The Star-Ledger
Advance’s New Jersey papers have some “channel conflict,” (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger Publisher Richard Vezza tells his paper. So while Vezza stresses that Advance is not thinking about the changes it’s implemented in other markets, like reducing print frequency or home-delivery days, he said “the company is looking at everything, from combining sales forces to how to organize its news operations,” Ted Sherman reports.
This fall, Vezza said he would consider shutting down The Star-Ledger if it couldn’t come to an accommodation with its unions.
“After months of negotiations, the four unions agreed to the savings, which included buyout packages for at least 55 workers,” Sherman writes. “Vezza said The Star-Ledger continues to lose money and the union agreements didn’t solve all the problems of Advance’s operations in New Jersey.”
Advance has already consolidated some back-office functions. In October, I heard from an Oregonian freelancer who was confused that the return address on a check was from Delaware. “Freelancers send their invoices there to be processed,” Oregonian Editor Peter Bhatia told Poynter in an email. “Think of it as mailing a credit-card bill to Phoenix.” The Oregonian is a part of Advance.
