Boston Globe's big deadline nears, union hopeful

[Joanne98]

Source: Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Boston Globe may learn its fate Sunday as management and a key union try to hash out concessions that parent company New York Times Co says are crucial to keeping newspaper alive.

The Times Co had set Friday as the deadline for the union to make its concessions, but extended it through Sunday night after both sides said they made progress toward an agreement.

The Boston Newspaper Guild said it has offered deep cuts in member pay and benefits to help the Times find $20 million in cost cuts at the Globe.

The Times said the paper would lose $85 million this year and the cuts were essential to keeping the Globe open.

If it closed, Boston and the surrounding region would become the first place in the United States to lack a daily, full-service general newspaper of comparable size.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE5421S620090503

[jody]

1. Along with Boston Globe survival I wonder what will replace newspapers with their Fourth Estate goal

of credible reporting even though credible reporting has been severely tarnished over time?

[FarCenter]

2. Read it on line

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/

[karynnj]

3. Except - that may not exist

Nearly all the BG revenue is from the print edition. Boston.com does not generate the revenue needed to support a newsroom like the BG has.

Like you, I am not concerned if journalism switches its delivery mode from paper to electronic. The concern is that news gathering, reporting and analysis continue.

Here's a nice article from Northwestern University's Journalism School:
"Among possible outcomes for the Globe are coming to terms with the $20 million in concessions, further reducing its staff and scaling back printing. The newspaper could also find a buyer that would support its cost structure or look to alternative business models.

One such model is an all-online operation, which Nieman’s Benton said may not be worth it when nearly all of the Globe’s revenue comes from print circulation.

Boston.com is strong asset, he continued, “but not the type of asset that could keep the Globe newsroom operating as it did historically…If they went online, they would have to completely gut the newsroom.”

Parker, who is an economist by training and cofounder of Mother Jones Magazine, also expressed concern over an entirely online model. While there is an initial burst of traffic to an online news site, visitors fall of drastically shortly thereafter, he explained. "
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/washington/news.aspx?id=127807

[FarCenter]

4. What fraction of the cost goes into the print operation?

The buildings, equipment, vehicles, staffers to turn paper and ink into the newspaper? As well as the physical distribution to newstands, stores, and direct to homes.

It would seem to me that the cost of the reporters and local Boston/MA news gathering is a small part of the cost.

[karynnj]

7. I looked at it more from the opposite side

How many people would it take to report, write, editorialize etc. This compared to a small fraction of the existing revenue.

I hope you are right as the content is what needs to survive. Newsprint itself may be already becoming archaic.

[FarCenter]

5. Here is a site started by 40 ex-Newark Star-Ledger people - Hope they make it

http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/about-us/

[karynnj]

6. Wow - thanks for the link

I hope they can make it - just scanning the first few bios and the introduction - they are impressive.