I missed this Thursday. I don’t know what it means, but coupled with the layoffs announcement, I figure it can’t be good. The announcement originally scheduled for Feb. 4 has been moved to Feb. 17. If I were to speculate, which of course I never do, I would say that it is to give executives more time to figure out what to tell shareholders about their strategy for survival.
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Either that, or a ploy to survive until at least February 17th…
I think they only moved it back a day. Belo (broadcasting) is the one who announces on Feb. 4th.
Is there something called “reverse due diligence” they’re doing?
I think Belo and A.H. Belo would be very wise to change their names to end the confusion over which company is in worse shape.
How about they’ve put a stall on to see if a sale is going to go through?
@publicnewssense. There will not be a sale. Period.
There are SEC rules about splitting a company and then immediately making another move. Moreover, the only newspapers/media companies to sell in recent years were Tribune and Knight-Ridder, and the new owners either have declared bankruptcy or contemplated it.
Who is going to buy them, publicnewssense? These days, there are far fewer buyers out there with more money than sense.
Dave Thomas: I like your idea. Maybe both companies should change their names to Lookout-Beló.
FWIW: I suspect they delayed the reporting date because a.) the CEO wasn’t available to talk to investors on Monday, 2/16, b.) auditors can’t commit to signing of over the preceding weekend, or c.) another company in the industry is already reporting on the 16th, and analysts asked them to change the date. But then again, those are logical reasons, and this is A. H. Belo.
I’ve been monitoring D’s declining print ads in the last 6 months. I don’t know what it means, but coupled with their layoffs and salary cuts, I figure it can’t be good.
First, the DMN, in spite of appearances, is a valuable property. Someone would want it — revitalization would take a PR campaign, some smart editing and hard-driving ad staffers. Not easy, but something that could be accomplished with patience and affection for the paper and the city. Reacquiring good will is a challenge, but workable.
Second, I’ll make my traditional offer for all things valuable: $500 cash. No questions asked.
publicnewssense:
Revitalization would mean
1.Having a non- specific media platform, i.e., brand themselves as an information source, not a newspaper. Then, they can evolve with technology rather than be defined by an obsolete technology.
2. Knocking themselves down to a Sunday only paper with paid for internet/p.d.a. subscritions.
3. Engaging in a vigorous pursuit of transforming print ad revenue to internet ad revenue. That’s where the money is going. Anyone remember the job classifieds from 10 years ago? Follow the money.
4. Changing the name. Given the lack of dominance of one city in this market – two major urban areas – Dallas AND Fort Worth, many emerging super suburbs – Arlington, Plano, Grapevine/South Lake, etc., make for a confused brand identity. Don’t have a name off the top of my head, but I do know that the Dallas Moring News is not a relevant name or brand beyond folks of a certain age who have lived in the Dallas area for 30 plus years.
Maybe the DMN could actually innovate and offer some different ideas, like flipping the weekday paper into a free paper and charging for Sundays, where the ads still are.
But this is the DMN, after all, so just expect Moroney to announce more layoffs and maintain the executive bonuses.
Careful Micha… They’ll shut down the blog again.