Governor
BubbaT: Macedonian- Do you find it amusing she correctly quoted Gen. MacArthur or do you find it amusing she thinks resigning is the best thing to do in her presidenal ...
Jul 03, 2009 | 11:43 PM
Sarah Palin to Step Down as First-term Governor
Tom Head: I don't know that I'd put any credence in this, but BradBlog is bringing out rumors of a federal embezzlement indictment--that would indeed center on the "house Todd ...
Jul 03, 2009 | 11:24 PM
Mississippi No. 1 in Obesity, Again
Lady Havoc: Yep. And probably half these kids will be diagnosed with diabetes before they graduate high school. Jeff, please be careful with this. Our daughter, who is 10 and is in no way ...
Jul 03, 2009 | 11:19 PM
Bold ‘New’ City
L.W.: Thanks for the WAPT link because I missed the report. There is a tinge of doom and gloom in the report, but I still have hope. The economy is cyclical, so the recession will not last forever. There will ...
Jul 03, 2009 | 11:04 PM
Sarah Palin to Step Down as First-term Governor
L.W.: Is it the house her husband built himself? [...with a little help from his contractor friend (who was coincidentally awarded the Wasilla sports complex project)...] Have ...
Jul 03, 2009 | 09:32 PM
Sarah Palin to Step Down as First-term Governor
Macedonian: ... And according to Politico, Palin invoked 'a quote that she credited to Gen. Douglas MacArthur: “We are not retreating; we are advancing in another direction.”' ...
Jul 03, 2009 | 09:27 PM
Sarah Palin to Step Down as First-term Governor
LawClerk: What I love about Palin is she knows how to use that rifle. That's hot. If there is one woman I'm not worried about, it's her. She can fend for herself from the ...
 


view "flip" version of this week's issue

 

Guests online: 99
Logged-in members: 4
Anonymous members: 0
Elapsed time: 1.8331
The most number of visitors ever was 920 at once on 04/28/2009
currently online: dvc  kaust  L.W.  WMartin

 

© Jackson Free Press, Inc. - portions of code by CC with EE.
phone: 601-362-6121 (ext 11 sales, ext 16 editorial, ext 17 publisher)
fax: 601-510-9019 * P.O. Box 5067 * Jackson, MS * 39296