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Arbiter buys BSU
Archive
Comments
Story
Twice weekly publication contingency plan:
Watchdog items:
Sales as of December 2001: sales should average at least $1,500 per issue. Although this is $1000 less than goal and would demand tight budget control with possible cutbacks, anything less than this indicates a significant downturn in the local and national economy. Average sales of less than $1500 per issue should bring cause for serious consideration to move back to a weekly publication in spring 2002.
Payroll: If there is a need to add more staff in order to produce twice weekly, and it is felt it cannot be accomplished within budget, a reduction to weekly publication may be required in spring 2002.
Moving back to weekly publication from twice weekly mid year:
If the Publications Board feels it is necessary to move back to weekly publication, the following steps are recommended:
1.Notify all advertisers immediately with contracts extending into spring 2002. Adjust or change the contracts as required. National ad agencies MUST be notified first and should be contact several times over the winter break to confirm they have received the changes.
2.Contact the Idaho Statesman and notify the commercial print manager of the change.
3.When shifting to a weekly publication DO NOT switch column sizes, paper layout, or move from broadsheet back to tabloid. This will minimize advertising revenue losses and confusion.
4.Immediately revert back to the pay structure for 2000 – 2001. Because of the proposed structure for 2001 – 2002 utilizing a core group of staff members, cutting staff will hamper production when moving back to weekly publication. Thus a pay cut will be required since the 2001 – 2002 pay structure is based on twice-weekly publication. The only positions that will most likely to be eliminated would be the Senior designer, Assistant/Associate editor and possibly one salaried writer.
5.All remaining travel expenses (except that required to deliver the paper) should be cancelled.
6.Eliminate all entris for contests that require payment of any kind.
7.Reduce page count as much as possible and make use of wire reports to minimize payout to freelance writers.
8.Cutback on the number of photos used in each issue. Tightly restrict film supplies and developing costs.
If it is decided to make this change, it must be done swiftly. Once the change is made, the paper will be operating in financial damage control mode for the rest of the spring 2002 semester. It will not go back to how things were during a “normal” weekly publication year.
Finally, I stronly encourage the Publications Board to consider every alternative before moving back to weekly publication. I would much rather take a $50k loss the first year than switch halfway through. A mid-year conversion would be very damaging to The Arbiter’s reputation and advertising sales for years to come.
Brad Arendt