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Friday, January 30, 2009

City / Media Re: What's Hearst Really Up To?

Posted by Eli Sanders on Fri, Jan 30, 2009 at 2:48 PM

From where I sit, trying to puzzle out where Hearst is going with the P-I sale involves two central questions: Does Hearst have any lingering desire to own the Seattle Times (despite earlier denials)? And what is Hearst's plan for the P-I web site?

I sent Hearst spokesman Paul J. Luthringer an e-mail earlier this afternoon that tried to get at both of those questions:

Hi Paul,

Two quick questions regarding the situation with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

1) Does Hearst intend to still be in the [Joint Operating Agreement] with The Seattle Times when the 60-day sale period is up?

2) Has Hearst decided what it is going to do with the P-I's web presence when the 60-day sale period is up?

Luthringer's reply:

Eli—

Let’s wait and see after the time period is up. Thanks.

If there's any significance at all to be gleaned from this (and I'm not sure there is), it might be that Hearst is not rejecting out of hand the idea—floating all over Seattle journalistic circles right now—that Hearst might cease printing the P-I when the 60-day period is up but still try to remain in its current Joint Operating Agreement with the Times. In other words, turn the P-I into just a web site, argue that the web site is still a newspaper, and attempt to continue onward with its complicated relationship with the Times and its owners.

Comments (9) RSS

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Eli, I would think after the "Commerce Secretary Gregoire" incident, you'd accept "No comment" as an actual answer.

Posted by Mahtli69 on January 30, 2009 at 2:57 PM

Hey, the Hearst guy didn't deny it, so it must be true!

Posted by rjh on January 30, 2009 at 3:04 PM

You're reading this totally wrong. I think Hearst's goal is to get out of the JOA and out of a business relationship with Frank Blethen.

Posted by mediaboy on January 30, 2009 at 3:07 PM

What affliction did that dude in "A Beautiful Mind" have? The one where he'd stare at a newspaper and read a bunch of shit into it that wasn't really there? Can't recall the name, but that's what you've become, Eli Sanders (sans math skills).

Posted by DOUG. on January 30, 2009 at 3:12 PM

The Blearsts and The Heathens of the world are one and the same...

Posted by michael strangeways on January 30, 2009 at 3:29 PM

Eli,

The JOA goes away when the print edition ceases.

Bummer you didn't get that D.C. reporter gig at the Times.

Posted by ... on January 30, 2009 at 3:41 PM

I think the Hearst CEO is taking that job with the Obama Administration.

Right?

Posted by Will in Seattle on January 30, 2009 at 3:47 PM

The most frightening scenario for everyone involved, Times/PI/and citizens o' Seattle, is the possibility of Gannett wanting to buy the PI. We're all fucked then. You might hate the PI or the Times for whatever reasons, but both papers are a damned sight better than ANY Gannett product. They've got deep pockets AND they've long wanted a PNW presence. What if it happens?

Posted by You'll learn the true meaning of suck on January 30, 2009 at 4:42 PM

Noone wants to own the PI or the Times in this economy. And those with foresight know that the business model is dead.

The print product will be gone but Seattle may be the first city where you can subscribe to a local news source and receive it on your e-reader.

Its the perfect market: We love our wireless devices and technology, we are the most literate city in the U.S., we hate to cut down trees, and we have an obsession with the NIMBY attitude that the P-I thrives on.

Posted by whatthefawk on January 30, 2009 at 7:09 PM