Canwest’s would-be suitors

Since October 2009, one of Canada’s largest international media companies Canwest, owner of several BCYCNA member newspapers, has been operating under creditor protection as part of the process to recapitalize the company.

Some analysts expect that the media conglomerate will sell assets or be broken up entirely as the restructuring process continues, in part because the publishing division has a separate set of lenders. The Financial Post, a Canwest subsidiary, came out with an article with possible suitors for the struggling company – it was posted on thevancouversun.com this week. Some of these potential buyers include Quebecor Inc., Transcontinental Inc., Alberta Investment Management Corp. (AIMCo.) and Glacier Media Inc.

For a full list of the would-be buyers pros and cons – click HERE.

74 per cent of adults read their community newspaper

On January 11, 2010 the Canadian Community Newspaper Database Corporation (ComBase) announced the results of its 2008-2009 study, with readership data for 218 markets across Canada.

Overall, community newspaper readership remains strong, with 74 per cent of Canadians reading their community newspaper. Readership is particularly strong among desirable target groups:

• 76 per cent of women
• 78 per cent of baby boomers
• 77 per cent of adults with children
• 74 per cent of university-educated adults
• 76 per cent of homeowners
• 78 per cent of affluent Canadians (i.e., household income >$75K)

According to the 2008-2009 study, adults 18 and over in Canada have read any of the last four issues in their communities.

Two hundred thirty-five newspapers participated in ComBase 2008-2009, which includes media consumption data for community newspapers, daily newspapers, ethnocultural and other newspapers, radio, television and Internet.

Results for individual markets have been distributed to participating newspapers. ComBase is in the process of releasing the complete database to media planners who use information systems software. National and regional highlights, as well as a list of markets and media, are available on the ComBase website at www.combase.ca. Data requests may also be submitted via email to research@combase.ca.

Your Guide for Getting around in February 2010

Speculation over what Vancouver is going to look like during the imminent 2010 Olympics Games has become a regional past time over the last few years.  From real estate to restaurants, rentals to road closure: no one seems to know exactly what to expect.

With the BCYCNA offices in downtown Vancouver these things weigh pretty heavily on our minds. We therefore thought we would share some of the information that is helping us formulate our commuting plans during “the big show.”

The first is from the City of Vancouver and details the locations and timing of Olympic-related road closures:

Vancouver 2010 Road Closures

The second comes is a Vancouver Sun editorial discussing what commuters can expect from Translink during the run of the Games:

Vancouver Sun: Expect waits up to two hours for transit

Entries for the 2010 Ma Murray Community Newspaper Awards

The deadline for entries for the 2010 Ma Murray Community Newspaper Awards has already come and gone. We thank you all for your diligence in sending us your submissions, and are happy to report that we received entries from 87 of our members, which gives us a steady 74 per cent participation rate. Now that you have done your work in submitting your entries, we have the job of preparing them all for the judges.

Finalists will be announced at the end of February or early March, and the awards themselves will be handed out at a spectacular Gala at the River Rock Casino Resort on Saturday, April 10, 2010. We hope to see you all there.

Good luck and stay tuned for the 2010 Ma Murray updates.

Edgar Dunning on CBC

As was blogged on January 7th, Delta Optimist columnist Edgar Dunning turned 100. To read more about this BC icon, our member paper, the Delta Optimist has archives of material. Another place to turn is CBC, reporter Alan Waterman recently featured a story on Edgar celebrating his 100 year mark. To view this story, click HERE.

Ontario papers doing much more than surviving

Kevin Slimp
Institute of Newspaper Technology
kevin@kevinslimp.com

I spent a good bit of my afternoon thinking about the current state of newspapers. In a discussion with a trusted friend and colleague, I once again was challenged to rethink the traditional role newspapers have played and consider a world where most of what we read is provided online by other sources.

Then I remembered a group of newspapers based in the small town of Prescott, Ontario. With a decrease in the number of industry-related conferences, I’ve found myself visiting more places like Prescott of late.

You might call Prescott, located about an hour south of Ottawa, the epicenter of a group of community newspapers that serve the towns in that area. That’s where I spent two days with Beth Morris and the staffs of the six newspapers that make up the Morris Group. Three of the papers are paid circulation; three are free.

I had dinner with the staff of the Prescott Journal my first night in Ontario. There was electricity in the air as the group talked about the new equipment waiting in the new building we would occupy for training. New computers, new software and a new press all awaited editors and designers from the six papers the next morning.

When the training was done, I asked Beth Morris if we could discuss her papers. After all, while word on the street is that newspapers are struggling for survival, here’s a group of newspapers that are not only surviving, but adding facilities, staff and soon, two new publications.

Beth shared a very simple vision statement for the Morris Group of newspapers: “A place where people like to work and customers want to support.”

She added that a key to a newspaper’s success is its staff. “It’s important to keep an eye toward staff. They all work hard. They know they have secure jobs. There is definitely a team spirit.”

She wasn’t blowing smoke. The staff I met in Prescott was, in a word, impressive.

We first discussed the three free papers: The Barrhaven Independent, The Packet (serving South Ottawa) and Business News.

I asked about the difference in free and paid newspapers. She noted that both have their place, but she doesn’t see many new paid newspapers in the future. Her two new papers will be free.

Beth emphasized the importance of customer service, which keeps advertisers returning. She noted this was a deciding factor for many advertisers who had several options when it comes to print.

Eventually, I turned the topic to the Manotick Messenger. The Messenger is a paid weekly with a circulation of 1,100. There are two people on staff, with the layout and production done in the Prescott facility.

I asked if it was possible to make a profit with a circulation of 1,100. “At best, it’s break even,” said Beth, “but it’s important to the people.”

When pressed she added, “This paper is important to the thousand people who read it. All you have to do is look in the eyes of a parent when a child is in the paper. Then you’ll know why we do this.”

Playing the devil’s advocate, I pressed even further. I wanted to know why she even cared if there was no profit involved.

“I care,” she said, “because I’m part of a long chain of newspaper people. It’s like a legacy. I’m not going to be the one to end it.”

If you’ve followed my work very long, you know that I was one of the first voices urging newspapers to resist the temptation to ignore online journalism. And you might know that I speak on topics related to online journalism at schools of journalism and industry-related events on a regular basis. However, it’s people like Beth Morris that give me optimism concerning the future of our business.

Following our earlier conversation this afternoon, my friend sent the following email: “Don’t take my statements earlier today as my saying that newspapers will vanish. I don’t think that’s the case at all. However, I do believe that in order to maintain survival, both the printed paper and the online presence have to find a way to complement each other.”

I think we might have found a point of agreement.

Happy 100th Edgar!

The BC & Yukon Newspapers Association would like to extend warm wishes to honourary life member Edgar Dunning and his family, as he celebrates his 100^th Birthday. Happy Birthday Edgar!

Born in Elbow, Sask., Edgar is the BCYCNA’s first centenarian. He moved to British Columbia at the age of 12, where his father, a printer, founded the Delta Optimist in 1922. The newspaper was first housed in the Delta Hotel’s former saloon and Edgar recalls helping set type — by hand.

The quick-witted Edgar continues write a weekly newspaper column for the Delta Optimist, which he’s been writing for over 58 years.

Two new members for the BCYCNA

The BCYCNA is pleased to welcome two new papers to our membership. Both Black Press publications, the Nelson Star and the Northern View bring our total to a record 117 members!

The Nelson Star, which published its first edition in July 2008, reaches the Kootenay communities of Nelson, Bonnington, Balfour, Kaslo, and Crawford Bay.

The Northern View, based out of Prince Rupert, began publishing in May 2006, and reaches residents in Port Edward, Prince Rupert, the surrounding First Nations villages, the Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii, the Hazeltons, Hartley Bay, and Dease Lake.

The BCYCNA would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest members!