Portland Tribune cuts back print, launches paywall
“The Portland Tribune (Oregon) is making changes, including putting its website behind a paywall and producing one print edition a week, cutting back from two. The changes were set to go into effect the week of Jan. 1.
Pamplin Media Group, owned by Robert Pamplin Jr., owns the Tribune, along with more than 20 other publications. Group President Mark Garberannounced the changes on the paper’s website Dec. 19.
Within the city of Portland, the print edition of the expanded Thursday Tribune will remain free at newsstands, the paper said. In the suburbs, the Thursday print edition will be more widely available in retail stores and will cost $1, which covers some of the expense of distributing the paper outside Portland, according to the paper.
The paper cited “continuing waves of change” in the industry as prompting the changes”
Source: News and Tech,2020
Central Oregonian installs press
“The Central Oregonian completed its first run on its newly installed pressline on Dec. 1, as planned. The second-hand 13-unit Goss Community SSC press was supplied, delivered and installed by imPRESSions Worldwide. Central Oregonian’s parent company, Pamplin Media Group, negotiated the press purchase with imPRESSions in order to fulfill their agreement with EO Media to print the Bend Bulletin, which recently shut down its printing plant.
Upgrades to the SSC press allow Central Oregonian to go from a four-day work week to seven days a week with capacity to print 16-page broadsheet newspapers with 12 pages in full color. The machine will also facilitate additional commercial print products for the Bulletin.
imPRESSions is headquartered in Burlington, Washington, and also has a facility in Tupelo, Mississippi. ”
Source: NewsandTech, 2020
Martinez News-Gazette closes
“The Martinez News-Gazette (Contra Costa County, California), established in 1858, printed its final edition Dec. 29.
“Goodbye. News-Gazette closes — now what?” read the banner headline on the last edition.
“Not to pat ourselves and say we’re winning Pulitzers, but we are covering those issues that nobody else is covering at all,” Rick Jones, managing editor of the paper, told KQED News. “Anything happening now, unfortunately, it’s not going to be covered. That’s the news hole.”
The paper was operated by si
Schneps Media buying Metro New York, Metro Philadelphia
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Schneps Media is buying free daily Metro New York, the New York Post reports, citing unnamed sources.
The sale is also likely to involve Metro Philadelphia, the Post says.
The sale is set to be complete by week’s end, the Post said, promoting concerns that layoffs may hit staff.
Family-owned Schneps Media acquired another free daily, amNew York, from Newsday in fall.
Some are wondering whether Schneps will be able to successfully produce two free papers in New York in today’s tough market, the Post says.
Schneps Media was founded by Chairwoman Victoria Schneps Yunis. The company also publishes the Gay City News, Downtown Express, The Villager and the Brooklyn Paper, among other titles.”
Source: NewsandTech,2020
Chicago Tribune goes with NYT wire, cuts WaPo service
“The Chicago Tribune has licensed The New York Times as one of its 2020 wire services, the paper announced in a note from Publisher and Editor-in-chief Bruce Dold.
The paper will no longer carry The Washington Post. “Partnering with The Times gives us a broader array of content than the Post could offer and more flexibility to serve our digital audience,” the paper said.
The Trib also has content from The Associated Press, Tribune Content Agency, Tribune News Service, Getty Photos and several other syndicates.”
