N.J. | Court advisor: give GCI $542K in legal fees

A court-appointed fact finder has recommended Gannett be reimbursed $542,000 in legal fees the company incurred in a lawsuit against a N.J. municipality seeking public documents in electronic formats more easily analyzed than paper ones.

Gannett won the suit against Raritan Borough in 2012, three years after filing it on behalf of its six N.J. newspapers: the Asbury Park Press, Courier News, Courier-Post, Daily Journal, Daily Record and Home News Tribune.

The case dragged on largely because the borough repeatedly filed new motions, all unsuccessful, challenging parts of state Superior Court Judge Yolanda Ciccone’s rulings.

Ciccone appointed a special master in April to determine how much Gannett was entitled to receive in legal fees.

Somerville | A hed too long, or a story too short

The hed over this story in the Courier News of Somerville, N.J., is nearly as long as the story itself. (Does this have anything to do with the byline, which says: "Written by Ms. Smith Reader Submitted.")

N.J. and Ohio lead in 2005-2012 circulation losses

Responding to a reader's request, I've updated my list of circulation losses among the 81 U.S. community newspapers since 2005, just before the industry tipped into a major downturn.

Papers in New Jersey and Ohio accounted for six of the 10 biggest losers during 2005-2012, according to Gannett's regulatory filings. No. 1: the Courier News in Somerville, N.J. Circulation there plunged 62%, to 14,219 weekdays vs. 37,282 in 2005.

The Pacific Daily News in Hagatna, Guam, had the smallest decline: 19%, to 16,484 copies.

Across all the 81 papers, circulation fell an average 36%.

Related: AAM's searchable database has figures as of March 31.