Promoted verbatim from comments by an Anonymous Source:
The Tribune is moving to a once-a-week Thursday print edition and a daily web paper. It announced the change with a self-congratulatory article this morning; once you wade through the back-patting you find this:
In moving to a once a week print newspaper and online daily, we will employ fewer people in some departments.
We fully expect that there will be those who will criticize our strategy. Through the years, we have routinely been scorned by some, including bloggers who are prone to vitriolic negativity. Other comments may come from competitors such as Willamette Week – which makes a practice of throwing stones at us and others, but rarely praise.
Last October, our company launched a strategic plan that called for doubling readership of our 18 print newspapers over the next three to five years. At the same time, we called for rapid Web growth and investments and a media balance that equally utilized Web and print distribution.
In an era of advancing sustainability and increased Web innovation, we are pleased to announce the advent of an even earlier next round of innovative journalism with a continued commitment to grow and invest in the readership of print journalism.
Lynn again: Have I said anything mean about the Trib? YOU guys have. I don't think I have. I sincerely hope they make it, and have since they went live.
Lynn, I think EVERYONE in Portland media wants the Trib (and KPAM) to succeed, or at least survive. No one in their right mind wants all those jobs to suddenly evaporate and dump all those talented (and semi-talented) people on the market. Consequently, the thing that a lot of us criticize about Pamplin is that he has never quite been able to commit to the Tribune in a way that would allow it to become truly competitive. Time and time again over the past seven years the paper has announced big expansions, new features and hiring staff-ups with great fanfare (the latest was just last fall), only to reverse themselves a few months later and lay those people off. No wonder a lot of the blogosphere reaction is bitter. The comically absurd spin that always accompanies these cutbacks ("we are pleased to announce ...") only invites further derision. They really should have more respect for their readers' intelligence.