( Gannett ) Newspaper giant leaves the islands ( Hawaii )

Star-Bulletin ^ | May 02, 2010 | Allison Schaefers

[george76]

The corporate Goliath of the media world, Gannett Co., walks away tomorrow from nearly four decades of newspaper ownership in Hawaii after selling the spoils to the owner of its longtime rival Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

According to industry analyst John Morton, "Gannett was essentially the winner in all this, but they elected to withdraw by selling."

"At some point in a competitive situation, even when you have a company with very deep pockets, if they suspect that their opponent is going to stick in there even if it is losing money—it just might not be worth it for them to stay,"

Now among probable reasons for Gannett's retreat are Hawaii's struggling economy, higher isle business costs, strong employee unions and the untimely investment of $82 million that it made in its Kapolei press plant just as advertising revenues were starting a steep slide.

Also, the Advertiser's distance from other company newspapers does not fit into the chain's desire for regionalization whereby it can group papers together to cut expenses.

In recent years, Gannett has struggled in Honolulu and throughout the rest of the nation, he noted. Last year the company eliminated 6,500 jobs, said Hopkins, who ended nearly two decades as a Gannett business writer and editor when he accepted a corporate buyout in 2008.

In about 30 to 60 days, the Advertiser and the Star-Bulletin will consolidate into the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, generating hundreds of job cuts at the papers.

[george76]

Honolulu would become a one-daily town ?

[freedumb2003]

Liberals win again!

That awful enterprise that employed thousands of people has been driven from Paradise!

It doesn’t get any better, does it?

[cynwoody]

Honolulu would become a one-daily town ?

One birth announcement per birth instead of two? Wonder if it'll matter, starting 35 years from now.

[doorgunner69]

As if there was any difference between the two liberal rags: both pathetic sycophants for the DNC, separated only by degree of hysteria................

They both are POS high school newsletter level rags that mostly copy AP/Liberal sources and pass it on as "news".

[BIGLOOK]

Aloha George!

Heard this on the radio news Friday morning but meant no nevermind since I don't read Gannet's papers anyway.

The Star Bulletin and the Honolulu Advertiser are reforming into the Star-Advertiser and yes, Honolulu will be a one-daily town.

It'll most likely carry the same wire services, op-eds and political biases and the subscription rates will remain the same as the other two papers combined. Or not.

But, hey, when they shoot themselves in the foot, stand back, watch and report to one of the free papers that are published here.....the one's that have all the advertising and coupons.

[BIGLOOK]

Aloha Gunner!

See you're over here too. Where, Oahu?

Saw a training film on door gunners once (I've no clue why it was shown to us since you guys were on Hueys or Puffs and we were three to four hundred miles away to the north). I think it's title was 'Hang Ten'.

[george76]

Hello from snowy Colorado. We still have ski areas open and pushing snow off our roads.

Gannett likely po’ed their employee unions ?

and wasted an untimely capital investment of $82 million ?

[BIGLOOK]

Snow in May in Colorado?

Don't tell the Global Warming crowd.......wait.....they may be your vacationing clients.

As for Gannett's losses, they earned 'em.

[george76]

Some of the biggest AGW nuts live in ski towns. They are worried that it will never snow again.

Then they go back to their medical marijuana .

[BIGLOOK]

They say Marijuana is a gateway drug but never explained what the gateway led to.

Must be under rationed rationality, giddy gullibility or non sensible sensibilities instead of harder drugs that the phrase implies. But with what's going on in Mexico and the border areas, the drug cartels may just see them as a ripe market and are seeking to corner it.

If this is the case, the anti drug experts and the cartels are both correct.

[Grampa Dave]

“As if there was any difference between the two liberal rags: both pathetic sycophants for the DNC, separated only by degree of hysteria................
They both are POS high school newsletter level rags that mostly copy AP/Liberal sources and pass it on as “news”.”

BOL! I love it when Freepers tell the rest of the world their opinions re liberals and dying liberal media.

[Grampa Dave]

You are like me.

When a local or regional liberal fishwrap goes belly up or disappears into a sunset, that really has no impact on me as I never read that fishwrap anyway.

I just smile when I read articles like this one.

[doorgunner69]

I be out in the cheap seats in Hawaii Kai, Kalama Valley.

My ride was CH-46's. Everyone wanted to fly on the Huey gunships, but slots were limited...........