Existing comment:
Pressing On:
When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast on Aug 29, 12005, staffers of The Times-Picayune were forced to flee their downtown office in delivery trucks. The staff went to Baton Rouge, located about 80 miles from New Orleans, where they published the newspaper online for three straight days. On Sept 2, the Times Picayune resumed publishing its print edition, using a press in nearby Houma, La., and later moved to Mobile, Ala.
2005 EXTRA!
Death of Two Dynasties:
Joseph Pulitzer started what became a dynasty in 1872 when he bought the St. Louis Post. His expansion into New York City and his ensuing circulation battles there with William Randolph Hearst made Pulitzer one of the foremost newsmen of his time. But it was dwindling interest and involvement by his heirs -- not profit-margin pressures -- that eventually led to the sale of Pulitzer properties to Lee Enterprises in 2005.
Press In Peril:
Knight Ridder once one of the largest newspaper groups in the nation, vanished in 2006 after investor complaints about sipping profits led to its sale. Knight Ridder's demise symbolized the troubles brought by demands for high profits. In some cases, that pressure led to fraudulently inflated circulation figures; elsewhere, as managers cut payrolls, newsroom layoffs and buyouts became commonplace. The events spawned pessimism about the long-term future of newspapers. |