WBZ cuts Leveille, Cuddy, Dyett, poss. Desmarais

[Sean Smyth]

On Fri, 1/2/09, Kevin Vahey <kvahey@comcast.net> wrote:
> A report surfaced this week that the Globe has lost 90
> percent of its
> value in 15 years and the Times is desperate to sell it.
> There are
> losing money on every copy they print and Globe staffers
> are fearful
> the Globe could fold if a deal is not made.
> 
> In radio the truth is billings after 6 PM simply don't
> exist. There is
> a reason WBZ carries the Bruins as they bring in cash the
> talk shows
> don't generate.
> 
> You can't charge an ISP for access to a site. That
> train has simply
> left the station. Radio-TV and print has a business model
> that is now
> hopelessly broken.

Reports state that The Globe is losing $1 million per week. I have a hard time fathoming that, I really do, but let's accept that as fact. 

A big reason they are losing that cash is because people go to various Web sites, including boston.com. Newspapers developed the Internet model totally wrong. Instead of developing a site that was ancillary to the paper, they decided to give their product away for free. No wonder why people are losing money. Advertisers see no value in advertising in a product that doesn't require people to buy it. 

As far as ISPs getting dragged into the mix and paying for content, well, desperate times call for desperate measures. I'd like to see someone *try* it. It won't be successful without some painful litigation, but someone needs to try.