Reader: Here's how to reorganize Gannett

I posted last week about the challenges inherent in any effort to break up Gannett. Now, a Gannett Blog reader commenting here offers an idea for a radical reorganization under which the company would be divided and sold off this way:

The newspapers and TV stations would be sold to private-equity firms. Those firms, in turn, would sell individual properties to local investors at a profit. "The private equity players would be made happy with a short-term bust-up that, with the right amount of leverage, would have reaped a windfall,'' he writes.

Gannett itself would become a far smaller company providing services to its former component parts. "National classified ad networks (CareerBuilder), a news syndication services (GNS), mobile platform publishing services (4info), Topix.net, national ad sales networks, various web services, and more,'' he says.

"Conclusion: a smart fire sale in which the old TV stations and newspapers are sold, and the other media service functions are preserved, is the right way to restructure,'' he says.

Worth repeating: Gannett CEO Craig Dubow said recently that a company breakup is not in the works.

So, readers, what do you think about that idea? E-mail Gannett Blog, or comment below.