Report: Seattle P-I likely to close

Thanks Frank.
I've seen both papers, and I liked them both from the one or two sections I have seen.
Seems like what I heard was that the Times had a better national reputation, why the P-I was better thought of locally.

 

I love the globe:

 

And the Examiner has since fallen to Phil Anschutz, who has copyrighted the Examiner name for possible use on a string of free dailies around the country. The SF Examiner is a freebie now, only slightly better than the Metro "papers" handed out at subway stations on the East Coast.

 

A facebook friend who works there just put up on a status update that the P-I is closing.

 

Will either be sold, fold or go Web-only "with greatly reduced staff":

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/395463_newspapersale10.html

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008609677_webpi09m.html

 

Just think of all the journalists who will be out of work either way. This is terrible.

 

AP chimes in:

Seattle Post-Intelligencer up for sale
Eds: Updates with details throughout from Hearst, quotes from staffers. CHANGES slug. ADDS byline. Moving on general news and financial services.
By GENE JOHNSON
Associated Press Writer
SEATTLE (AP) — Hearst Corp. put Seattle's oldest newspaper, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, up for sale Friday, saying that if it can't find a buyer in the next 60 days, the paper will close or continue to exist only on the Internet.
"These options include a move to a digital only operation with a greatly reduced staff, or a complete shutdown of all operations," Hearst, the P-I's parent company, said in a statement. "In no case will Hearst continue to publish the P-I in printed form following the conclusion of this process."
Hearst Newspaper Division President Steve Swartz broke the news in a meeting with newspaper employees.
The statement said Hearst is not considering buying The Seattle Times, the city's other daily paper. Hearst has owned the P-I since 1921, and the paper has had operating losses since 2000, including $14 million last year.
The mood in the newsroom was grim. Some staff members cried, others were angry.
"People are kind of depressed. There's some crying," said Candace Heckman, P-I breaking news editor who has worked at the paper since 2000.
Heckman told The Associated Press that Swartz was peppered with many questions by staffers but declined to say more.
"Our journalists continue to do a spectacular job of serving the people of Seattle, which has been our great privilege for he past 88 years," Swartz said in a written statement. "But our losses have reached an unacceptable level, so with great regret we are seeking a new owner for the P-I.
Chris Grygiel, an assistant city editor, said neither Swartz nor P-I executives took questions at the meeting.
"People are just pretty shocked and amazed," said Grygiel who has been at the paper for eight years.

 

Jesus.

 

Wow, they're going to start falling like dominoes this year. The end is near.

 

Looks like the end is here.
But I'll say this, you won't find a better view of the end than from the newsroom of the P-I. There is a view of Mt. Rainier from the newsroom balcony that is simply breath taking.

 

Hope that balcony isn't too high up. :-\

 

P-I posts updated story, with eight-minute video of announcement being made:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/395463_newspapersale10.html