The Birmingham News, the Press-Register in Mobile, and The Huntsville Times are moving to a three-day-a-week-in-print schedule. The Press-Register is home to editorial cartoonist J.D. Crowe.
Through this blog, Facebook and Twitter, we’re practically mutual online stalkers already. If I’m part of the new configuration, I guarantee you, we’ll be even more interactive. For those of you who only read the newspaper, the plan is for you to receive more in-depth coverage and analysis of the news that concerns you the most, three days a week.
Unfortunately, apparently, jobs will be lost. The reality of that is hard to fathom. Some of the finest people I’ve ever worked with are in this building. The Press-Register is family. I’m sure the folks in Birmingham and Huntsville feel the same way. This economy is a tough editor. But everyone will adapt, and you will too. Journalism is still a dog that will hunt. It’s a dog that needs to hunt. And it will continue to bring home the bacon to our readers, in whatever shape or form you choose to gobble it up.
Last week it was announced that the New Orleans Times-Picayune was dropping to a thrice weekly schedule.
I was kind of shocked about The Birmingham News, but then I realized that it’s probably been over six years since I’ve done anything with them. At the time I was impressed that the paper was packed with information at a time when the industry was imploding.
New Orleans and Birmingham, 3 days a week for print newspapers – blame the economy, internet, and maybe President Obama.
Yeah, yeah, Obama, that must be it! NOTHING ELSE MAKES SENSE!
Personally I was going to blame Calvin Coolidge but someone told me it was too late for that. Then I thought of blaming Jimmy Carter, but apparently he hasn’t been president for a while either. So I gave up.
The owners of these papers, Advance Publications, also own the Booth Newspapers’ in Michigan. They did the same thing with those papers in February this year. Just follow the money.
Like New Orleans, these papers are still profitable, but the owners want to increase their margins and profits. Of course, this will damage their franchises in each of these markets. An enterprising newspaper chain could come in with a daily TAB and take over the newspaper audience in each of these markets.
It will be interesting to see these papers bleed circulation as their readers give up on these properties.
I consider J.D. Crowe to be one of the best and most original editorial cartoonists in American journalism today. He has weathered more than a few bumps during his career and has always come out ahead. I have no doubt he will get through whatever these changes entail. The cream ALWAYS rises to the top. J.D. is simply one of the very finest in the business. And one hell of a nice guy too.
And Daryl. I understand Obama is the reason for Katrina and the tsunami awhile back too.
I’ve been doing editorial cartoons on a freelance basis for the Birmingham News for the last two years. After the departure of Scott Stantis from the News, there was the potential that his full time position would be filled. That’s been off the radar for awhile now.
With the condition the newspaper industry continues to fall into, are freelance editorial cartoonists like me the future of the profession?