Tribune sells two small papers to Gannett ...

Stamford and Greenwich.

The way things are going with Tribune, I don't know that I'd think this was so bad if I worked at one of these places.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/01/AR2007030101606.html

 

A couple years ago, I would have rather worked at a Tribune paper than just about anywhere else... Unfortunately, that's definitely no longer the case...

 

This makes sense for Gannett (next to Westchester) and it keeps them out of the hands of JRC (New Haven, etc.) and Singleton (Bridgeport). They ran a lot of Newsday copy. Guess they'll be switching to Westchester, a downgrade for the readers but still very respectable pro coverage.

 

Newsday has become quite small-minded lately. Seems to fit in with Gannett's hyper-local approach.

 

If they're trying to dump dead weight, how soon before they sell the Cubs?

 

Good move for Gannett. They own practically all the papers in NY's northern suburbs now. Everything east of the Hudson, I believe. A lot of money there.

 

Interesting that Gannett didn't buy Danbury when Ottaway put it up for sale last year. Fairfield County still has five dailies: Greenwich and Stamford (Gannett), Danbury (CNHI), Bridgeport (Singleton), Norwalk (charitable trust). I wonder if Gannett now will try to buy Danbury and/or Bridgeport and merge them all into a metro, as it did in Westchester County about 10 years ago. A source in Ottaway says Dow Jones may not be finished selling -- Middletown, N.Y., would seems to be a likely Gannett target.

 

I'm still expecting CNHI to flip Danbury to either Gannett or Singleton.

 

The only way the Cubs go is if the broadcast arm goes.
They go hand-in-hand because of the programming rights with cable superstation WGN.

 

Does Singleton own anything else in the neighborhood? I can't think of it. But, then, it is 1:40 in the morning and I'm home from the bar, so I might be missing something.

 

If by small-minded you mean cheap...yes. The local coverage is still inadequate.

What the bean counters have done to a once-thriving tabloid is disgusting.

 

Well, at least Norwich won't be such a red-headed stepchild anymore. Maybe they'll actually really cover UConn so Stamford/Greenwich will have stuff to run.