Keep an eye/ear out for Tampa

Anybody who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

 

... there's Cheech and Chong?

 

A little bit for the reindeer ... a little bit more for Santa Claus ... a little bit more for Santa Claus ...

 

At the very least, they have enough in the coffers to bring on the columnist recently laid off by the Tribune, Daniel Ruth, to write op-eds:

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/article934490.ece

Editor's note

Today the Times welcomes to its opinion pages Daniel Ruth, who comments on Florida and Tampa Bay with particular insight and wit. His work last appeared in the Tampa Tribune, and his voice here will enliven and broaden our conversations about the region and the state. He may not always agree with the Times' editorial opinions, and that will be fine. The op-ed page offers a wide range of provocative, thoughtful commentary. Daniel adds another dimension. His weekly column will appear on Fridays.

— Tim Nickens, editor of editorials

 

It's a very smart move for the Times, as Dan Ruth -- a good guy, in my opinion -- has a huge following in town. They didn't add him to the staff, however; he's a freelancer, albeit a regular one. Still, I'm glad they were able to find some money to acquire his work ... things are tight otherwise, as I am told by many people there, and pennies are being counted (as they are at every company today).

 

On a related front, this is from E&P
CHICAGO Hernando Today, a sibling paper of the Tampa Tribune, was a three-day-a-week paper when parent Media General bought it in the early 1990s. In 1996 it was converted to a daily.

And on Jan. 19, it will become a five-day paper, Publisher Duane Chichester announced. The paper will no longer publish a print version on Mondays and Tuesdays.

In a story by reporter Tony Marrero, Chichester said the changes are intended to be a "proactive" step as the paper's ad revenue falls, newsprint costs rise and the Florida economy continues to remain under water.

But Chichester said the change is also paving the way to a more formidable digital presence: "Our industry is facing more challenges than the economic downturn. We have more competition than ever before for advertising dollars and our industry Web sites are not yet producing enough revenue to replace print revenue losses."

No staff reductions were announced along with the publication schedule change, but Chichester said they could not be ruled out. The paper reduced its work force last year.