Any such combination would follow speculation that the News-Press is considering shutting down its press, and shifting printing and other production work to the Daily News, 43 miles down the Gulf Coast. That paper is owned by E.W. Scripps.What's caught at least one observer's attention: the final line of a Jan. 12 Daily News story on the new deal, which quotes Dave Neill, vice president and general manager of the Naples organization. "At this point, the newspapers will still be printed on their own presses," he said.
That tentative-sounding commitment to separate printing is certainly not definitive. But it's the sort of perhaps unintended wiggle room that sends ripples through an already tense workforce in Fort Myers. The News-Press' story that same day about the distribution deal did not include Neill's quote.
The Fort Myers speculation comes at a time when Gannett is consolidating more printing to cut costs by eliminating high-paying jobs. At least eight papers are being considered for press shutterings this year, U.S. newspaper division president Bob Dickey has said.
What do you hear? Please post your replies in the comments section, below. To e-mail confidentially, write jimhopkins[at]gmail[dot-com]; see Tipsters Anonymous Policy in the rail, upper right.
[Image: today's News-Press, Newseum]
Fort Myers produced more threats to journalism excellence and ethics in the 1990s than anyplace outside China.
ReplyDelete@5:11 p.m. - You are so right. It was quite a show. There was Gannett, and then there was "but this is how it's done in Ft. Myers."
ReplyDeleteThe newspaper was so far ahead of its time in terms of benefits for OC members. It was also one of the most profitable operations in the history of the newspaper industry. The News Press was printing money, USA TODAY and the daily paper all at the same time.
I have experience in both Ft Myers and Naples. Neither has shown that it has the ability to print it's own paper and get it delivered on time during the height of "the season."
ReplyDeleteNaples has recently started running it's new press, one with a capacity of 48 pages, full color, running straight. The News-Press almost every day runs more pages than that. So does the Daily News. To print more pages than that requires "pre-runs."
So, assuming pre-runs for both papers every day of "the season," that would require one press to run up to 500K copies of pre runs and Mains, and distribute them from one press during the profitable time of the year. That does not include TMC's or any commercial work.
Such an agreement might work during the summer, the off-season, when total distribution between the 2 papers ranges between 100K and 140K. This is still a stretch for 1 press. But with "pre-runs" this still requires depending on 1 press to produce 250K copies per day just for the daily papers.
This also requires inserting machines to run that many copies per day.
How is it working in Mobile and Pensacola?
I don't know the capacity of Mobile to print, insert and deliver with Pensacola. But, I suppose that it is less than what would be necessary to combine Naples and Ft Myers between say, Nov 1 and April 1.
folks at Foprt Myers Production take it to the bank they are going to close you. thats the kind of talk we heard here in westchester just before they announced our shut-down. Get out if they offer a buyout. Take it and run you won't get a better offer.
ReplyDelete