Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Kotz / Media Nashville Scene (Alas) Is Cutting Back
Posted by Pete Kotz on Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 5:47 AM
The national newspaper slump--which is beginning to look more like an avalanche--has forced us to make some regrettable cuts to our newspaper, beginning with today's issue. Alas, you will no longer find the book section, The New York Times crossword puzzle, or News of the Weird.
To fans of these features, we apologize for their departure. The newspaper industry nationwide took a severe beating last year--and the prospects for this year aren't particularly glowing. Granddaddies like the New York Times and Chicago Tribune are worried about going belly up, and Gannett, owner of The Tennessean, has laid off thousands of employees.
While Scene was late to the misery, it appears that our fair rag is no longer going unscathed. Last week, editors and publishers across our company, Village Voice Media, were forced to take pay cuts.
The good news is that our online business is growing by triple digits. (Thanks for reading, by the way. I'll be saying good things about you at bus stops all over town.) The bad news is that our paper business will continue to suffer along with the economy. We just thought you should know.
Comments (7)
Showing 1-7 of 7
All I really read & linked to was the book section. :(
Funny, the town that has the Southern Festival of Books doesn't have a weekly paper with a books section....
Good luck to all of you.
like
dislike
Here's a good piece by author and former Scene contributor Clay Risen, who'll be at Davis-Kidd Jan. 26 to sign his new book A Nation on Fire:
http://maudnewton.com/blog/?p=9117
And it cannot be said enough how great a job Margaret Renkl has done with our book coverage.
Hang in there, guys. Any media org that manages to survive this environment will be tough enough to live through anything. Likewise any media person who still has a career when the carnage ends.
Excellent article (posted late Tuesday) on how Village Voice Media (the chain that owns the Scene)operates in general and how they ruined the LA Weekly in particular.
http://marccooper.com/la-weekly-the-autopsy-report/
Well, you cut the wrong things. I picked up the Scene every week because of the NYT crossword. I read the magazine, but the puzzle was the reason I picked it up in the first place. I probably won't bother anymore.
I'm unimaginably upset that instead of the edifying greatness of the NYT crossword e/ week I find girly/escort ads. Every wednesday i go have pizza with friends and work the puzzle. Our weekly tradition near crumbled thanks to this cost cut. boo.
