Spokesman-Review Adds (and Subtracts) Comics

The (Spokane) Spokesman-Review is acting on their comics poll from last summer.

First, we asked our readers to rate all of our current comics. Then we had our readers rate several new comics.

We were blown away. Thousands and thousands voted. And not just online. The U.S. Postal Service nearly made its 2019 budget numbers simply from the amount of entries that were mailed back to our newsroom. Then there was all of the darn counting … and none of us are great at that, which is why we all became journalists and not accountants.

When we finally saw all of the numbers, we took a deep breath and decided maybe we’d hold off until after Christmas. Why spoil the holidays? Especially for us.

Let’s just say there were a few surprises. Some of the votes were close. Others looked like 31-13 trouncings at the hands of a bitter in-state rival.

Well, enough waiting. Sometimes you have to move on. Today we start to roll out the changes.

above front page excerpt from Newseum

The Spokesman-Review announced the changes today:

The biggest change is that we decided more was better. Seriously, why not super size this Happy Meal? Starting today, you’ll find more comics and more puzzles in our Wednesday paper. Our Serendipity section now includes “Bizarro,” “Argyle Sweater,” “Rhymes With Orange” and “Macanudo.” It also contains four new puzzles – 7 Little Words, Wurdy Gurdy, Word Roundup and Sudoku.

To our daily and Sunday comics, we took out “Adam” and “Rose Is Rose” and added “Lola” and “Between Friends.” Those changes take place on Feb. 17. In the classifieds section, we are removing “Doonesbury,” which was all reruns, and “Mallard Fillmore.” “Mallard Fillmore,” “Adam” and “Rose is Rose” all finished at the bottom of our comics survey.

In their place, we have added two puzzles – Hocus Focus and Minute Maze. We will keep “Doonesbury” in the Sunday paper. The creator, Gary Trudeau, still makes original strips for the Sunday paper.

“The biggest change is that we decided more was better.”

The Gain and Loss –

Daily and Sunday loss:
Adam @ Home
Rose is Rose

Daily and Sunday additions:
Lola
Between Friends

Two gone, two added – zero net for Sunday.

 

Daily (Wednesday only) gains:

Argyle Sweater
Bizarro
Macanudo
Rhymes With Orange
and, don’t forget, Planet To Earth

Daily (Monday – Friday) losses:

Doonesbury
Mallard Fillmore

Two gone, five added – the net is…

Well there is a net gain of three titles, but they are Wednesday only; whereas the two daily losses appeared six days a week. So I’m saying twelve minus five is a net loss seven dailies. Granted – Doonesbury dailies are reruns.

digression: Newspapers buy dailies from syndicates on a 6xweek basis, is The Spokesman-Review paying for six Bizarro panels but printing only one? Or is it pro-rated down to one panel/week?

It does look like puzzle lovers got a net gain.