Stopping the Presses

I hate to be a naysayer, but realistically it looks like McCaw's lawyers took a calculated risk and won. That is, they fired the reporters knowing they could be reinstated eventually, but that it would take so long that it wouldn't matter. They played the system, not the law. The decisive factor was losing the injunction that would've put the reporters back pending the proceedings. Now it'll be at least another year before the reporters could be back. How many will wait that long, given that it could be longer? A couple or three, I'd guess.

Meanwhile, a few more of the union supporters inside will gradually leave. The union will be certified, but with few enthusiasts for it remaining inside. So the company will offer a little carrot to get employees to vote to decertify, and how will that go? Just a scenario.
I think the Teamsters got outmanuevered on this one. Justice delayed is justice denied. Some of us bemoan that fact, others exploit it.

Seriously? They decided against advertising? Amazing.
The ad departments at newspapers fund the newsroom, operations, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc. Why in the world did they think they could be successful without a business plan? No company can exist without sales, how did they miss that? Ego? Who knows?

It's too bad, their mission was admirable.

The only thing preventing the community from "winning" in this war of attrition against the plainly insane Ampersand organization is the lack of funding for a worthwhile daily newspaper that can be home delivered. The Daily Sound is trying valiantly, but is still sorely lacking in content. I think a lot of observers hoped that some of the solid reporting by the SB Newsroom journalists would end up in print in the Daily Sound. Why this didn't happen is anyone's guess.

Here's the deal: like a lot of locals, I still read the News-Press every morning and continue to be amazed that it actually does give me enough area news to make it a breezy 10 minute read. Granted, for a daily serving a population of 400,000 it is pretty terrible, but it lands on my doorstep every day even though I don't have an active subscription and have made it clear I won't pay for it. Talk about service!

Undoubtedly, Steepleton and Arthur will start hiring more reporters and editors and may even succeed in pulling the paper out of its death spiral. Even with just 25,000 subscribers, half of the advertisers of yesteryear and a moribund classified section, the thing is probably close enough to break even to encourage Wendy that everything is peachy. Result: this charade of a newspaper and national laughingstock will continue indefinitely.

In other words, the window of opportunity for someone to take away the News-Press franchise as the city's paper of record and stomp it to death won't last forever. Unless the Daily Sound grows up quickly (running dogcrap columns by ABC News hack John Stossel doesn't help your cause, Jeramy) or another newspaper emerges, our delightful Payton Place drama featuring a lovable dysfunctional newspaper owner and her allegedly former gigolo boyfriend will run for years, just like the old TV show.