NY Observer > Tribune Company

Release: Chicago Tribune Names Hirt Managing Editor

Matt Haber — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:13:52 -0400

Jim Romenesko has posted a press release from the Chicago Tribune announcing the promotion of Jane Hirt to managing editor. Ms. Hirt had been the editor of RedEye, the Tribune's young, hip [sic] paper, not to be mistaken with Fox News' young, hip [sic] late night show where bloggers are stars. (In fact, the Tribune Company tried to get Fox News to change the show's name in 2007.)

Ms. Hirt was named to Chicago Business' "40 Under 40," in 2006, telling writer Gregory Meyer, "We know our audience is interested in reading a little bit about foreign and national news, but by far, our research and all our readers tell us that local news and pop-culture news is what they want. read more »

Sam Zell, Now in Delicious Cake Form

Matt Haber — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:10:36 -0400

Jim Romenesko posted the above photograph of a Sam Zell-themed cake served up by employees at the Tribune Company's Hartford Courant. As Mr. Romenesko wrote, "A Courant staffer couldn't resist poking Zell's eyes out—on the cake, of course."

Mmmm. Revenge has never tasted so ... bitter.

Zell of a Pitch: 'We're Gonna Give it to 'Em'

Matt Haber — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:40:27 -0400

This morning on CNBC's Squawk Box, Carl Quintanilla interviewed Tribune owner Sam Zell about everything from the housing market to the elections to the Chicago Cubs. (This comes via Jim Romenesko.)

When the subject turned to the advertising market, Mr. Zell asked, "What ad market?" Mr. Quintanilla clarified that he meant newspaper advertisers, which prompted the outspoken Mr. Zell to bark, "I'm trying to find one of 'em!"

Here's how Mr. Zell described his newspaper business:

I think the case of Tribune, really, or newspapers in general basically comes down to producing a newspaper that the customer is willing to pay for. read more »

Is the Zell Way Not So Bad?

John Koblin — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 23:25:18 -0400

That's what Richard Perez-Pena asks in this morning's Times, and he hears a mixed response.

A former executive at Gannett, Allen Neuharth, says that Zell is just doing what he has to do. In order to prevent newspapers to go the way of the steel industry in the 1980s, preemptive steps have to be made. read more »

At Big Time 100 Bash, Rupert Murdoch Plays it Cool

John Koblin — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:08:48 -0400

Rupert Murdoch was standing in a deep corner of the Rose Hall at about 7:30 p.m. last night to toast his fellow influencers: It was the Time 100 celebration, an event that drums up publicity for the magazine's decreasingly influential list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

The day before, Mr. Murdoch had promised investors and reporters listening in on a News Corp. investors' call that he'd prevail in his purchase of Newsday over rival bidders Mort Zuckerman and the Dolans. read more »

Zell Sends Out Company E-mail, Says 'Specific Inquiries' for Newsday

John Koblin — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:35:48 -0400

Sam Zell sent out a company-wide email last night, and reemphasized, in slightly different words, that there are people interested in Newsday. While speaking about the "disposition front," he says there have been "specific inquiries" about Newsday. Here's the entire memo:

Lender Call Recap read more »

Sam Zell: Newspapers' Sluggishness Putting Plan to Preserve Tribune in 'Question'

John Koblin — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:25:47 -0400

The Tribune Company conference call is still going on. In introductory remarks, Sam Zell told investors that when he bought Tribune there was originally a “goal to preserve everything together.” Presumably he means all the newspapers, Wrigley Field and the Chicago Cubs, and the broadcasting properties. But the “significant erosion” of advertising money and revenue drops in the newspaper industry, he said, has “certainly put that plan into some question. And we’re forced to consider the divestiture of some of our assets.”

Bidding War Over Newsday?

John Koblin — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 08:17:01 -0400

Ante up!

Now suddenly everyone is interested in Newsday. The New York Times is reporting that a Manhattan media blockbuster trio is "in discussions" to buy the Melville-based newspaper: Rupert Murdoch, James Dolan and Mort Zuckerman. Sam Zell decides who's the winner.

It sets up a satisfying auction between Mr. Murdoch (Post-owner) and Mr. Zuckerman (Daily News-owner) and Mr. Dolan, who owns MSG, the Knicks, Rangers and Cablevision. read more »

Waiting For Sam: Zell Hovering as Newsday Shakes

John Koblin — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:03:48 -0500

It’s been a jittery two weeks in Melville.

Over the next week, Newsday reporters and editors are expecting an announcement about job cuts. Even veterans of the Vlad the Impaler year of 1995, in which Times Mirror ordered the elimination of 800 jobs from a payroll of 3,200, contemplate the coming week with dread.

“To be honest with you, it’s really grim here,” said James Bernstein, a business reporter and 30-year-veteran. read more »

John Montorio, Print Apologist, 'Shocked' at L.A. Times Firing

John Koblin — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 06:29:57 -0500

On Friday afternoon, in one of Russ Stanton's first acts as executive editor of The Los Angeles Times, he walked into the office of one of the paper's managing editors and fired him.

"I was shocked," said the editor, John Montorio, in an interview with The Observer. "It was really quite brief and to the point. There was no emotionalism, no hostility and bitterness. It was seriously better than that—no yelling, screaming, crying."

Mr. Montorio, managing editor for features, who heads up the Sunday Calendar, Daily Calendar, Weekend Calendar, Book Review, Home, Food, Travel, Real Estate, Health and "Highway 1" sections as well as the Sunday magazine, announced the news to the paper in a memo yesterday, saying he would be gone at the end of the month. read more »