Eight years ago today, believe it or not, The Plain Dealer editorial staff in Cleveland, Ohio, an Advance Publications paper, was uncorking a little of the bubbly and running victory laps around the newsroom after learning it had won its first Pulitzer Prize in over 50 years, when Connie Schultz was recognized for her sharp and tender writing in the category of distinguished commentary.
Instead of a time to celebrate in remembrance of things past, The Plain Dealer editorial staff was delivered sad news today that they will only deliver the paper to subscribers three days a week, beginning in the late summer. Though the delivery dates have been sliced, the PD will continue to publish seven days a week under a new digitally focused media company called Northeast Ohio Media Group.
I didn’t receive a response from the Plain Dealer editors when I asked if the content and space of the PD will be reduced on non-delivery days.
But it’s widely acknowledged that the there will be staff reductions despite the better than expected news that it will continue to publish seven days of the week.
Today’s gloomy announcement is hardly novel within the newspaper industry.
In May, 2012, The Times-Picayune in New Orleans, which is also owned by Advance Publications announced it was cutting its print schedule down to three days a week,; it’s sister newspaper, The Birmingham News, The Press-Register of Mobile and The Huntsville Times made a similar announcement on the same day.
Also last year, The Calgary Herald, The Edmonton Journal and The Ottawa Citizen announced they will eliminate their Sunday editions.
Today’s announcement by the PD seems to follow the model employed by The Detroit News, beginning in 2010, when it decided to deliver papers only on Thursday and Friday, but continues to print six days a week. It also publishes a special Sunday supplement.
For many in Cleveland, it will take some getting used to not to read their local newspaper with their morning cornflakes, at least on four days of the week. After all, this was a daily newspaper who in November, 1950, with deep snowdrifts battering Northeast Ohio (some referring to it as the "Great Thanksgiving Storm'') the worst storm to hit Cleveland in 37 years, which claimed 11 lives in the Greater Cleveland area, still managed to publish an eight page news section on November 26th and 27th. Their cross-town competitor, The Cleveland Press wasn’t able to put out a paper at all.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer was founded as a weekly newspaper on January 7, 1842 by Joseph Gray and became an evening daily on January 7, 1845. After Liberty Holden purchased the paper in 1885, it introduced a morning and Sunday edition; so that by 1905, it discontinued its evening edition.
As you can imagine there’s been a great deal of reaction since the announcement became official earlier today.
Here are some reactions from members of the Plain Dealer alumni.
“I cannot stop thinking about my friends and former colleagues at the paper. So many good people there. Through all of this uncertainty, they have continued to champion the best in traditional journalism. Many of them today tell me they are relieved to still have jobs, at least for a while longer. ''
-Connie Schultz, former Pulitzer winning columnist for The Plain Dealer, who now writes a weekly nationally syndicated column for Creators Syndicate and is additionally a regular essayist for Parade magazine. She is married to U. S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio
“That the newspaper will continue to be printed seven days a week is heartening – and a victory for those who favor ink on paper. Newspapers have to adapt to the changing times and this is one of the many experiments underway throughout the industry. Would we all be happier with the clock turned back 20 years? Of course. But the reality of the times tells us that's not possible. I wish the Plain Dealer the best of luck in its new approach.''
-Doug Clifton, executive editor of The Plain Dealer from 1999 through his retirement in 2007, who now lives in Weybridge, Vermont with his wife Peg
“This is a difficult time for all print journalists, so turmoil is no stranger to anyone of the remaining city or regional newspapers in this country. Advanced Media has taken an aggressive approach with the idea that by doing so now, a new future might present itself. However, that always means that those whose livelihood is tied to the “past ways” are hurt.
I have many friends and former colleagues at The PD and I am sorry they have to go through all of this turmoil at this point in their careers, but I have learned a great deal about the value of change and the driving forces behind so much of this industry turmoil since my time as managing editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer. I see clearly now that so very often what is taken away in times of industrial turmoil is replaced with something new and equally arresting that serves the community well.
I think that over time, this issue has become not one of local newspapers vs. what? to one that is simply a matter of how to get the information that a citizen needs to lead a connected, involved life without print.
Sadly, that has translated in market after market to a loss of jobs. This is the hard part of all of these decisions. They weigh on everyone involved.
I wish my former colleagues at the PD the best and will continue to watch as the new direction takes firm hold.''
-Anne Gordon, former Plain Dealer Sunday Magazine Editor who is now Senior Vice President of Media and Communications for the Phiadelphia Eagles.
“Sad terribly sad. But it's a sign of the times. It's all about digital now.''
-Bob Kravitz, former Plain Dealer sports columnist, now an award-winning columnist with the Indianapolis Star.
“Craig's List is killing The Plain Dealer. It has stolen classified advertising from the newspaper. I recall 31 years ago when the Press went down, Dave Skylar leaned close to me and said in dead earnest, "I'm not bragging about this, just stating a fact. Howard Metzenbaum and I killed the Press." Skylar and Metzenbaum owned the Sun Newspapers. In the 1970s they systematically bought up all the suburban weeklies and organized them under the banner of the "Sun Papers." They stole classified advertising from the Press. Craig's List is the new predator.''
Dan Coughlin, an award winning journalist for over 40 years, was a sportswriter for The Plain Dealer from 1964 through 1982 and author of two books, “Pass the Nuts'' and “Crazy, With the Papers to Prove It.''
Bill Lucey
WPLucey@gmail.com
April 4, 2013
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