Saves ink.
LOL
Posted on 12/16/2004 2:15:04 PM PST by nickcarraway
You know something's wrong when a newspaper switches publishers, as the Mercury News did this year--twice in 11 months. The paper lost 3.2 percent of its daily circulation in the six months ending in September. Lest our venerable daily begin the journey that will lead into its sunset, Merc managers are preparing to take bold action to "staunch the circulation and readership decline of the Mercury News," according to memorandum prepared by Executive Editor SUSAN GOLDBERG that was helpfully leaked to Fly. And in the interest of preparing the reading public for the shocking changes that may lie ahead, we are happy to share the contents of this highly confidential internal document, even though Ms. Goldberg frantically called us this week to assure us it was merely "brainstorming." According to a Dec. 7 email, the Merc plans to cease publication of its local news section, "Valley," and smash it together in a single local-national-international news package. To support our busy valley lifestyles, the Mercury News will also begin printing "The 5-minute Merc"--we promise we didn't make this up --"a cool new tab, full of quick information, utility and attitude" that will be "delivered free to coffee shops, etc., possibly forever, or at least until people are hooked on it." (That long, really?) As for the Monday paper, Goldberg waxes pyrotechnic: "Our plan is to blow it up," she wrote, even though she tells Fly it isn't actually a plan. "Except for Tech Monday, which largely works, Monday is currently the weakest paper from a content point of view--warmed-over gruel of Sunday, waiting around for whatever (usually lame) news happens. Ugh. It's a paper in search of a plan," Goldberg types. Tuesday's Home & Garden section will be cleverly renamed "How-to." (No we didn't make this up either, scout's honor.) In the course of reducing the number of news sections and introducing "A new quick-read product," the Merc would "increase the number of Guides from five to 10." Goldberg adds: The emphasis on utility will be very high. Example: the morphing of Home & Garden into How-to, which will focus on home remodeling, a Valley pastime, and practical advice about gardening." The valley's gardeners may have to keep their thumbs on their weed wacker clutches a bit longer, however, before getting the definitive guide to gardening secrets, because Goldberg told The Fly "We are a long way away from doing anything," and says, "I still need to talk with George." She is of course referring to GEORGE RIGGS, the newly named Merc publisher who formerly headed up the Knight Ridder-owned Contra Costa Times.
ping
The Bay area also has numerous free newspapers that pose significant competition.
Problem with the Merc is for the past 20 years they've been catering to a market that doesn't read english language publications.
Saves ink.
LOL
no, no, no.. it's the SMerc....
You have a right to free editions of the San Jose Mercury News! Don't buy it until they make it free.
San Jose is a floundering S***hole. Too close to San Francisco, I guess.
They Vietnamese and Spanish editions.
Starting January, every single member of San Jose City Council will be a Democrat.
that splains it.
and in related financial news...
Today's close:
SALON MEDIA GP (OTC BB:SALN.OB)
Last Trade: 0.10
Go ahead & call me nasty names, but I got sick & tired of having the Merc's idea of diversity shoved down my throat every-stinkin-day. Always front & center, below the fold. Many times above.
I guess you didn't like Sunday's paper, then.
Newspapers are failing because they are OLD MEDIA and more people are getting their news from the internet. This would make sense since San Jose is in the middle of high tech land. Newspapers are over. Even a conservative newspaper couldn't make it in a conservative area.
I caught sight of Sunday's paper in a coffee shop, but averted my eyes before injesting any content.
Don't tell me - was it a story about Christmas in Ho Chi Min City?
It had a front page article with many sidebars about the impact of Asians on the area.
I like the Mercury News for running a several-art article on the wasteful spending of the Sierra Club, whose execs make incredible salaries and ride around in limos. Plus,plus. The nicked it Club Sierra.
Bwahahaha! Even with a largely Leftist market area, they STILL can't make the grade! What a freakin' rag. BTW - I actually had a SJ News route back before they merged the two together. How times have changed. Back then, the SJ News was actually considered a Right Wing paper! Oh my, now I am dating my self. "Sonny, back in my day, we walked 10 miles to school in raging blizzards! ... " ;)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.