Comments on: Will Employees Buy Pioneer Press?

By: TBartel

TBartel — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 21:37:08 +0000

Good piece from Molly Ivins on why we need more newspapers...and why we're getting fewer. Some sound business advice in there somewhere...if you believe in the basic proposition that Americans want to know the truth and would pay to get it. All evidence to the contrary.

By: SLP

SLP — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 19:49:52 +0000

You’d think that Guild ownership of the PiPress would make for good journalism. But it won’t necessarily make for a financially successful paper. There’s a whole lot more to the newspaper business than the newsroom. You gots to sell the ads. It seems like that’s the real problem at the PiPress. Maybe because their sales staff is union as well. It just don’t make sense.

By: Contract-Readin' Man

Contract-Readin' Man — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 08:09:35 +0000

Who is Nick:

You could make them even more easily available online by posting a link here. Hint hint.

By: TBartel

TBartel — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 01:07:44 +0000

Strib story from last Thursday. Some answers, some more questions.

By: Notthatnick

Notthatnick — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 21:22:44 +0000

Contracts are online, yes, but not actual pay, which varies considerably from scale. Some are at or near scale, others way over.

By: who is Nick?

who is Nick? — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 20:52:07 +0000

The guild contracts for both the Strib and PiPress are both easily found online.

By: Jerad

Jerad — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 20:05:18 +0000

“See you at Abblebee’s.” Classic!

I’m excited by the idea of an employee-owned paper. It really fits MN (though it might make more sense for the Duluth N-T).

By: ross

ross — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 19:42:45 +0000

Have you tried the internets, Tom?

By: rex

rex — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 19:42:29 +0000

Although the idea has a certain kind of nostalgic glory, count me among the people who wonder how good this would be in the long-term. Most journalists I know aren't exactly business savvy (obvs, there are exceptions).

Which isn't to say this couldn't work -- it all depends on how they would set up the organization, choose leadership, etc. Tom's questions are particularly salient.

My bet is that MediaNews picks the PiPress and most of the others, and then Dean Singleton becomes the most hated man in media since... Tony Ridder.

Anyway, I just stumbled across a story saying that KCBS is moving into the Knight-Ridder building in San Jose (KCBS has a rich history as being connected to MSP media, including, mostly recently, Paul Magers).

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 18:54:51 +0000

Right, Tom. We’ll get those guild salaries right over to you. Actually, they won’t even let you copy the list for fear someone will post it and cause a riot. People have been known to write them down and share the most egregious examples of those who are overpaid and underpaid, however.