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AJ-C puts out 4-page sports section; no more box scores

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by maconsportsguy, Feb 20, 2009.

  1. maconsportsguy

    maconsportsguy New Member

    First time poster, longtime reader.

    Here's what the "public editor" of the paper I can no longer buy from an hour away says:

    These are really difficult times for many, many newspapers, including the AJC. The brutal economy and changing trends in the industry have cut sharply into advertising. Advertising is a crucial component for us to afford printing news pages in the paper.

    We are committed to providing our readers with thorough coverage of local topics many readers values the most, that includes the Braves, Falcons, Hawks, Thrashers and college football. We will also deliver a strong regional and national report.

    But, we have to make the best use of our more limited space. So we had to eliminate the NHL and NBA box scores as well as the Scoreboard page (which includes Transactions, tennis scores, today’s schedule of many national college games, East Coast Hockey League standings, soccer scores, etc).

    However, the Sports section will continue to publish box scores for our local teams: the Hawks, Thrashers, Braves, Falcons, Georgia and Georgia Tech.

    Also, the standings, scores and roundups (summaries of last night's games) will remain. The TV listing also will remain in the section. The calendar of events for local teams will be put broken into smaller pieces and will run with stories on those teams.

    I know some folks will find these changes difficult, but I believe they will continue to find value in the AJC's sports pages.
     
  2. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    A sign of things to come. Look for others to quickly follow the AJC's lead.
     
  3. steveu

    steveu Well-Known Member

    Jeebus Cripes. The destruction of a decent paper continues.
     
  4. John

    John Well-Known Member

    An NBA city not running NBA boxes. Stunning -- at least it would have been 18 months ago.

    I heard the Athens paper had a 2-page section earlier this week.
     
  5. podunk press

    podunk press Active Member

    So that means the AJC had a smaller sports section than my Podunk Press paper.

    Wow.
     
  6. i'm surprised so many papers still run box scores, standings, agate

    if something has to go, i'd cut that crap first
     
  7. Shoeless Joe

    Shoeless Joe Active Member

    Standings and schedules are some of the first things many people look at. Maybe not NHL, NBA, but if you don't have your local standings, MLB, NFL and NASCAR results on Monday, I guarantee the phone is going to ring non-stop.
     
  8. Riddick

    Riddick Active Member

    Makes me think I'm safer at Podunk Press than a major metro. scary times. good luck, people.
     
  9. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    There is a lot of truth in what you are saying.
     
  10. SnoopyBoy

    SnoopyBoy Member

    Sounds like they're still running standings and box scores of Atlanta teams. If someone in ATL wants the Rockets-Nuggets box score, they go online to get it. I don't think it's going to drive people away.
     
  11. Ben_Hecht

    Ben_Hecht Active Member


    That's been the rationale, now, for more than decade . . .

    But for two correlated facts:

    (1) Your older readers are the least likely to go online, and

    (2) Your most loyal newsprint readers are older.

    Best of luck, resolving that.
     
  12. Captain_Kirk

    Captain_Kirk Well-Known Member

    If I go online to get to get boxscores, I'm sure not going to ajc.com to get them.
     
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