Lexington Herald Leader Changes TMC Distribution Day

The Lexington Herald Leader has announced that effective September 13, 2010, it will change the distribution of its Local Values TMC product from Wednesdays to Mondays.

Clinton News To Close

The Clinton News, a weekly community paper covering Clinton, MS, will cease publishing on August 12th, 2010.   The Jackson Clarion Ledger will expand its coverage of Clinton to compensate for this closure.

Americke Listy Closing

Americke Listy, an American bi-weekly newspaper for Czech and Slovak residents in the United States has ceased publishing. The publication had reduced to less than 2,000 readers, and is closing for financial reasons.

Brookhaven Daily Leader Discontinues Monday Distribution

The Brookhaven Daily Leader discontinued its Monday distribution on July 1st, 2010.  The Daily Leader covers Brookhaven, Mississippi, and surround areas with approximately 6,000 daily circulation.

Albany Democrat Herald Switches to Morning Delivery

The Albany Democrat Herald, a Lee Enterprise publication, announced that it will be switching to morning delivery on October 4th, 2010.

Mooresville Tribune to Add Sunday Edition

The Mooresville Tribune, a Media General publication, will add a Sunday subscriber edition October 3, 2010.  The Tribune anticipates a Sunday distribution of 12,000.  The Tribune will also continue to publish on Wednesday and Fridays.

Los Angeles Garment & Citizen Closes

The Los Angeles Garment & Citizen, a weekly publication downtown Los Angeles has announced it will close effective July 23, 2010.  The Garment & Citizen was founded in 2000, and has a weekly free distribution of 10,000.

Montreal Gazette Ceases Sunday Distribution

A day after the formal closing of the purchase of the Montreal Gazette by Postmedia Network Canada, the Gazette has announced it is discontinuing Sunday distribution effective August 8, 2010.  The English language Gazette will remain a daily newspaper with distribution the six remaining days of the week.

Canwest Media Sold

Postmedia Network Canada Corp has announced that they have completed the purchase of the Canwest publications, in a $1 billion deal.  This makes Postmedia Network the largest publisher of English paid daily newspapers in Canada.  This will include publications such as the Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette and Vancouver Sun.

Postmedia Network has indicated that it is taking a 'digital-first' approach to publishing, per Editor & Publisher.

This concludes the bankrupcty proceedings for Canwest, which began in 2009.

Times Community Newspapers and Hoy Los Angeles Move to CIPS Marketing Group

LOS ANGELES, California – July 9, 2010 – CIPS Marketing has secured an agreement with the Los Angeles Times Media Group to distribute the Times Community News weekly products, including the Daily Pilot, Coastline Pilot, La Canada Valley Sun and the Glendale News-Press. Additionally, Hoy Los Angeles has moved the remainder of its weekend Fin De Semana publication’s distribution to CIPS.

Daily News Tribune to Switch to Semi-Weekly Distribution

The Daily News Tribune, in Waltham (MA), will be switching from daily distribution (Mon-Fri) to twice-weekly (Tue & Fri) effective August 31st, 2010.  The Gatehouse Media publication will be renamed the Waltham News Tribune, and will reduce its local news coverage to covering only Waltham (per the announcement on their website).

The Daily News Tribune currently also covers news in Newton and other surrounding communities near Waltham. This reduction in news coverage should not have a significant impact on the distribution of the publication, as the recent ABC audit indicates there is minimal distribution outside the Waltham area.

La Prensa to Expand Distribution

The Riverside Press Enterprise has announced that effective August 1, 2010, it Hispanic publication La Prensa will be increasing its circulation.

• August 1 – San Dimas, Covina, West Covina, Chino and Ontario, additional 10,000 distribution or 74,000 total

• September 15 – Moreno Valley, Perris, Hemet and San Jacinto, additional 10,000 distribution or 84,000 total

• November 1 – Banning, Temecula, Lake Elsinore, San Bernardino and Fontana, additional 10,000 distribution or 94,000 total

• December 15 – Riverside and Rubidoux -10,000

By December 15th we will be distributing 104,000+ copies of La Prensa in this market.

On July 2, 2010, the USA Today Weekend Edition started to distribute with La Prensa, to the entire circulation foot print.

If you are current distributing preprints with La Prensa, please remember to add the additional copies to your August Print schedule. Updated quantities per zone are below, provided by Faye E Sadlon-DiFilippo, Major Accounts Manager of LaPrensa. 

La Prensa Growth Schedule

August 1, 2010
Zone 1 9,423
Zone 2 15,650
Zone 3 8565
Zone 4 10132
Zone 5 9080
Zone 6 13403
Zone 7 9891

TOTAL 76,144

September 15, 2010
Zone 1 9423
Zone 2 15650
Zone 3 8565
Zone 4 10132
Zone 5 14080
Zone 6 13403
Zone 7 12891

TOTAL 84,144

November 1, 2010
Zone 1 9423
Zone 2 15650
Zone 3 11065
Zone 4 12632
Zone 5 16080
Zone 6 13403
Zone 7 15891

TOTAL 94,144

December 1, 2010
Zone 1 9423
Zone 2 15650
Zone 3 11065
Zone 4 12632
Zone 5 16080
Zone 6 23403
Zone 7 15891

TOTAL 104,144

US Postal Service Proposes Rate Increase Effective January 2, 2011

The USPS has proposed a rate increase effective January 2, 2011.  This has the following immediate implications:

• First-Class Mail stamp increases two cents to 46 cents and would add less than 13 cents a month to the average American household’s budget.
• Each additional ounce will cost 18 cents.
• Postcard stamp increases to 30 cents.
• The first ounce of a large envelope (flat) will cost 92 cents.

This will have a mixed impact on the newspaper industry, particularly in regard to preprints.  For those newspapers that are carrier delivered, this will be a benefit, as the their operating costs will not be impacted, while shared mail and direct mail costs will rise, thus making the carrier deliver papers more financially attractive to advertisers.

As for mail delivered newspapers, some will benefit and some will suffer.  As Editor & Publisher points out, depending on the size and volume of inserts a mailed newspaper (or mailed product) deals with, they may still come out ahead.  Some products will see only a 4% rate increase, instead of the 8% that others will see. While 4% isn't good news, it is better than 8%.

Tracy Press Publisher Files for Bankruptcy

The Tracy Press, a weekly publication, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  The Tracy Press was formerly a daily newspaper, which reduced distribution to twice a week because of declining circulation, and then last year reduced to once a week. 

The Press will continue publishing during the re-organization.

Black Press Aquires Ten Publciations from Glacier Media, Closes Three

Black Press (British Columbia) recently purchased ten publications from Glacier Media.  Seven of the publications will remain open:  Trail Daily Times, Creston Valley Advance, Fernie Free Press, Grand Forks Gazette, the Weekender, Cariboo Advisor, and Coast Mountain Advisor.

Three of the publications, though well established, will be closed in a couple of months as Black Press already has established publications in those markets. These three publications are the Prince Rupert Daily News, Nelson Daily News and 100 Mile House Advisor.

Jones Media Acquires Maryville Daily Times

Horvitz Newspapers and Jones Media jointly announced on July 1st, 2010 that Horvitz has sold the Daily Times (Maryville, TN) and its related websites to Jones Media.

Jones Media owns thirteen community newspapers in Tennessee and North Carolina.