Comments on: How Bad Is It at A.H. Belo?

By: Serendipity

Serendipity — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:42:01 +0000

RE: Always Right “The Web enables users to self-select the content and services they want….. How’s that 2-pound pile of paper on your doorstep looking now? How much of it did you really care about anyway?”
The best thing a newspaper has going for it is that you never know what you’re going to find when you turn the page. You may find yourself reading a news story or feature about somebody or some place in Dallas that you would never have “self selected” on the Web. So we’re never surprised, and we never grow, and that contibutes to a very parched and insular life.

By: Ink Stained Wretch

Ink Stained Wretch — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:25:13 +0000

Hey Tinker Bell — can you toss some pixie dust my way so I can fly the coop?

By: Liz

Liz — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:25:40 +0000

I read all of these comments; however, I don’t hear any sympathy for those employees at Dallas Morning News and Dallas Magazine who have lost their jobs and those who will lose their jobs. Many of the people at DMN have been there for years and are no longer young. This is the tragedy that should be looked at.

By: Worried Reporter

Worried Reporter — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 03:56:25 +0000

Similar woes are upon the NY Times:

http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/11/cash-crunch-at-new-york-times-nyt-400-million-due-in-may

The Gray Lady is also pretty much out of cash.

By: Wick Allison

Wick Allison — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:23:08 +0000

@Billy. My understanding is that the real estate is co-owned by the two Belo companies, as I stated in the post.

By: billy

billy — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:27:31 +0000

First of all, AHBelo and Belo Corp are not co-owned. 2 different companys, yes decherd is chairman of the board of both but he is not ceo of belo corp. belo corp should have never let him have the name belo. it makes the tv company that is making money and will make it long term look bad because of AHBelo on the death bed

By: jrp

jrp — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:47:58 +0000

sad
and true of newsrooms i’ve seen, as well
thanks

By: tinkerbell

tinkerbell — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:16:09 +0000

jrp-

There were several of us who tried and tried and tried. In fact three of us who were brought into TDMN (none of us rose up through the system) to change things were told “no, you can’t touch that,” “no, we won’t change that,” etc. I recall a specific meeting when two of us told the Belo board that the Cue Cat project was not viable, the projections were pulled out of someone’s orifice, the technology jsut didn’t make sense. With voices raised, we asked them to walk away. Nope. they moved forward.

Over and over again this happened. The three of us brought in to help all left within months of each other. It was so frustrating to know what could have been and see what it became.

By: Always right

Always right — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:40:04 +0000

I love the folks who think “better content” will fix everything with newspapers. How about this: Craigslist and those like it killed classified revenue. It’s not coming back – ever. The Internet created loads of niche Web sites (Monster, HotJobs, AutoTrader.com, Realtor.com) with outstanding ad-targeting capability which could deliver measurable ROI to advertisers…. How’s that 4×6 print ad that’s delivered to the masses working now? The Web enables users to self-select the content and services they want….. How’s that 2-pound pile of paper on your doorstep looking now? How much of it did you really care about anyway?

Yes, bad management and poor vision contributed to the mess. But at the end of the day, the situation is this: the newspaper is a terribly inefficient way to deliver information and advertising. The Web has exposed all it’s vulnerabilites. And now it’s time for it to go away.

By: jrp

jrp — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:27:16 +0000

Mr. Allison, sadly it often seems too many people mistakenly equate reporting financial losses to advocating for the demise of the entity.