Baton Rouge to flood New Orleans market

Advocate has reportedly added 23,500 readers in New Orleans: http://www.cjr.org/feature/the_battle_of_new_orleans.php?page=all. It was around 80,000.

 

That figure will only grow.

 

Not unreasonable, I think, to ask newspapers like the Decatur (Ala.) Daily why they aren't trying something similar in their markets.

 

Is Baton Rouge putting out a New Orleans edition?

Did it hire any staffers or stringers to generate New Orleans news?

Are they just trying to serve the fringe of the Times-Picayune's circ area?

A few questions that came to mind when I saw that 23k figure.

 

Geez, a paper actually gets bold and aggressive and we automatically spell doom.

Why don't we all just close every newspaper in America because, well, you know, they're all doomed sooner or later?

 

It's not doom to outline the reasonable negative consequences that may come from doing something. If anything, it's irresponsible not to consider them seriously before making a move like that. Plenty of businesses make bold and aggressive moves that backfire and leave them in a worse spot than they were before. You can make the case that cutting back print publication to three times a week is itself bold and aggressive.

Point being, you can't be cavalier about putting your employees' and your organization's future on the line. That it's a "bold and aggressive" move doesn't grant protection from the consequences or the judgment to come.

 

I go read the CNHI thread on here and that company appears to think bold means furloughs and in reality is simply harvesting what it can, investing in no new equipment and driving its employees to quit in frustration. There's a range of failure in this industry but many have reached a point of no more layoffs. Some still do and seemingly everything CNHI does is on the backs of its people. Too many good people in this not to have some risks. Bold to me, by the way, is having the balls to MAKE people pay for the online product.

 

That's fine, but that doesn't answer the question of why raising possible negative outcomes of a "bold and aggressive" plan is "spelling doom". It's completely irresponsible not to consider worst-case scenarios for any shift in plan, be it menial or massive.

 

This should answer your questions: http://theadvocate.com/news/3980718-123/advocate-marks-launch-of-new

 

Thanks. From that link.

Doesn't mention how many staffers they hired. I'm guessing it's not a cut-rate endeavor.

 

But I'll say it again.....the industry is dying. If you're a cancer patient with little hope given by the doctor, do you really worry about worst-case scenarios other than dying?

 

Yeah, I'd be worried about all the people who have jobs who might lose them with this move. If the paper were going to fold UNLESS it made this move, I'd see your point. Otherwise, you're just throwing those jobs away as collateral damage. So a bunch of people got thrown out onto the unemployment line ... hey, at least the paper tried something big.