Massive FAIL for The Detroit News

[MWmetalhead]

After celebrating the discontinuation of the JOA with The Detroit Free Press at the end of 2025 and pounding its chest about publishing an autonomous Sunday print edition, Gary Miles announced today the publication of a Sunday print edition has been postponed until a later date TBD.

What a shit show!

[edj]

Both papers have been an absolute joke for years.

[Silvio Dante]

Going to guess that they found there was no interest from advertisers. Even small business are using digital platforms. Radio and TV hurting from this too.

[GrahamWellington]

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/busin ... 361407007/

Guess all the dick swinging from the News about their future was for naught.

[rawmustard]

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/busin ... 361407007/

Guess all the dick swinging from the News about their future was for naught.

I'm kinda surprised USA Today Co (note that at some point they stopped wanting to be referred to as Gannett) has the financing, but then what is a newspaper worth these days?

Sent from my Pixel 10 Pro using Tapatalk

[MWmetalhead]

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/busin ... 361407007/

Guess all the dick swinging from the News about their future was for naught.

Yeah, no shit.

Gary Miles & company sure look clueless and gullible now. In a way, I feel bad for them. I'm not a fan of the USA Today Co.

It is obvious now why the JOA wasn't renewed and why an autonomous Sunday edition for The Detroit News never came to pass despite all the chest beating.

I'm guessing a fully merged newsroom and total operation is in the cards, and we'll soon by a one newspaper town. "The Detroit News and Free Press" will likely be the unified brand name, I suspect.

I do not accept at face value the representations from USA Today Co. that both papers will continue to operate in their own silos.

[edj]

Agreed. It’s happened in other cities. Question is which paper will keep more of their staff? Will the quality of the combined paper dip even lower?

[Bobbertt]

It is obvious now why the JOA wasn't renewed and why an autonomous Sunday edition for The Detroit News never came to pass despite all the chest beating.

https://feeds.issuerdirect.com/news-rel ... l=GCI,TDAY

“We are pleased to reach this agreement with USA TODAY Co. now that the Joint Operations Agreement has expired after decades of successful operations,” said Guy Gilmore, COO MediaNews Group. “Both companies have a mutual desire to ensure that these publications and their distinct journalism continue to serve the greater Detroit area.”

Also, the papers had an agreement to work together through March—something that I don't think has gotten much, if any, publicity.

https://archive.ph/xW0cH#selection-2265.28-2269.119

The Detroit News was scheduled to release its first Sunday edition in decades on Jan. 18, but the issue was delayed as the two organizations signed a transactional services agreement to continue to share some operations through March.

[radio_sparty]

I'm guessing a fully merged newsroom and total operation is in the cards, and we'll soon by a one newspaper town. "The Detroit News and Free Press" will likely be the unified brand name, I suspect.

I do not accept at face value the representations from USA Today Co. that both papers will continue to operate in their own silos.

Here's how I see this development playing out:

The Detroit News becomes the brand used for southeast Michigan reporting. Perhaps they continue to publish a Monday-Friday paper circulated locally.

The Detroit Free Press becomes the overall brand for the entire state. Lansing political news, college and professional sports reporting, and statewide interest stories all get distributed under the Free Press brand. A Saturday-Sunday "Michigan" Free Press continues to be printed, made up of stories gathered from The News and Gannet's other publications across Michigan. It is essentially the model that MLive uses, but with a more recognizable name for statewide reporting, and on a larger scale.

Newsrooms will combine as soon as the first lease comes up for renewal or union contract expires.

[Bobbertt]

Interesting article, with some skeptical comments about the merger.

https://deadlinedetroit.com/articles/34 ... ics_abound

USA TODAY Co. is mainly buying newspaper subscribers, and now has to figure out what to give them. Many scenarios seem possible.

[MWmetalhead]

I definitely agree with the skeptics.

Do I care that one of the two papers will likely disappear after some period of time? Not really.

[Bobbertt]

Interesting article, with some skeptical comments about the merger.

https://deadlinedetroit.com/articles/34 ... ics_abound

USA TODAY Co. is mainly buying newspaper subscribers, and now has to figure out what to give them. Many scenarios seem possible.

Also buying reporting talent, which supports the scenario of eventually one paper, with the best newsroom talent from both papers combined.

[SolarMax]

Also buying reporting talent, which supports the scenario of eventually one paper, with the best newsroom talent from both papers combined.

But they still won't keep or bring back copy editors.

[TC Talks]

Maybe it's time for https://bridgemi.com/

[MWmetalhead]

Very good website. I visit it periodically. Deadline Detroit has good stuff at times as well.