Philadelphia Will Do

August 05, 2008

Pigs Flying Much Closer To Ground

Last last week, Phillymag's Steve Volk wrote about the financial worries at Philadelphia Media Holdings, the Brian Tierney-captained crew running the Inquirer, Daily News and other related properties.

The 411: Standard & Poor's reported PMH will have its debt interest rate go up a point in exchange for being allowed to miss a few payments. Its loan was trading in the mid-70s in June and is now in the 40s.

Want more bad news? Sure: Boscov's, which has filed for bankruptcy, owes the paper nearly a million dollars.

Of course, when the company gets that money, it will immediately be spent on inflatable pigs and cat food, so that Philly.com may construct a whole army of 40-plus pound cats to put on the front page.

Financial Worries Deepen at Philadelphia Media Holdings [Phillymag]
Boscov's files for bankruptcy; several stores closing immediately [Baltimore Sun via Phawker]

Posted by D-Mac at 11:52 AM | Comments (2)

July 02, 2008

Inquirer Wackiness Continues

Yes, earlier today we all learned two Inquirer editors tried to have sex, but failed. But there's more! As also reported today, the Inquirer will soon eliminate its Image and Neighbors sections.

Here's the memo from Inky ME Sandra Long:

Hello everyone,

I want to let you know of several significant changes that will take place in the next few weeks.

The Inquirer will publish the last edition of the Neighbors sections on Sunday, July 27. We began publishing Neighbors in 1982 following the close of The Bulletin as a way to capture more suburban readership. We started with Horsham Neighbors and continued to expand through the 1980s.

At its peak, Neighbors covered suburban Pennsylvania and South Jersey in microcosmic detail, chronicling events from weekly planning and zoning meetings to wrestling meets, hockey meets and school lunch menus.

We will also combine the Sunday Arts and Entertainment and the Image section on beginning August 3. The last Image section will publish July 27. We began publishing Image when the Inquirer Magazine folded in July 2003.

Details will follow on how we will move some of the content to other sections from Neighbors and Image.

The decision to close the Neighbors sections and Image was made as the company does everything possible to control expenses against the background of a recession in the businesses that advertise in our newspapers and on our website.

In addition, we are looking at ways to reduce the number of pages in the Comics section.

If you have questions, please let me know.

Thanks,
Sandra

Sandra D. Long
Managing Editor
The Philadelphia Inquirer

Not big enough of a shakeup for you? Fine: Management is considering combining the Inquirer and Daily News photo and copy desks, sources report.

Still not enough? Okay, get this: The Inquirer only has two comics pages. (I guess she could be writing about Sunday's comics section.) If I can't get my Dennis the Menace and Ziggy fix there, where the hell will I get it?

Posted by D-Mac at 07:39 PM | Comments (2)

June 06, 2008

When Jets (Not Pigs) Fly (Or Not)

Philly.com is currently running ads for Derrie-Air, a new airline where you pay based on your weight. (Get it?) The airline has also planted trees, in the hopes the company will offset the carbon the planes produce.

But, ha ha, it's a fake ad campaign made up by Philadelphia Media Holdings "to test the results of advertising in our print and online products and to stimulate discussion on a timely environmental topic of interest to all citizens."

Wait, what?

Yes, apparently the new ads running on Philly.com are completely fake, and just for fun. Romenesko writes there are at least 18 fake ads in today's Inquirer. As you can see, the paper is taking ideas from Something Awful by running gag ads.

Posted by D-Mac at 10:45 AM | Comments (3)

June 07, 2007

Flying Pigs: A Special 'WSJ' Section

Noted yacht-in-the-Caribbean owning Brian Tierney, the owner of the Inquirer and Daily News, isn't content with just the major print media and most popular website in Philadelphia.

No, Tierney is also hoping to turn Philadelphia Media Holdings into a powerhouse by purchasing the freaking Wall Street Journal. The WSJ would come if Tierney could find backers to buy Dow Jones, the subject of a recent takeover attempt by Rupert Murdoch.

News Corp.'s bid for Dow Jones was $5 billion, which Tierney said wasn't excessive. Well, you get the freaking Wall Street Journal, so I suppose it's not so much. Of course, the bid for the Philly papers was just over $500 million, so, ah, if Tierney manages to buy Dow Jones it'd be a real reason to do a special section about pigs flying.

Inquirer owner has interest in Dow Jones [Inquirer]
May 4: 'Inquirer' Uses Font Size Usually Reserved For Terrorist Attacks To Tell Us Circulation Is Up

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November 29, 2006

Paper Execs Attempt To Get Every Last Penny Out Of Staff

Actual memo sent out at our newspaperly neighbors to the north:

From: [redacted]
Sent: Wed 11/29/2006 2:50 PM
To: PNI Weekly Update - All
Subject: BISTRO MUGS

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October 31, 2006

Breaking: Unions, Management Agree To Extension

No strike at midnight! The Newspaper Guild, the Teamsters and eight other unions have agreed to an extension with management for 30 days.

This means that the two unions that authorized strikes, the Newpsaper Guild and the Teamstears, won't be striking tonight. Come Dec. 1, perhaps. But for now, another 30 days to talk. Alleluia.

Newspapers, unions agree to 30-day contract extension [Inquirer]

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Breaking: Possible Extension At Inky/Daily News?

Today is the final day of the contract for the Newspaper Guild, the largest union at the Inquirer and Daily News that represents a majority of the writers, editors, photographers, etc. So, y'know, the unimportant stuff.

Word came last night that there is a possible extension to the contract brewing. Federal mediator Walt Bednarczyk asked the two sides to extend the contract -- both sides have already extended it once, from August 31 to today. The Guild has agreed to extension, and the company is expected to respond today.

Management has already agreed to contracts with 6 of the 12 unions at the paper.

Full memo from the Guild after the jump, but let's share this part of it first:

With contracts with several unions still outstanding, the Company said it had no time available to bargain with the Guild Tuesday, but might have time Wednesday.

Guh-wha? Again, click through to read everything else.

Continue reading "Breaking: Possible Extension At Inky/Daily News?"

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October 26, 2006

Breaking: 'Inky', 'DN' Union Authorizes Strike

Employees of the Inquirer and Daily News voted nearly unanimously tonight to authorize a strike. The contact between the Newspaper Guild and management expires Oct. 31. Workers at the two papers will be off the job if a deal is not struck before then.

About 500 people showed up to the meeting. Only four voted against the authorization to strike.

More on this tomorrow, obviously. For now, you can read the backstory from Steve Volk. Oh, and look at that Daily News cover.

Archives: Brian Tierney

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October 23, 2006

Breaking: Newspaper Union Records Unintentionally Hilarious Anti-Tierney Commercial

Our election season's commercial breaks just got a little funnier. Nay, a lot funnier.

Brian Tierney Changes His Tune
(Click arrow to play)

The ad is from the Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia, which represents workers at both the Daily News and Inquirer. It's not so much unintentionally hilarious in its content but in its delivery, with the traditional political advertising voice and inflection. A memo sent to guild members said the commercial would be airing on local airwaves sometime soon. In the meantime, listen to it here.

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October 20, 2006

Brian Tierney Manages To Turn 'I'm Going To Lay Off Some People At These Two Papers' Into 940-Word Memo

If you're wondering, the honeymoon lasted about four months:

Those loans require us to pay the banks’ interest quarterly, and to improve our performance annually to a level that assures the banks that we will be able to pay back the principal on our loans. Based on our current 2006 projections, we will meet our interest obligations for 2006, but will fall short of the performance expectation. Without immediate and dramatic changes to the business, in 2007 we will not only miss our performance requirement, but we will also not have enough cash to make our interest payments. [...]

If we are going to survive and grow, we need to significantly restructure our labor contracts and our workforce. We have been working with our labor unions to reach a deal by October 31. We have reached agreements and made significant headway with some unions, but are very far apart with some others. We need to reach agreements that allow us to achieve the savings to meet our loan obligations, and to reinvest in and to grow our business. However, even with those savings, some layoffs are unavoidable. We must reduce our workforce so that it is in line with our reduced revenue. To the extent we don’t get the savings, those layoffs will be larger.

If you're wondering what that last sentence means, it's sort of like this: If you union guys don't let us do what we want, we're gonna lay off even more people! Ha ha ha ha ha!

Full memo sent to employees after the jump.

Continue reading "Brian Tierney Manages To Turn 'I'm Going To Lay Off Some People At These Two Papers' Into 940-Word Memo"

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October 19, 2006

Leftovers: Citizen Tierney

• Steve Volk reports in an online exclusive today that management at the Inquirer and Daily News (i.e. Brian Tierney) is threatening layoffs. (And the two papers might share photographers.) Hey, they were right! Brian Tierney is their kind of people! You know, since the previous bosses were always trying to find ways to cut costs, and this one is too. [PW]

• Let's just go and say how totally awesome this is: Frank Gehry will be designing the Art Museum's new underground addition. I guess the board didn't like my "boxing ring from Rocky" proposal. [Inquirer]

• As you probably know, Pat's is now suing Rick's for stealing their name and history and crown or something. Geno's is suing Tony Luke's for not being American enough. And Steve's Price of Steaks continues to skate by, unabated. [Daily News]

• The state actually did something competent, kids! The Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board voted to curb mercury emissions from coal plants today, superceding lower federal levels. Hooray! [AP/Yahoo!]

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August 01, 2006

Dueling Memos: Tierney, Natoli On Resignation

Hey, interested in Joe Natoli's resignation to go to Miami? Think it's a little coincidental that negotiations with the union are going on right now and the publisher left?

Well, you ain't going to get anything like that from these memos. They're from Natoli and Tierney. But, hey, if Joe Natoli says he just wants to go back to Miami, then... eh. Fair enough. Makes sense! After all, it is only 91 with 50 percent humidity there. That's downright gorgeous compared to here.

After the jump, Inky/Daily News publisher Joe Natoli talks about his decision to return to Miami and Brian Tierney talks about how much he'll missh im.

Continue reading "Dueling Memos: Tierney, Natoli On Resignation"

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Breaking: Joe Natoli Resigns

Sez the Inquirer's Joseph DiStefano:

Joe Natoli, publisher of The Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, and Philly.com, has resigned to take a job as head financial officer for the University of Miami.

For now, Natoli's duties will be split between Brian P. Tierney, chief executive of the papers' new owner, Philadelphia Media Holdings LLC, and consultant Gordon Medenica, a former New York Times executive, said spokesman Jay Devine today.

July 26, 2006

Would The Inquirer Building Go Condo?

Steve Volk reports on philadelphiaweekly.com about the a recent Joe Natoli memo which featured, Q&A-style, this exchange:

Q: I heard something about our downtown building being for sale. Is that true?
A: No, but that’s under review. Our building is under-utilized. Options include leasing open space to others, selling the building in a sale/lease-back (which would generate cash to pay down debt, without requiring a move), or selling the building and leasing space in another facility. The issue is how best to realize the value of our real estate. That’s made more interesting by the school board’s recent move to North Broad Street, CBS’s plans to become our neighbor and the Governor’s proposed sale of the state office building just north of us. A decision on the building is probably months away. Having said that, we would always expect to maintain a significant presence in Philadelphia.

Natoli tells Volk that the Inquirer isn't moving to the suburbs, even if that's what one could infer from this memo. You can read the whole story and memo here.

Inquirer/Daily News Considering Move to the ’Burbs? [PW]

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July 03, 2006

3rd Of July Link Dump: This May Be All You Get

• Late last week, Brian Tierney took questions online from readers. Aside from the usual stupidity -- someone asking if Michael Smerconish could edit the Inquirer, a person wanting a gift shop/waiting room at 400 N. Broad that people could read the paper in, etc. -- Tierney provides this comment in response to someone who reads Metro instead of the Daily News: I've always thought Metro was a little overpriced ;)" OMG LOL! [Philly.com]

• Despite an absolutely atrocious team, the Phillies have three All-Stars: Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Tom Gordon. And at the halfway point, the Phillies have a 37-44 record, their worst first half since 2002. It's okay, though, the Phillies are set for the second half after trading for 5-foot-7, 175-pound F. Castro! Okay, it's Fabio Castro, which is almost as funny as if the Phillies signed Fidel. [Inquirer, Phillies.com]

• Philadelphia loses its biggest celebrity: Lil' Kim was released from prison this morning. Throngs of fans -- and, assumedly, Dan Gross -- greeted her today. Huzzah! [AP/Philly.com]

• Faye Flam's Carnal Knowledge column celebrates its first year today with a quiz about sex. And the first question? "1. What does a male honeybee do after he finishes having sex with the queen?" I think I'll stick to worrying about human sex, thanks. [Inquirer]

• A group of people ordered cheesesteaks at Geno's the other day in Spanish, which means we've hit a tipping point: The (hardcore) protesters of Geno's have finally gotten more annoying than Joe Vento himself. (Eh, maybe. Definitely not as annoying as Vento's more vociferous supporters, though.) But, eh, we're sure the big guy will find a way to tip that scale back to his side any day now. [Inquirer]

• A meeting of the minds! The Bucks County Courier Times' J.D. Mullane and Lyndon Larouche! [Bucks County Courier Times]

• And, really, what would a day be without Irresistible Ella? She's somehow reporting in front of a static fireworks display. [NBC 10]

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June 29, 2006

Gimme An N! Gimme An E! Gimme A W! Gimme An S!

Sometime this afternoon, Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. -- the controlling company of the Inquirer, Daily News, Northeast Times, etc. -- will officially be sold to Philadelphia Media Holdings, the group headed up by Brian Tierney, Bruce Toll, et al.

To celebrate this monumentous occasion, the papers at 400 N. Broad Street (that'd be the Inky, DN and Philly.com) are having, uhm, a pep rally.

A pep rally. With cheerleaders. And mascots!

From a memo sent to all soon-to-be-former PNI employees:

At 8:45 on Friday morning, June 30th in front of 400 North Broad Street, employees are welcomed to join a press event to witness the Christening of newly wrapped trucks and cheer them on their way.

At Noon - all employees are invited to a PEP RALLY to "Bring Home the News" in the Public Room. Enjoy hoagies and treats with Eagles cheerleaders, mascots, and help give a warm, Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.Com welcome to our new owners.

Be aggressive! Be be aggressive! Uh, in your news coverage.

Full memo after the jump.

Continue reading "Gimme An N! Gimme An E! Gimme A W! Gimme An S!"

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