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Richard Conner has announced that he is stepping down as the publisher of the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader. This media board reports that he has also has pulled out of the newspaper business in Maine. Speculation is rampant about the financial health of the publication with many people fearing for their jobs and the rest of us worry about having just one local new source for information about local politics and government. The local TV stations ignore political stories unless something really big happens and the afternoon radio show is a joke.
The Citizens Voice has more information about what is going on than the TL.
Times Leader staffers face uncertain future
"Obviously there's concern in the newsroom," said one reporter. "It certainly seems more dire than it has before."
At the rate the cuts are coming, along with Connor's resignation, that same reporter wondered if Wilkes-Barre could soon become a one-newspaper town.
"It's not a good situation," the reporter said.
"I think everyone knew that both papers couldn't exist forever."
My interaction with reporters from both papers has been positive for the most part. Many told me they welcomed the competition and said it made them do their jobs better. I think we are the only small market in the USA with competing daily newspapers.
From a veteran of the newspaper wars who has joined the ranks of us lowly bloggers, Betty Roccograndi who writes Pure Bunkum
Is This The Beginning Of The End For The Times Leader?
And there’s nothing like the fear of being scooped that keeps reporters on their toes. When Bill O’Boyle worked for The Citizens’ Voice and beat me on a story, I feared going into the office that day to face the dragon lady, who’d inevitably ask icily, ”Why don’t we have this story?” (But, dear readers, I scooped him plenty in return.)...
What I’m getting at is remove that competitive spirit, and reporters run the risk of losing their drive in digging for news that those in office would just love to hide.
But the biggest irony of all would be if The Citizens’ Voice, a long ago fledgling offshoot of The Times Leader, which did everything possible to drive it out of business, becomes the only game in town.
Who is the dragon lady? I have a guess.
12 hours ago
5 comments:
Bad news for local businesses, the c.v. ad rates will jump up.
The CV will bring Scranton Times rates to Wilkes Barre and that will mean bad business for the small fry. Hey folks, lets not forget that it was Connor who brought in the Hachenhut Security guards and installed the barbed wire even before the strike. He is also the guy who said "we will inflict a newspaper on Wyoming Valley". By By blue bird we sure as hell aren't sad to see you go. A look at Connors endorsed county council candidates is proof positive that he doesn't belong in that job. The Leader's sucess was due to the CV's incomptent and lack luster reading. The CV has done better because of the ST influence.
One good thing about the TL is they interview each candidate and then post the interviews on their site. I watched every interview and tied for last place were Charlie Bible Buck Hatchko and Michele Bednar. Hatchko tried to tell us Crossin hired him because he could bench press 435 pounds. Is he a whacko or what? Poor Michele Bednar cant string 10 words together to make a complete sentence. Her effort to respond to the questions was an absolute disaster with her more often than not saying, I don't know, I never thought about that. There were times in the interview when the editorial board had to finish a sentence for her because she got lost for words ..... sad, very sad especially when I think of some of the people who lost the election.
Nobody buys newspapers anymore...they read it on the computer. What a shame.
That is interesting that post about "no one buys newspapers anymore", hmm, I work for Times Shamrock, guess you think for free? Perhaps you should look at the facts - specifically in the WB-Scranton area, #1 in the USA!
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