Gannett and collegiate readership programs

USA Today and other Newspaper conglomerate Collegiate Readership Programs have flatly denied in print articles that they want to take away your college newspaper readers. “Gannett dismissed any suggestion that it planned to conquer student journalism.

“There is no grand Gannett strategy,” said Tara Connell, a spokeswoman at its headquarters in McLean, Va. “Gannett is not looking to buy college newspapers. We look at all sorts of things.” (quoted in numerous online publications) Oh really? Read this article from The Rocky Mountain Collegian on Mar. 7. http://media.www.collegian.com/me...rship.Dismissed-3258500.shtmlExcerpt from the University of Alabama Crimson and White online 2/13/08:

“Barbara Hall, the USA Today representative who coordinated the UA (university of Alabama) program, said USA Today is trying to create a “learning environment on the University campus through the reading of newspapers.”

“If they’re only interested in increasing student readership, why doesn’t [USA Today] just give away the papers for free?” Isom (from the Crimson and White) asked.

“Asked that question, Hall said she did not know, except that newspapers cost money to produce and distribute. She said, however, that USA Today is more for businessmen and that the paper “is not going after the college market anytime in the near future.” End of quote (Crimson White Online- 2/13 /08)

Remember- only paid circulation is recognized by the Audit Bureau of Circulation- the oversight organization that verifies circulation numbers that newspapers use to increase their ad rates. That Mrs. Hall, is why you can’t give away your newspapers, but of course you knew that already didn’t you? Just another example of the double talk that Gannett is known for. By the way- it is generally accepted that the USA Today Collegiate Readership program was started at Penn State. USA today would have us believe (per their website) that Penn State hatched the idea and USA today blessed it. Following is a link to an article published in 1989- 8 years before the “first USA today readership program.” http://www.computer-business-revi...63A19049-91C9-4ACB-B52F-114578D44C62 If they are not interested in acquiring college newspapers or “partnering,” why are large newspaper corporations lobbying almost every college and university in the United States, sometimes for years, to get their papers on your campus? Every free paper on your campus takes readers and advertisers away from your college newspaper. One can only read so many newspapers. Sincerely,A. Rooney

A. Rooney, editor emeritus, at 12:30 pm EST on March 8, 2008

It’s about time!

As a former editor of FSView, I am very pleased to see this sale has finally happen.

When FSView was founded in the early ’90s it was as an alternative to the student fee-supported newspaper that the Florida Flambeau was at the time. We always had the vision that one day a student newspaper had to stand on its own feet to give the student journalist, sales people and managers the real experience that would stead them well in careers down the road.

The list of former editors, reporters, sales managers and photographers working in the halls of major media companies today should only grow larger as resources of a company like Gannett continue to develop young talent more professionally.

I won’t say The FSView/Florida Flambeau was the blind leading the blind, but the majority of experience from the staff on the newspaper is from the Florida A&M School of Journalism, the Florida State University School of Communications and whatever high school they may have attended. It was for that reason that the leadership/ownership of the FSView first approached the Tallahassee Democrat (under Knight-Ridder ownership) about a possible partnership. There were also discussions with Thomson Newspapers and few others.

I don’t know if this is “a big wave of things to come,” but I’m not afraid of the future. I do, however, share the cautious belief that we should watch this closely to ensure that the editorial and business freedoms of the newspaper are not overly compromised in the process.

Jerome M. Dorsey, Director of Market Consulting at Morris DigitalWorks, at 2:25 pm EDT on August 14, 2006