I’m a former newspaper owner and a faithful reader of the Herald. Durango and the region are blessed to have a paper that truly cares about its readers.
I’m writing about the decision to reduce the number of days the Herald publishes. It seems to me that it’s a slash-and-burn policy. There are two major factors that must be considered:
First is the all-important readership base. The Herald has a bunch of loyal subscribers that wake up every morning, walk out to the front porch or newspaper tube and read up on the news while they enjoy breakfast.
Then, there’s the very real consideration of ownership. In essence, the Herald owns a franchise that has considerable value. You could make a case to increase the number of days it publishes. Has anyone thought about the monetary value of the established tradition of daily publishing?
Below are some ideas for alternative options:
Skip Mondays.Cease publishing on holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, and even New Year’s Day.Make a deal with the Wall Street Journal and/or The New York Times to include copies.Partner with local radio stations.Create a citizens advisory board.Expand local coverage.Open up your regular column space to community leaders, from our local hospitals to the American Legion.Expand real estate coverage.Make Ann Butler’s column twice weekly.Print news from Twitter and Facebook.Increase the number of student writers and greatly expand all school coverage.Furthermore, the Herald might ask Warren Buffett for advice; after all, he decided in recent years that it was a good time to invest in small daily newspapers (he has purchased 68).
Don’t forget the enormous strengths of a daily newspaper. You have quite a number of locals who write regular, interesting columns and you have an incredible number of letters to the editor.
Please don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. I think it’s a decision the Herald will come to regret, both because of the reduction in services to readers and also because of the long-term implications for the business itself.
Walt Dear
Durango
