OBSERVER’S PARENT CO. IN MERGER TALKS?

Tim Edman of the Bay Guardian thinks the two major alternative newspaper groups, New Times–which owns the Dallas Observer–and Village Voice Media are holding serious conversations. Here’s why:

Both organizations are controlled by big banks. They’re making money, but not as much as the bankers want. “Each has big corporate overhead – and the banks will say, this is how you make your return on investment.”

How like bankers. Neither group is making its numbers, so the answer is to put them together. Let’s see: -1 + -1 = 2. Something about that math doesn’t feel right.