The publisher of the newspaper in Baton Rouge, La. has now set his sights on Gannett's Lafayette market, showing his willingness to take advantage of increasingly weakened competitors.
John Georges, owner of The Advocate, told a Lafayette business group he'd substantially beef up news coverage in Acadiana next year, and that one day newspaper readers in south Louisiana could have three distinct papers with The Advocate’s banner in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette.
Gannett publishes The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette. But like many of GCI's dailies, it's been stripped of some of its reporting and other resources, leaving it vulnerable to competition.
The Advertiser's daily circulation is 26,416, and Sunday is 35,066, according to the March 31 AAM report.
At the end of 2012, daily was 27,561 and Sunday was 37,725. That compared with 29,529 daily and 42,160 on Sunday in 2011, according to the company's annual shareholder reports.
Georges bought The Advocate from members of the Manship family in a deal finalized April 30.
The Manships in the fall of 2012 decided to expand into New Orleans when the city’s Times-Picayune on Oct. 1 started publishing a print edition only three days a week, and laid off nearly half of its news staff.
John Georges, owner of The Advocate, told a Lafayette business group he'd substantially beef up news coverage in Acadiana next year, and that one day newspaper readers in south Louisiana could have three distinct papers with The Advocate’s banner in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette.
Gannett publishes The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette. But like many of GCI's dailies, it's been stripped of some of its reporting and other resources, leaving it vulnerable to competition.
The Advertiser's daily circulation is 26,416, and Sunday is 35,066, according to the March 31 AAM report.
At the end of 2012, daily was 27,561 and Sunday was 37,725. That compared with 29,529 daily and 42,160 on Sunday in 2011, according to the company's annual shareholder reports.
Georges bought The Advocate from members of the Manship family in a deal finalized April 30.
The Manships in the fall of 2012 decided to expand into New Orleans when the city’s Times-Picayune on Oct. 1 started publishing a print edition only three days a week, and laid off nearly half of its news staff.
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ReplyDeleteGannett will crush this competitor with its commitment to quality journalism, deep ties to the community, and ample staffing.
ReplyDeleteWell said, 11:05. Well said.
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ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to note that the Advocate recently announced buyouts.
ReplyDeleteThe Advocate has been even more aggressive than Gannett with its buyout-the-dead-wood-and-hire-younger-more-aggressive-reporters plan. However, unlike Gannett, which is trying to get rid of just about every single reporter and editor age 50 and above, regardless of their skill level, The Advocate is being very choosy, chopping out the dead wood and keeping the top producers and then hiring good reporters on top of that. Unlike Gannett, The Advocate has a plan.
ReplyDeleteThe Advocate is being very choosy, chopping out the dead wood and keeping the top producers...
DeleteOh, yeah? Then you can bet your last dollar they will rue the day they decided against ponying up for competent outside legal advice.
Worked at The Advertiser for 20 years. Saw many talented Editorial staff leave for The Advocate. Always thought if someone like them put enough effort into it they'd smoke The Advertiser. Going to need to ramp up ad sales.
ReplyDeleteLOL. Ample staffing = Do more video with less staffing and more editing errors.
ReplyDelete