The downsizing continues at Silicon Valley Community Newspapers, as the company confirms it is laying off four people this week. Executive Editor Dale Bryant chalked the move up to the economy, saying SVCN is cutting back for the same reason everyone in the industry is laying off people.
Bryant put an optimistic spin on the news. “I think we will still be able to continue doing what we are doing,” she said. “Everyone will work harder. But in an economy like this, we have to take some blows.” She said the company wouldn’t necessarily be more reliant on freelancers.
SVCN publishes 11 weekly newspapers in Santa Clara County, including the Willow Glen Resident, Los Gatos Weekly-Times, Sunnyvale Sun and Cupertino Courier. The company, once part of the locally owned Metro Newspapers group, was purchased by Knight-Ridder in 2005. The following year, following a complex series of purchases and swaps among the nation’s biggest newspaper chains, it became part of Dean Singleton’s MediaNews empire. (Full disclosure: San Jose Inside is affiliated with Metro.)
Bryant declined to confirm a report that Michael Cronk, editor of the Sun and Courier, would get the ax this week. She said she isn’t sure how many positions have been eliminated in the past year, and she also wouldn’t say how much money the recent cuts will save the company. In December, longtime local newspaperman David Cohen was laid off as the publisher and CEO of the company.
One detail left out: Metro sold SVCN to Cohen, who sold it three years later to the Merc. When we decided to sell it, I asked our broker not to approach Knight-Ridder because I thought the concentration of all the papers in one company’s hands would hurt competition in the valley.
“(Full disclosure: San Jose Inside is affiliated with Metro.)”
Is that FULL disclosure? I’d say San Jose Inside IS Metro…online.
#2 JMO: Not at all. Only a very small percentage of what Metro publishes each week appears on SJI. By the same token, there are several columnists / writers on SJI (Pierluigi, Joe DiSalvo, Raj) whose work is exclusive to San Jose Inside.
More importantly, in my opinion, SJI IS the community of bloggers (including yourself) who contribute regularly to the conversation.
To see more of Metro’s online projects, go to SanJose.com or Metroactive.com.
Metro once again points the finger yet fails to disclose it’s own state of affairs regarding layoffs. What ever happened to your Group Publisher, Alisa Cromer?Who else has been laid off at your company? What’s that aphorism about black pots and kettles? Why dish the attitude sauce when everyone, including yourselves, face the same music? I never could understand that attitude.
David Cohen
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One detail left out: Metro sold SVCN to Cohen, who sold it three years later to the Merc. When we decided to sell it, I asked our broker not to approach Knight-Ridder because I thought the concentration of all the papers in one company’s hands would hurt competition in the valley.
Posted by Dan Pulcrano
Monday, May 11 at 04:19 PM
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LET’S SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT::
One major DETAIL IS THAT I DID NOT SELL THE COMPANY TO KR after 3 years of ownership. Let’s be realistic here. One, I was an owner/founder during Metro’s ownership period, and two,I held and developed the Community Newspapers for more than four years before selling them to Knight Ridder.During that time we doubled the revenues and happened, by more than good fortune, to sell the papers at the peak of the newspaper valuation time. Had we kept the papers along with the extreme debt service we had do to having to pay Metro more than any other company was willing to pay FOR THE PAPERS AT THAT TIME, we too, at this time would probably be bancrupt do to not having deep pockets.
THE FACT THAT THE PAPERS ARE STILL PROVIDING EXCELLENT LOCAL NEWS AND ARE STILL IN BUSINESS IS A TESTAMENT TO THEIR ONGOING STAFF AND QUALITY OF VISION.
David Cohen
I commented because the writer of this item implied that Metro had sold the publication to the Merc. Thanks for the correction on the length of ownership, and the additional information.
Thanks Dan. My pleasure..
dc
This temper tantrum seems an ungracious way to put gloss on an exit that benefited him but no one else. Did the SVCN management team share in the sales proceeds for doubling the sales and value of Cohen’s company?
It would be good to replace old, tired, jaded SVCN staff like Gottschalks who doesn’t even see the need to include how to purchase tickets on a upcoming charity event she writes about, or even a web address.
Lame. Send her packing.
They did not share the extreme risk either. Socialism is a dead end end bucko! Your comments only refleck your lack of understanding of the situation. May you never have the debt I personally had. No further comments.
DC
#10. You promise?
Good for you David…..
Half the people that point fingers usually never have the stomach for the real problems & debts business owners go through.
I was so very flattered when SVCN did that cover article on me and my staff at Emile’s. In a very cold & closed knit town you made me and my family feel welcomed.
You have always been a gentleman and a scholar, but more than that you’ve always been a truly nice guy.
A mensch.
I was sorry to see you go.