Here's the unwieldy first paragraph of a column today by Publisher Howard Griffin and Editor David Ledford of Delaware's News Journal in Wilmington; it tells readers why they'll be asked to pay for online access starting Feb. 7.
The News Journal Media Group -- which includes the newspaper, delawareonline.com and Spark and Signature Brandywine magazines among its titles -- is about to begin a transformative new chapter in its more than 200-year history, bringing meaningful new layers of content to the watchdog reporting you've grown to depend upon.
Earlier: Comforting the comfortable? A wealthy socialite's age disappears from the online version of a News Journal story.
The News Journal Media Group -- which includes the newspaper, delawareonline.com and Spark and Signature Brandywine magazines among its titles -- is about to begin a transformative new chapter in its more than 200-year history, bringing meaningful new layers of content to the watchdog reporting you've grown to depend upon.
Earlier: Comforting the comfortable? A wealthy socialite's age disappears from the online version of a News Journal story.
The content in Wilmington is not worth paying for. This will be another failure brought to you by the dictator, Garcia Martore!
ReplyDeleteSorry Ledford, but your daily coverage of Joe Biden and Tatiana Copeland is not what the 99% of us are willing to pay for!
Reporting on crashes on Rte. 1 a dn the local robbery is what the NewsJournal does. Everything else can be found out going to a bar and talking to locals.
ReplyDeleteNewsJournal sucks so bad.
This can and will be denounced here as stupid, what are they thinking, why would anyone oay for such poor content, etc.
ReplyDeleteBut the fact remains that news organizations have to do SOMETHING to survive, and these paywalls may be the final chance to continue the tradition of local journalism in a "newspaper" format.
It may fail. It probably won't stem the red ink.
But we need to try something, and if the paid bundle of newspaper delivery to the home, coupled with access to the local website, does not work, then I'm not sure what options will be left.
There will always be local news, somehow. There will always be a print product of some kind, by someone. But if Gannett is to continue, these high-risk gambles have to at least be tried.
Good luck Wilmington, and all the other properties that will soon be following suit.
This may be the last shot for local Gannett journalism. Let's give it a chance.
The Lafayette Indiana Journal And Courier also ran an editorial today about paying for online access starting February 1. Though that information is so buried in the piece, I'd be surprised if anyone reads far enough to find out.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jconline.com/article/20120115/OPINION05/120114002/To-Our-Readers-News-how-when-you-want-it
Both deserve an "F" for writing. Don't think many folks going to get past that clunker.
ReplyDeleteThis column gets a high Passion Topics score for including the following two sentences:
ReplyDelete"We're passionate about this work. Storytelling -- helping readers see -- is in our DNA."
("Storytelling" is one of the new buzzwords in the Passion Topics initiative.)
Readers see right through it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.delawareonline.com/comments/article/20120115/NEWS/201150335/We-re-investing-journalists-equipment-technology
Personally I loved it! Bring it on Howard!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIf you've ever worked for David Ledford, as I have, you have to laugh at the tone as well as the content of this column.
ReplyDeleteHe is a bombastic bully in the newsroom, bellowing and threatening and second-guessing. To characterize himself as a thoughtful, dedicated servant of the public's right to know is a sad joke.
Howard is a huge joke and everyone knows it.
ReplyDeleteI think the jokes on you. Riddle left the place in shambles. There was only one direction to go but up.
DeleteI have heard Ledford has no choice but to carry on this dog and pony show. It's part of the tearing down “silos” theory. I feel he is degrading himself and his newsroom staff by having to follow Howard like a lost puppy. Ledford may be a pain in the butt to some, but he is a very talented editor. I would not lump him in the same category as Howard Griffin. That guy is an ad guy and has no clue about being a publisher. I think Ledford should get out while the going is good and see how well Mr.Griffin manages without him. God help us all!
ReplyDeleteLedford's just going through the motions. He knows his corporate star lost its luster ever since the numerous ME debacles. He burned through three managing editors in under a year.
ReplyDeleteThe most-recent ME, the last one corporate ever allowed him to hire, conned Ledford into allowing him to take six months of family leave--paid of course--to travel to India to "take care of family problems."
Not much was said of this until the Google alerts pinged for this much-despised and talentless ME, who took an ME position AT AN INDIAN NEWSPAPER! That's right, the News Journal was the only Gannet paper to have an ME who was ME at two papers on opposite sides of the globe. This ME was quickly let go by the Indian newspaper and returned to the US. Eventually, he'd outweighed his welcome even with Ledford. Needing a paycheck, Ledford advocated on his behalf, and the individual, of course WAS HIRED BY GANNETT DIGITAL.
As you can imagine, corporate was less than pleased with Ledford's involvement, and the President's rings stopped.
The News Journal was/is left with an EE who won't/can't get another top slot in the corporation.
Enjoy.
I can't even remember the last ime Biden or Copeland were in the paper. Obviously an out of market post.
ReplyDeleteGannett corporate left Wilmington in shambles. Not Riddle.
Ledford needs to go. Good guy. Just stale.
Say what you will about Griffin. And do it quickly. He can't be around fo much longer. He still lives fifty miles away in PA. That says a lot.
Read in earlier thread that Delores Pinto retired. Can someone confirm this? And was it by choice had dealings with her and she was total company enforcer. Anyone have any dealings with her? Thanks
ReplyDeleteYes she retired shortly after Riddle left. All new folks who tell you to call somewhere or go online for anything HR related
DeleteYeah it must be tough to have to make a phone call to see how much vacation time you have left. How lazy do you have to be to make a phone call? You need someone to hold your hand to find out a simple question? Time to grow up. Most major corporations have employee service teams. Time to get your head out of 1992
DeletePinto left before Riddle.
DeleteDid pinto leave or was she nudged. She sure loved the company.
ReplyDeleteRiddle is sorely missed.
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