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Bell to Meet with U-T Employees November 18. Meeting Announcement Spurs Rumors of Paper's Sale
Bell would never make any announcement to employees and then open the door for questions. Never. If the paper sells, it will go up in a question-proof memo. This is more likely some hare-brained scheme to reassure the remaining troops. "Please do not abandon ship ... yet."— November 11, 2008 1:59 p.m.
Some U-T Employees See Signs That Sale May Be Imminent. Warning: There Have Been Such Signs Before
When was Merriman shown the door? Did they give him a farewell party? Or was he just "gone" one day? Director of Classified Advertising Dexter LaPierre, who had been at the UT since before Noah's flood, was encouraged to retire not too long ago.— November 4, 2008 10:56 a.m.
Union-Tribune Circulation Continues To Plummet As Skepticism About Sales of Metro Dailies Increases
Maybe he'll end up back in the rented 54th St. house where his mom landed when she hit San Diego.— October 9, 2008 7:57 p.m.
Union-Tribune Circulation Continues To Plummet As Skepticism About Sales of Metro Dailies Increases
By the way, what is a "proposed sale?" It's either up for sale or it's not. I think we moved past the idea of a "proposed" sale back in July.— October 9, 2008 11:10 a.m.
Union-Tribune Circulation Continues To Plummet As Skepticism About Sales of Metro Dailies Increases
Today's UT ran a piece on the sale. Pity the writer, Tom Kupper. The "story" reads like a press release ... Take the story's lead: "The proposed sale of The San Diego Union-Tribune has attracted interest from a number of newspaper companies as well as investors from outside the industry." Yes, but serious interest, Tom? Or are these just lookie-loos who finally got a glimpse of the famously secret UT finances? "In recent weeks, representatives of Los Angeles Times owner Tribune Co. and San Jose Mercury News parent MediaNews were among those who visited the paper's Mission Valley offices for presentations on the business." I would love to know about this "presentation." Who gave it? Who prepared it? What does it include? What does it exclude?? "Representatives of the various companies either declined to comment or did not return phone calls, so it is impossible to gauge which ones are serious about pursuing bids for the paper in coming weeks. Other potential buyers could also emerge." Well, that tells us a lot. "Copley Executive Vice President Harold Fuson Jr. declined to comment on possible buyers or the timeline for a sale." ¡Que supresa!— October 9, 2008 11:06 a.m.
Union-Tribune Circulation Continues To Plummet As Skepticism About Sales of Metro Dailies Increases
You can slant a paper in any direction you like -- you just can't make it BORING, which is the UT's greatest sin. True, Bell has little journalistic background, but he could order the immediate recruitment of more talented editorial management. And he cannot do this while David Copley shields la Winner. But David put Karin on the sales block with the rest of the tired Mission Valley furnishings. I'll bet that Winner's continued employment is not part of any deal he makes with a buyer.— October 7, 2008 1:20 p.m.
Union-Tribune Circulation Continues To Plummet As Skepticism About Sales of Metro Dailies Increases
Let's say that it takes a while to find a buyer: why doesn't Gene Bell at least try to slow the decline by firing the top editorial management and taking the paper in a new direction? Does he prefer to go down on a sinking ship? Surely there must be some bright talent in the US who could come into the UT with carte blanche and try to turn it around.— October 6, 2008 noon
Union-Tribune Circulation Continues To Plummet As Skepticism About Sales of Metro Dailies Increases
The State of California estimates that San Diego County's population is 3,146,274. If the UT's daily readership is 266,765, that means that 0.08 of the population is looking at the paper. Even if the same paper is read by two people, that is only 0.16.— October 6, 2008 6:30 a.m.
Reporters Say They Have Seen Singleton at U-T. But Will His MediaNews, with Hearst, Be A Buyer?
UT Editor and La Jolla Socialite Karin Winner will be 64 in December. I imagine her journalism days are ending, as new owners would be unlikely to want to continue her brand of readership-losing news. Your thoughts, Don?— September 29, 2008 1:17 p.m.
Reporters Say They Have Seen Singleton at U-T. But Will His MediaNews, with Hearst, Be A Buyer?
My sources say that the only people allowed to talk to potential buyers are Gene Bell and Bill Nagel. Nagel used to head the Circulation department and now is in charge of "revenue streams" ... whatever the hell that is. Not being allowed to chat up potnetial owners has left HR Queen Bobbie Espinosa and Newsdoll Karin Winner steaming. More, the buyout memo called for two heads to come off the HR department... but no one took it. This leaves Espinosa, who generally avoids all confrontation, to select who gets rolled.— September 24, 2008 4:06 p.m.