McClatchy, Tribune, Buffett, and the need to think outside the box

On Thursday, McClatchy—the publicly-traded owner of 30 local newspapers, including the Miami Herald, the Charlotte Observer, and the Kansas City Star—filed for bankruptcy. The company will continue to operate, but is seeking relief from debt and pension obligations; if that goes to plan, it’ll pass into the control of Chatham Asset Management, a hedge fund which is already McClatchy’s top creditor, and which also owns the Canadian publishing giant Postmedia and the parent company of the National Enquirer. On Friday, McClatchy’s DC bureau reported that a federal pensions agency has concerns about a 2018 transaction between McClatchy and Chatham that could put the brakes on the bankruptcy process. Still, McClatchy—which has been family-controlled since the aftermath of the California Gold Rush—looks likely to end up in the hands of the 21st-century prospectors who increasingly own the local-news business. Local-news-watchers have traced McClatchy’s present plight to its decision, in 2006, to buy Knight Ridder, then America’s second-biggest newspaper company, in a deal worth $4.5 billion. (Yes, with a “b.”) The deal burdened McClatchy with debt, and since it was struck, ad revenue and print-circulation figures have cratered. A recent hike in digital subscriptions has offered some respite; still, between the Knight Ridder acquisition and the middle of last year, McClatchy cut nearly 60 percent of its operating expenses and more than 80 percent of its full-time staff,... Continue reading at 'Columbia Journalism Review'

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2020-02-17 13:11:10 UTC ]
News tagged with: #big publisher #canadian publishing

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McClatchy: newspaper publisher files for bankruptcy as 'local media suffers'

Miami Herald and Kansas City Star publisher has suffered as readers give up traditional subscriptions and get news onlineThe publisher of the Miami Herald, the Kansas City Star and dozens of other newspapers across the country is filing for bankruptcy protection. Related: Controversy rages over... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-02-13 14:36:40 UTC ]
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2 top execs leaving newspaper publisher Tribune amid turmoil

Two top executives at newspaper publisher Tribune are stepping down as the company deals with its largest shareholder, a hedge fund known for cutting newsroom jobs, and navigates the ongoing shift to online media Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2020-02-03 23:48:57 UTC ]
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Tribune Publishing Announces New Major Shareholder: Alden Global Capital

Tribune Publishing Company (NASDAQ: TPCO), one of the nation’s leading media companies, today announced that funds managed by Alden Global Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2019-11-20 15:37:42 UTC ]
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New subscription box service confronts lack of representation in children's books

A new subscription service offering monthly deliveries of black children's literature has been launched in response to the lack of children’s books in the UK featuring BAME characters. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-17 16:01:04 UTC ]
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Jeter’s Players’ Tribune discusses sale to Minute Media

Digital media company Minute Media is in talks to buy the Players’ Tribune, a website started by former baseball star Derek Jeter, according to people familiar with the matter. While the companies... To view the full story, click the title link. Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2019-11-07 10:57:10 UTC ]
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I was proud my literature award. Then came the talk of ‘box-ticking’ | Chitra Ramaswamy

It’s clear that the publishing world needs more diversity. Why do some see this as compromising quality?Let me tell you a story. A few years ago, months after this riven old island voted to leave the European Union, and days after an ex-reality TV host became the leader of the free world, a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2019-10-11 15:37:44 UTC ]
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McClatchy tries nonprofit funding for education coverage

The local news publisher is betting that a non-profit partnership model pioneered by The Seattle Times can rally community support for its reporting and power digital subscriber growth. The post McClatchy tries nonprofit funding for education coverage appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2019-10-02 04:00:05 UTC ]
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Jenny Slate's New Book Is a Box of Treats

The actor, stand-up comic, and children’s book author invites readers into her head with a collection of “little weirds.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-08-23 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Hodder and Serial Box to publish thriller by Hannah's female crime-writing team

Hodder & Stoughton has joined forces with digital platform Serial Box to publish an original psychological thriller by a team of women crime writers helmed and hand-picked by Sophie Hannah. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-29 06:07:59 UTC ]
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Industry Notes: Serial Box’s Foreign Rights and Amazon’s Summer Reading List

Bookcase Literary Agency is handling international rights sales for Serial Box–which has an 'Orphan Black' series coming–and Amazon's 'Best So Far' 2019 list is out for summer reading. The post Industry Notes: Serial Box’s Foreign Rights and Amazon’s Summer Reading List appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-06-20 03:26:28 UTC ]
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Industry Notes: Serial Box’s Foreign Rights and Amazon’s Summer Reading List

Bookcase Literary Agency is handling international rights sales for Serial Box–which has an ‘Orphan Black’ series coming–and Amazon’s ‘Best So Far’ 2019 list is out for summer reading. By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson Serial Box: New “Orphan Black’ Content Coming iterary... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-06-20 03:26:28 UTC ]
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Jack in the Box’s mystery, New Coke’s revival and Dressbarn’s downfall: Wednesday Wake-Up Call

Welcome to Ad Age’s Wake-Up Call, our daily roundup of advertising, marketing, media and digital news. You can get an audio version of this briefing on your Alexa device; sign up here. What people are talking about today We're still pondering this mystery: What exactly prompted Kim Kardashian... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2019-05-22 10:00:00 UTC ]
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Puffin launches picture book subscription box

Puffin has launched its first ever subscription box service with boxes for children aged three to five-years-old.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-21 05:36:25 UTC ]
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Big-box retailers set their sights on digital NewFronts

The Digital Content NewFronts have always been a smorgasbord of little-known startups, mixed among the publishing stalwarts, searching for their big breaks the one time of year the whole industry is paying attention. But this year, it’s not the little guys with their internet-friendly names... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2019-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The three keys to Shazam!’s box-office success are a testament to zigging when everyone else zags

Shazam!’s counterintuitive path to popularity is an object lesson in pursuing originality in a universe dominated with world-building The success of Warner Bros.’ latest superhero movie Shazam!, which took the No. 1 spot at the box office last weekend and has had critics swooning–it has a... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2019-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Giving Cannabis a Clear Name: PW Talks to Box Brown

In his newest work of graphic nonfiction, cartoonist Box Brown turns to the history and cultural impact of marijuana in 'Cannabis: The Illegalization of Weed in America,' which was published April 2 by First Second. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google News Initiative and McClatchy Will Fill a Local News Void in 3 U.S. Markets

Google News Initiative, the search-engine giant's program to work with publishers in the media industry, teamed up with newspaper publisher McClatchy on an initiative to bring local news coverage to three small and midsized communities in the U.S. that are currently lacking local sources of news... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2019-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Panel Mania: Cannabis: The Illegalization of Weed in America by Box Brown

In 'Cannabis: The Illegalization of Weed in America' (First Second, April), Box Brown surveys the history of marijuana and provides an illuminating look at the racist social stigmatization, pharmacological affects and legalization movement surrounding marijuana in North America. A 15-page excerpt. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bad week for digital media: The Players’ Tribune lays off eight

The athlete-centric sports publisher has laid off eight employees as the business undergoes a strategic shift. The post Bad week for digital media: The Players’ Tribune lays off eight appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2019-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple Books Bestsellers: 'Bird Box' Gets the Netflix Bump

Just behind 'Becoming' is Josh Malerman's 'Bird Box,' which saw a significant sales bump thanks to the recent Netflix adaptation. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-01-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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