It has been rumored that the owner of the papers took a 4 million dollar payout just prior to making his announcement to close The New Britain Herald and Bristol Press. Employees were going to receive very small severance packages had a buyer not been found. 4 Million dollars! and the papers were reported to be near bankruptcy. Well of course, the owner bankrupted the company. Going on everywhere in this country including our banking industry.
Re Schroeder's plans... Obviously, we're all waiting, too, to see how things will turn out. But here's what I do know:
1. He's trying to find new, separate office space for both papers. 2. He's getting our email system off the evil former owner's computers. 3. He's exploring what hardware and software he needs to get to allow us to operate without any reliance on the evil former owner's system. 4. He's looking into printing options that would not depend on the evil former owner's presses. 5. He's already changed the delivery system to bring it back under local control. That was a crucial, crucial step. 6. He's beefing up the ad department, thank God. 7. He has hired a replacement for the reporter who used to cover Plymouth and Burlington, so the Press is back up to three reporters, though Jackie Majerus and I remain the only city reporters. There's talk of getting a new police reporter, but that's on hold for now, I think. 8. We have local editorials again on many days rather than almost never. I could go on, but the bottom line is that he's moving pretty fast for one guy with a very long list of things to do. When will the changes be obvious to readers? I'm not sure. But they will be. Throw your support behind what he's doing now and you'll help make reform come faster.
It has been rumored that the owner
ReplyDeleteof the papers took a 4 million dollar payout just prior to making his announcement to close The New Britain Herald and Bristol Press. Employees were going to receive very small severance packages had
a buyer not been found. 4 Million dollars! and the papers were reported to be near bankruptcy. Well of course, the owner bankrupted the company. Going on everywhere in this country including our banking industry.
FEBRUARY 12, 2009 8:48 AM
ReplyDeleteSteve Collins said...
Re Schroeder's plans...
Obviously, we're all waiting, too, to see how things will turn out. But here's what I do know:
1. He's trying to find new, separate office space for both papers.
2. He's getting our email system off the evil former owner's computers.
3. He's exploring what hardware and software he needs to get to allow us to operate without any reliance on the evil former owner's system.
4. He's looking into printing options that would not depend on the evil former owner's presses.
5. He's already changed the delivery system to bring it back under local control. That was a crucial, crucial step.
6. He's beefing up the ad department, thank God.
7. He has hired a replacement for the reporter who used to cover Plymouth and Burlington, so the Press is back up to three reporters, though Jackie Majerus and I remain the only city reporters. There's talk of getting a new police reporter, but that's on hold for now, I think.
8. We have local editorials again on many days rather than almost never.
I could go on, but the bottom line is that he's moving pretty fast for one guy with a very long list of things to do.
When will the changes be obvious to readers? I'm not sure. But they will be.
Throw your support behind what he's doing now and you'll help make reform come faster.
FEBRUARY 12, 2009 9:25 AM