Media Frenzy

By Rob Holbert Managing Editor

As rising gasoline prices are a problem for average consumers, falling circulation figures are to the daily newspaper industry. Industry news is full of horror stories as big city dailies slash staff and contemplate other cuts due to declining circulation.

Things haven’t been nearly as dire here for the Press-Register, although the local daily continues to see some erosion in its circulation. However, the P-R still hasn’t seen some of the wholesale declines reported in other markets.

The latest survey of the P-R’s circulation by the Audit Bureau of Circulations, the industry leader in tracking newspaper circulation, came out at the end of March. It pegged the P-R’s Sunday circulation at 112,761, down from 114,247 at the same time last year. That’s only a 1.3 percent decrease.

However, the P-R’s Sunday number was 117,279 in March 2006, meaning Sunday circulation has declined 3.9 percent in the past two years. The latest Monday-Friday numbers were virtually the same as in 2007. The ABC listed Monday-Friday circulation at 99,433, down slightly from last year’s 99,742. The paper held onto the 5 percent gain it made in weekday circulation from 2006, when that number was 94,680.

Overall it seems the Press-Register is feeling some of the national trend of declining circulation, despite the fast-growing local population. But they’re not hurting like some of the big boys.

Pirate going with WALA

I always knew John Edd was a pirate at heart. John Edd Thompson and the rest of the gang at WALA TV-10 will now get the chance to growl “Arrrrrr!” as the station is now officially providing news and weather information for WAVH, The Pirate.

“I’m excited about the addition of FOX 10’s news and weather to 106.5 the Pirate’s programming,” said The Pirate’s operations manager Sean Sullivan, who also writes a column for this publication. “The FOX 10 product, from their personalities to their news and weather coverage is a perfect pairing with the Pirate, plus it gives us yet another reason to spin some of Chief Meteorologist John Edd Thompson’s songs.”

News and weather had previously been provided by WPMI TV-15.

Farewell Rankin Publishing

The end of an era – certainly for us small publishers locally – occurred a few weeks ago when Rankin Publishing closed its doors. Kevin Rankin and his colleagues have printed every issue of Lagniappe since our inception six years ago, and many other publications around Mobile and the region.

Like many businesses, Rankin found it difficult to compete with the large corporations who could buy in bulk and cut prices to the bone. But none of them could ever compete with his customer service and dedication to his clients.

Rankin was instrumental in helping Lagniappe get off the ground and offered us some of the best advice we could get when we were just starting out. Ashley and I will miss working with Kevin and James and the rest of the crew at Rankin Publishing. They are classy, honest, hard-working people and this area is poorer for not having Ranking Publishing producing local publications any longer.

We will always be indebted to Rankin for his advice and friendship. We wish him the best of luck in his next endeavor.

Myers promoted

Former Press-Register reporter Steve Myers has been promoted to news editor at the Poynter Institute in Tampa, Fla. Poynter, a think-tank that spends most of its time thinking about journalism, is one of the nation’s leaders in analyzing this insane business.

Myers is helping run their Web site, reporting and writing, and working on a book, the 30th edition of the “Best Newspaper Writing.” The book antholizes the best newswriting and photojournalism as selected by the judges of the American Society of Newspaper Editors competition.

Congratulations to Steve.

New additions at FOX

Hubert Tate has joined WALA as a new general assignment reporter. Also new to the FOX affiliate is LaKeya Stinchcomb, who is a photographer.

Strange bedfellows

I thought it was rather classy of columnist Paul Finebaum to stand up for Kenny “The Snake” Stabler after the former QB’s arrest for allegedly driving under the influence. If convicted, it would be Stabler’s third DUI, and as Finebaum pointed out in a recent column in the Press-Register, some other media outlets around the region are calling for the University of Alabama to sever its relationship with Stabler.

The Snake has been a radio color commentator for ‘Bama football games for many years, working with play-by-play man Eli Gold. Finebaum, however, says the University should stand by Stabler as he stood by the program during lean times.

Whether or not Finebaum is right is debatable, but the fact that he stood up for Stabler is surprising in light of the fact that it was Stabler who was the “talent” in a radio program that was designed to supplant Finebaum’s show last year after Finebaum left Clear Channel. Those backing the Snake hoped he’d be able to take Finebaum down, but it never happened. Stabler’s show languished and went out of existence, while Finebaum keeps rolling along.

At least it seems there are no hard feelings.

Rob Holbert is Lagniappe managing editor. Contact him at rholbert@lagniappemobile.com.

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