Today is the last day Hardee County, a DeSoto look-alike just north of the border, will have its own newspaper. Sun Coast Media Group's staff writer, Carol Sakowitz, announced in her column today that it's the last issue with "Hardee" in the mast. She didn't say why (we can guess: economics, economy of scale, ad revenues, and such) -- only that she's enjoyed her seven months as a reporter.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
R.I.P. Hardee Sun
Today is the last day Hardee County, a DeSoto look-alike just north of the border, will have its own newspaper. Sun Coast Media Group's staff writer, Carol Sakowitz, announced in her column today that it's the last issue with "Hardee" in the mast. She didn't say why (we can guess: economics, economy of scale, ad revenues, and such) -- only that she's enjoyed her seven months as a reporter.
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Back on October 29,2008, I, anonymous, posted a comment here to the story, "Silly Lede 'O the Day." The comment read, "78. The number of days before this paper (Venice Gondolier Sun) ceases publication?
ReplyDeletePlace your bets ladies and gentleman."
Now 74 days later the Hardee Sun has ceased publication. Wrong paper, although a SCMG paper, and only four days off on the timing.
So, get ready to place your bets. The next paper to bite the dust will be the Venice Gondolier in, wait for the drum roll, 53 days?
I'll be back. For Sun Coast Media Group running their business must be like watching dominos lined up watching and waiting for the guy to push the first one.
You are probably right about the Venice paper. I think there will always be a Charlotte-county based paper of some sort -- just generic, homogenized, and looking pretty much like a penny-advertiser with all that "reader generated content" and "photos provided." Old Word Wolf's plagiarism detector will surely continue to get a work out. The penny-Advertiser model is the model that the senior Dunn Rankin cut his teeth on -- not journalism or true community reporting. And besides, he owns all that printing equipment. What they gonna do with it if they don't run it? They can't print money so they might as well print a laundromat bulletin board and "mail it to us."
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be surprised if more SCMG papers closed. They just had yet another round of layoffs. Hardly anyone in management has any real journalism experience like the owners and the business is very poorly run.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous. I agree. You may know they laid off their entire photo staff. Reporters now take "pictures."
ReplyDelete