On May 28, The San Diego Union-Tribune presented readers with a redesigned
Business section that cut stock market listings in half but expanded the
news coverage. Also, Page 2 was christened “MarketDay” and reserved for
stock exchange highlights and articles. Readers were invited to give their
reactions. Within a week, more than 800 had responded.
Most didn’t approve. However, a few applauded the increased space for
coverage of local, national and international business news. Many of those
who didn’t like the changes said they missed information they were used to
getting.
“Who in the hell’s idea was it to change the financial pages?” a reader
asked. “Why can’t you people leave things alone? It is a mess. I can’t find
a damn thing in it.”
Another wrote: “Please resume printing the Mutual Funds year-to-date
results in your Saturday editions of the Business section. We have been
subscribers to your newspaper in excess of 30 years and have relied on the
year-to-date information every Saturday morning. Please resume so that we
can know whether or not to enjoy our weekends.”
“After 40 years, I’m contemplating canceling my subscription,” said
another.
“Basically, we’ve got rid of all things that I consider important,”
complained another.
One reader, however, said she was thrilled with the change in attitude.
“I’m so pleased to see your wonderful and positive approach to featuring
businesses in San Diego,” she said, then added that her husband’s company
was having an open house and would the Union-Tribune “please cover it.”
“I like your new format better,” said another reader. “I never read tables
in the newspaper anymore. It’s always better to get that information from
the Web.”
One reader had mixed feelings. “I’m disappointed you have eliminated
everything that I own from the listings. But I do like the new look.”
But more typical was the reader who said: “You cut too deep and put the
wrong things in.”
Business editor Jim Watters said readers’ concerns are being weighed; some
revisions were made immediately and further changes will be made in the
next few weeks including a weekly restoration of dividend yields and
commodity listings.
Pat Flynn, senior editor for Business and Sports, said the decision to
reduce the listings and change the way the space was allocated was based on
discussions about “the best way to use our resources.
“With Internet access becoming more widespread, especially in this region,
many people have ready access to stock and mutual fund listings from their
computers,” he said. “But the thorough, enterprising coverage of this
county’s commerce and economy provided by our staff is not available
anywhere else.
“We decided that the best way to serve our readers was to devote more of
the finite space in the Business section to that kind of unique
journalism,” Flynn said. “At the same time, though, we expanded the
information we publish on the 100 most widely held stocks and on San Diego
County stocks. We also have a telephone service to provide stock quotes to
folks who don’t have access to the Internet.”
Both the Web address and telephone number for stock quotes are listed each
day. To get stock information online, readers may go to
http://stocks.signonsandiego.com. To get information by phone, call (619)
686-2000.
With the redesign of the Business section, the weather page was moved from
the Metro section to the back page of Business Monday through Saturday.
Because the Sunday Business section is printed early Saturday, the weather
returns to the last page of the local section on Sundays.
Some readers complained they could not find the weather page, and others
complained that they would have to change their routine. Some readers said
it was their habit to take the Business section and leave the local news
section to a spouse who likes to read about the weather. A listing on where
to find the weather has been added to the front-page index.
o o o
Gina Lubrano’s column commenting on the media appears Mondays. It is the
policy of The San Diego Union-Tribune to correct all errors. To discuss
accuracy or fairness in the news, please write to Gina Lubrano, readers
representative, Box 120191, San Diego, CA 92112-0191, or telephone (619)
293-1525.
