UPDATED: details of new ownershipmodel at Chicago Sun-Times Media

[The Basement]

Haven't seen much on this in the last couple of weeks:

(EDIT: thread title) Company sold to an internet holding group: http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20111221/BLOGS03/111229937/new-sun-times-will-move-toward-specialized-content-online

Anyone with experience with Mr. Knight, or this business model?
the new CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times said Chicago can still support multiple newspapers and that Wrapports LLC, the company taking over the newspaper, will focus on "portals" or verticals, as they are known in the online world, to deliver specialized content to readers.

"We want to use technology to create, disseminate and present content to people," said Mr. Knight, who confirmed the sale. "We want the content to be highly relevant to them (subscribers). We want it to be extremely customer-focused."



Prior to this news, another dozen or so (maybe more?) employees were laid off from its Chicago and suburban papers (shortly after Crain's Chicago Business first reported this sale about two and a half weeks ago).

Also, the group is introducing a NY Times-inspired pay wall: http://www.suntimes.com/9284143-417/sun-times-media-online-sites-to-begin-metered-pay-plan.html
Online subscriptions will be $1.99 per four weeks for home-delivery customers. Digital-only subscribers will be charged $6.99 every four weeks, or they can pay $77.87 for yearlong access.

This follows the Daily Herald's pay wall, which this story says "installed a metered system last summer, charging non-print subscribers $19.99 per month after 15 page views."

 

[steveu]

Re: Changes/layoffs/new ownership at Chicago Sun-Times Media

Just saw this break on Tribune last night. I guess the good thing is the majority of the investors live in Chicago and have a stake in keeping this paper afloat.

Sun-Times does well with what its resources are. Hopefully this stops the bleeding.

 

[The Basement]

Re: Changes/layoffs/new ownership at Chicago Sun-Times Media

Oh - those layoffs the last 2 weeks hit the design desks and sports desk very hard. Sports writers from at least 4 papers were let go.

 

[LanceyHoward]

Does the Tribune have a paywall? I can't see the Sun-Times or the Southtown papers getting many on-line subscribers if the Trib is free on-line.

 

[The Basement]

Does the Tribune have a paywall? I can't see the Sun-Times or the Southtown papers getting many subscribers if the Trib is free on-line.

No - the Chicago Tribune does not yet have a paywall, but it seems to be coming - Baltimore is experimenting with one, I think.