I was speaking with a friend last week wondering how the new marketing campaign, that is supposedly being watched by all of America, was going for the News and Freep since they started the on-lin edition and limited daily hard copy.
Jack Lessenberry wrote this week in The Metro Times :
"The verdict is in: You may recall that last March the Detroit Newspapers went to a system where they deliver the newspaper only on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Otherwise, you were supposed to read it online, though you could still go buy one...
Surprise! Things aren't that rosy after all. According to someone who was there, the company claimed to "have lost money in 2009 despite the fact that it made all its goals and targets following the switch" away from home delivery.
"Advertising revenues were down 30 percent and projections are for more red ink," the Partnership admitted. [[If they are telling the truth, do you suppose they shot the idiot who set those goals and targets?) Anyway, as a result, guess what: More layoffs!! Jobs will be eliminated for "all union-represented jurisdictions."
[[Article HERE)
Last night at Cass Cafe a bunch of us [[10-12 Detroiters) were talking at the bar. Being a crowd of 28 to 50-something educated people, it was odd that not one person subscribed to the electronic edition, not one person ever bought a new limited edition, and ONLY one person HAD home delivery [[about 8 years ago).

There were several reasons why they had not subscribed but overwhelmingly people felt the papers have become too political and try harder to make the news than report it. Nolan Findley was unanimously criticized as the biggest turn off for trying to make the News and turning people off from subscribing.

Does anyone out there subscribe? Why not, if you do not subscribe?