It's getting tough for weekly papers too. Bay State Banner suspends publication

Boston's community newspaper for people of color suspended publication Tuesday, laying off all 12 employees.

http://www.necn.com/Boston/Business/2009/07/07/Bay-State-Banner-suspends/1246984268.html

Sometimes they just disappear

When the big dailies go under, there's usually at least some warning, but smaller papers can simply disappear. Here's a broadcast media web site's notice that a small newspaper serving five Texas towns simply stopped publishing.

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/tv/stories/wfaa090703_ac_newspapers.5ffe9e5.html

Official game of the Washington Post

http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/washington-post-sells-access-obama-ot

Washington Post scandal

This is a huge scandal.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24441.html

The single most important asset old style newspapers have going for them is their credibility. If they lose that, then they have no chance competing against TMZ or other newer media.

This appalling story is incredibly damaging to the credibility of the Post and raises questions about other leading newspapers, too. How much does this sort of thing happen, anyway? I've never heard of anything like this at a state-level newspaper, but one wonders if the rules that apply out here in the provinces apply at the Imperial Seat.

JRC set to emerge from bankruptcy on July 7

Although there are some objections to the bankruptcy plan.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jgyA2Q7ANe_66zS0bxp32VfKoi6AD991V2N00

Chicago Sun-Times notes how Michael Jackson's death was a new media event

Being somewhat old fashioned, I guess, I first heard about it on CNN, but for many people the initial word came over the Internet -- or Twitter.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/1640816,w-jackson-news-break-internet-062509.article

WTF, Fox?

Suddenly he's a "Democrat?"

Great "journalism " there, guys.

After a brief lull ...

... it appears more layoffs and salary cuts are on the way. http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/06/22/daily3.html

Meanwhile the Guild and the Globe are reportedly close to a deal.

We're going Green for a bit

It's a trifling gesture, but this blog will go green for a bit to express a little suport for the Iranian people.

Psst! Wanna buy a newspaper

The Boston Globe is for sale -- but no one's going to pay a billion-plus bucks for it, unlike the last time it changed hands.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jkzBYoal_s1ms77Fzrfv3jMppZggD98RCTMO0

Indeed, the lucky "buyer" may actually end up being paid to take it off the hands of the New York Times. Wouldn't THAT be rich!?

So what now for The Boston Globe?

Employees voted down a proposal for major concessions, so the New York Times Co. said it will declare an impasse and impose 23% pay cuts effective June 25.

A nice, disinterested and detailed analysis is here: http://www.cabot.net/Issues/CWA/Archives/2009/06/Newspaper-Controversy.aspx

It's not clear what the NYT's long-term strategy is to salvage something from this disaster. It's amazing that the Globe had reached this state, really. If the Boston Herald can hold on, somehow, it may emerge as the last man standing in the Boston media market, which is truly stunning. I don't think you could have gotten 1 out of a hundred people to predict that the Herald would outlast the Globe.

The disappearance of the Globe might also be somewhat beneficial, at least in the short term, for some of the major suburban papers such as the Lowell Sun, Lawrence Eagle-Tribune and The Patriot Ledger, all of which compete against the Globe in their own backyards.

It's sad because the NYT's problems with The Globe are truly self-inflicted. It bought The Globe for $1.1 Billion, which was never a rational price. Indeed, it could have paid just half that and still would have found itself with an overpriced possession. Even before things turned south so dramatically recently, the business plan made no sense.

While some may benefit from the Globe's demise, many more will suffer and it won't be good for journalism or the public to lose the Boston Globe.

Philadelphia Bulletin closes

This isn't a case of a century-old newspaper closing. The Philadelphia Bulletin was a 2004 start up, so it's more a case of bad timing than anything else. But still, it's a voice stilled and therefore a loss.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/46697277.html?cmpid=15585797