One of the more frequent questions I hear from readers is, Why does the newspaper have to change?
When I interviewed Cox Newspapers President Jay Smith last year about the challenges facing this industry, he said: “The world has changed a lot, and newspapers have changed a little.”
In other words, the time for business as usual has long passed.
Newspapers across the country are adapting their business models. And many are being sold to new owners.
In this digital age, profound change is necessary. News and information can be accessed in seconds with the click of a mouse, by remote control or via a mobile phone.
Convenience is the operative word as people buy everything online from movie tickets to cars. Interactivity allows for instantaneous exchange of ideas. The possibilities are endless.
In a letter to readers this week, AJC Publisher John Mellott announced how the AJC will be transformed in the coming months to meet the changing needs of customers and advertisers. The AJC’s chief mission as a trusted source of news and information on the Atlanta region will remain unchanged, but the ways in which we deliver content will continue to evolve.
Among the changes:
Press equipment and the AJC’s classified advertising system will be upgraded at a cost of $42 million. In two years, the newspaper’s printing operation in Norcross will expand to produce all AJC products and commercial printing ventures. At the same time, our production facility downtown will close, though the newsroom and other departments will still operate primarily downtown.
The newspaper’s distribution will focus on 73 counties, including 66 in Georgia, extending south to Macon. The paper will continue to go to readers in Chattanooga and the highlands of North Carolina. As of April 1, readers in outlying areas will no longer have the newspaper delivered to their homes, convenience stores and other outlets. Mail subscriptions will still be available.
Beginning April 5, some AJC community zones will be redesigned to cover larger geographical areas, and some community zones will be discontinued. Highly interactive community sites will continue to expand on ajc.com.
There are no plans to abandon coverage of these areas, but readers in Rockdale, Clayton, Henry, Fayette and Coweta counties will no longer receive a Thursday community section. Inadequate advertising revenue in these areas led to this decision.
AJC Gwinnett News will still be a daily product; and the popular NorthSide section will continue three days a week. A northwest zone will cover south and west Cobb and Cherokee; and a central zone will cover Atlanta and DeKalb.
A new HomeStyle section will be packaged with our community sections on Thursdays. This full-size section will replace the current Home & Garden tabloid section. Gardening news, a popular topic with readers, will appear inside the Living section. HomeStyle content will be available on ajc.com.
The AJC’s newsroom will be reorganized to become stronger in print and online. Some jobs will change; and we will have a smaller newsroom. A voluntary separation has been offered to about 80 newsroom employees who are 55 and older, with 10 years or more of service.
Anyone who has paid attention to our industry in recent years has anticipated this new reality. Newspapers are downsizing to cut costs and streamline operations. At the same time, the AJC’s journalists must work harder than ever to serve the 2 million-plus readers who count on us each day.
As a newspaper company with strong roots in this community, the AJC is well-positioned to deliver authoritative news and commentary in a variety of formats.
Online, you’ll see more information packaged better. Videos, photographs, graphics, blogs and reader-submitted items will foster a strong sense of community.
In print and online, you’ll see stories that go beyond the routine. Reporters must continue to challenge government officials and other leaders. They must work harder to find stories that inspire and delight readers.
We’ll also continue to develop publications targeted to niche interests, such as the AJC’s existing publications, Skirt, a magazine for women; and Mundo Hispnico, a leading Spanish language newspaper.
Cox Enterprises, the newspaper’s parent company, has always been a beacon for change. The Atlanta-based, family-owned business has pioneered technology in its broadcasting, Internet, cable, newspaper and auto auction businesses.
In the newsroom, my colleagues and I are at once unnerved and excited about the work that must be done. We know our jobs and the company will continue to evolve.
We also know readers expect us to deliver nonstop news and information, regardless of what is happening inside these walls. We remain committed to that mission.
