The following is from the "Fit to Print" web site about a documentary by Adam Chadwick dealing with the demise of the daily newspaper industry. Looks like it will be an interesting take on another failing U.S. business. Be sure to check out the "Corporate Raiders" page featuring our own Sam Zell.

FIT TO PRINT

A DOCUMENTARY FILM ON THE U.S. NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY

“Fit to Print” is a documentary film that takes the viewer on a behind-the-scenes journey through the current upheaval in the U.S. newspaper industry. As subscriptions dwindle and ad revenues decline, newspapers are scrambling to establish their relevance.

The newspaper business lost $7.5 billion in ad revenues in 2008, and has reduced spending on journalism by $1.6 billion per year over the past several years. But what does this mean for the individuals whose lives have been turned upside down by the crisis? If the newspaper business is changing, what happend in the past half century to escalate this? How are legacy newspapers adapting? How are non-profit news outlets surviving? What is being lost as new media replaces old?

“Fit to Print” will ask these questions and showcase America’s newspaper story. It will detail how newspaper reporters have traditionally generated news which is presented on broadcast networks, including television and radio. Specific case-studies will be presented on what is being lost within investigative reporting as legacy newspapers reduce staff sizes and start-up news sites remain fragile. The film will also include interviews from reporters, staff members, and media experts within several major U.S. newspapers, including: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The Rocky Mountain News, The Seattle P.I., to name only a few. As well, we have secured interviews with founders of news sites such as Voice of San Diego, MinnPost and St. Louis Beacon.

A contemporary sixty year history of the decline in the newspaper industry will be examined. The internet and new media didn’t simply appear overnight. “Fit to Print” will detail how advertising, unions and major newspaper corporations shifted their priorities dramatically during a relatively short period of time dating back to the late 1950’s.

Anybody who cares about journalism has been exposed to a spate of stories and figures about the decline of the traditional newspaper business. This has spurred much debate about what comes next and how to adapt journalism to a world in which the digital word is quickly replacing the printed word.

But such stories are mostly abstractions. Newspapers are a business, they are crucial to the functioning of a democratic society, but they are often more than that. They are a way of life for those who are a part of them – ordinary individuals contending with turbulent times. “Fit to Print” will tell their story ….a story that is rarely seen in any broadcast news brief, podcast or web-link.

The numbers over the past year have been startling. Over 100 newspapers have been shuttered. Over 15,000 newspaper jobs have been lost. Print ad sales fell by nearly a third in the first quarter of 2009 alone. Of the top 25 newspapers, 23 reported circulation declines between 7% and 20%. “Fit to Print” will detail how the U.S. newspaper industry came to this breaking point.

FIT TO PRINT productions © 2010

Watch a trailer for the documentary here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyuG1xin5YY&feature=player_detailpage.

Photo source: Newnan-Coweta Magazine

It's funny the things you learn during a doctor's appointment. While in for my yearly checkup, my gynecologist mentioned another patient who still works at The Morning Call who told her that there will be another layoff at the paper in December or January. I don't know where they'll find people to lay off as there is only a skeleton crew in the newsroom. The Finance department will soon be outsourced to (get ready for this!) Texas. Why Texas, one might ask? Security personnel are allegedly also on the chopping block as well as a few pressmen and service techs. Insiders say the daily paper's price increase to $1 will likely cut circulation even more.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, parent company Tribune, in Chapter 11 bankruptcy since December 2008, fired off its own round of high-level cuts. On November 18, Tribune Digital VP/Content Jim Richards exited the company as part of Tribune's on-going restructuring followed a day later by ten more dismissals including EVP/Products & Solutions Mike Glickenhaus, who just joined Tribune in September 2010, VP/Marketing Tim Dukes and Tribune Interactive Dir./Promotions Melissa Collins and Scott Baker, all hired by current CEO Randy Michaels.

Tribune's bankruptcy hearing began Monday November 29 in Delaware with creditors offering an "unprecedented" four different reorganization plans for the struggling media giant. "There are more plans in this case than I have ever seen in my life," David LeMay, who represents the official committee of unsecured creditors in the case, said in court on Monday. The Chadbourne & Parke attorney called the case a "four-ring circus." Presiding Judge Kevin Carey scheduled another hearing for December 6. Read more at Reuters and the LATimes.

On a much brighter note, it's great to see all those laid-off Morning Call journalists (including myself!) back at work for Patch.com, the community-based online news site run by AOL. Local editors include Tom Coomb (Easton), Daryl Nerl (Bethlehem), Randy Kraft (Emmaus) and Mary Ellen Alu (South Whitehall). Check them out.

Oh, and if you're wondering what to do with all those piles of old Morning Call newspapers, try the Christmas tree project pictured above. Full details are on the Newnan-Coweta Magazine's 12 Days of Christmas site. Happy cutting and pasting!

Tribune Co. CEO Randy Michaels announced Friday that the company would not file a new reorganization plan with the bankruptcy court after all, preferring to continue negotiations with creditors. "“Since last week, we have been involved in discussions with our various creditor constituencies about our restructuring plan,” CEO Randy Michaels and COO Gerry Spector wrote in an email to employees Friday afternoon. “Given the ongoing nature of those discussions, we have decided not to file any amendments to our plan at the present time. We’ll continue to keep you aware of developments in the Chapter 11 process as we go forward.”

The statement came after rumors circulated that former Disney CEO Michael Eisner was being courted by Tribune's creditors as the company's new leader.

Check out the following articles for more info: Bloomberg, Tribune post-bankruptcy, The Wrap, LATimes.

Just heard a rumor yesterday about another round of layoffs for The Morning Call. The alleged plan is a ten percent cut across-the-board from all Tribune properties including the Call. One wonders where cuts to an already-meagre skeleton crew will come from. Stay tuned for more info.

And don't forget the hearing to confirm the company's reorganization plan under Chapter 11 is set for August 30. Creditors (including myself with over $2,000 in unclaimed ESOP funds) were asked to vote on the reorganization last month. If the plan is approved, those (like myself) with General Unsecured Claims will supposedly receive 100 percent of the money owed. Sure hope so—I still have a morgage to pay each month and no job on the horizon...

The press workers union signed their new contract last week and they now work 40 hours for the same pay as their old 37.5 hours. There is one press run at night, starting at 11:40 pm. Sources say the crew shift times have changed as well, with the night crew starting at 10:00 pm and stopping at 6:00 am. The day crew starts at 5:45 am and stops at 1:45 pm. Press workers did not get a pay raisefor the life of the two-year contract and also lost 25% of their short term disabilty payments. As one pressman said, there are "not a lot of happy campers here" and added that "moral is at its lowest level in a long time."

Unfortunately, that's the case thoughout the company.

   Chicago Daily News press room 1903. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society.

I heard some news about further cutbacks at The Morning Call. HR has laid off or let go of six positions in the pressroom in the last year. Sources also say there is now only one press run at night instead of two, which they say limits production. If there's a problem with the press, a shutdown means the papers will be late getting to the street, leading to more subscribers canceling the paper, on and on, ad infinitum. It's a vicious cycle.

Just heard a few more rumors and updates for The Morning Call: plans to print the Easton-Express Times at TMC's 6th Street location fell through, and as a result, more layoffs are rumored for November, primarily in the pressroom. Plans to move pre-print operations to the Baltimore Sun have also fallen through. Press workers have managed so far to stave off layoffs, thanks to union negotiations, but it looks like that may soon change.

On the editorial front, the  Photo Department has been moved out of their private digs and into the near-deserted newsroom. Apparently, the reasoning was to make the newsroom look more full and to use "the cheeriness of photo to boost morale." To which a TMC staffer replied "Bullshit!" and explained that Publisher Tim Kennedy, who is moving into Ardith Hilliard's old office, wanted to use the photo lab to house his "BIG conference room table."

Being unemployed means you look for help paying your bills wherever you can. I had contacted Senator Casey's office to find out if I qualified for the government subsidy that would pay 65% of my COBRA health insurance premiums but unfortunately I missed the start date of September 1, 2008 by 13 days. I was laid off from The Morning Call on August 18, 2008. But the clerk did tell me that the cut-off date for the program has been extended from December 31 of 2008 until December 31 of this year. That's good news for all of you who were laid off from TMC in May. COBRA is notoriously expensive, so if you were laid off between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009, you will be eligible for the subsidy.

If you want to find out about the program you can call one of the following three Department of Labor numbers: 

Toll free: 1-866-444-3272

Washington, D.C.: 1-202-693-8700

Philadelphia office:  215-861-5300

You can also visit the Department of Labor Web site at: www.dol.gov/ebfa/COBRA

 Best of luck to all of you!

Today is the one-year anniversary of my last day at The Morning Call. I Think I can say, despite the uneasiness in the job market and my prospects thereof,that this has been one of the best years of my life. Being out from under the constant TMC drag of not ever being "good enough" has, in fact, been very good for me. I have literally blossomed and accomplished more in the last twelve months than I would ever have thought possible. I find, too, that I don't miss the job at all. I miss being out in the community and meeting all kinds of people from all walks of life, but I don't miss the job itself one bit.

So yes, Virginia, there is a very good life after The Morning Call. It's a sad thing to say, but there it is.

For those of us in the soon-to-be-defunct newspaper trade, here is an interesting (and unfortunately accurate) posting on the politics of the newsroom from a former copy editor at The Baltimore Sun. Enjoy!

http://johnemcintyre.blogspot.com/2009/08/patron-and-protege.html