Publisher says Star-Ledger could be sold or closed by January

By Editor | September 16th, 2008 - 2:56pm
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The Star-Ledger could be sold or closed by January if the Newspaper and Mail Deliverers Union doesn't ratify a labor agreement by October 8, according to an internal e-mail from publisher George Arwady.  Arwady says that the contract with the union, which represents about 90 drivers, is one of three conditions Advance Publications, the owner of the Star-Ledger, has established to keep the state's largest newspaper in operation.

In July, Arwady said the Star-Ledger is on "life support" and that the paper could be sold if 200 employees don’t agree to buyouts by October 1, and if the paper doesn’t reach agreements with labor unions.  Last week, Editor & Publisher said that Arwady told reporter Ron Marsico that the paper has not yet received the 100 news staff buyouts they need.  Marsico is expected to take the buyout, and has reportedly accepted a job with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which he has covered since 1982.

Read the Arwady e-mail:

To: All Star-Ledger Employees
From: George Arwady
Date: September 16, 2008
Re: Update

As I have previously told you, there are three conditions that must be met in order for The Star-Ledger to remain in business under its current ownership.

Although we are making progress toward meeting two of our three conditions (the Mailers have a ratification vote scheduled for September 22), we still are far from an agreement with the Drivers' union.

Accordingly, since it is doubtful that the Drivers will ratify an agreement by October 8, 2008, we will be sending formal notices to all employees this week, as required by both federal and New Jersey law, advising you that the Company will be sold, or, failing that, that it will close operations on January 5, 2009.

It is most unfortunate that we have to send out this notice, but the Drivers have left us with no choice.

Who is hiring Margolin?

Any bets? Corzine or Christie, better yet Cryan or Wilson?

Sloooooooow Down

I really wonder if Margolin could ever croos the line like that. He's really an old-school journalist in modern times and like him or not he really believes in what he does. I would be surprised if he did switch teams. He could ride this all out until the end because of his value to the paper.

I have to think that Arwady has made some sort of overture or reassurance to him because if he does leave then you can rest assured the Ledger is done. Game Over.

The newspaper business

Is in economic free fall...

The state's readers won't subsidize more than two or three dailies.

Look for The Record & Star-Ledger to merge operations.

Vote Column "A" - All the way!

star ledger

good riddance

The Newark Daily Pravda

Maybe the New Jersey State Democratic Party can have the legislature put together a bailout package to save the Star Ledger!

They could even make Ray Lesniak the Editor!

At least that way everything would be out in the open.

Eric Gallagher
www.redyankeepress.com

The Star-Ledger/the Record

The Star-Ledger/the Record should just go away. Republicans loathe the bias and don't want to read it and Democrat masses can't read because they are kept ignorant by the Democrat machine.

(Have you ever noticed that every Abbott District has been under Democrat control for about 50+ years?  Also note that not one Abbott District has a Republican in charge. If you want better education for your children start by electing Republicans.  Stay ignorant vote Democrat.)

 

"Study the Constitution,  Let it be preached fom the pulpit, proclaimed in the legislatures,and enforced in courts of justice." ~ Abraham Lincoln 

The Star-Ledger/the Record

The Star-Ledger/the Record should just go away. Republicans loathe the bias and don't want to read it and Democrat masses can't read because they are kept ignorant by the Democrat machine.

(Have you ever noticed that every Abbott District has been under Democrat control for about 50+ years?  Also note that not one Abbott District has a Republican in charge. If you want better education for your children start by electing Republicans.  Stay ignorant vote Democrat.)

 

"Study the Constitution,  Let it be preached fom the pulpit, proclaimed in the legislatures,and enforced in courts of justice." ~ Abraham Lincoln 

The Star-Ledger/the Record

The Star-Ledger/the Record should just go away. Republicans loathe the bias and don't want to read it and Democrat masses can't read because they are kept ignorant by the Democrat machine.

(Have you ever noticed that every Abbott District has been under Democrat control for about 50+ years?  Also note that not one Abbott District has a Republican in charge. If you want better education for your children start by electing Republicans.  Stay ignorant vote Democrat.)

 

"Study the Constitution,  Let it be preached fom the pulpit, proclaimed in the legislatures,and enforced in courts of justice." ~ Abraham Lincoln 

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