Salt Lake Trib Bucks Parent Co.; Remains 'Freebie' to Online Readers

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Digital First Media-owned Salt Lake Tribune, for now, will not follow the path of the other dailies in the media conglomerate's holding by erecting a paywall for readers of its online edition, Poynter.org reported.

The Tribune's managing editor told Poynter that competition in the market from media outlets that offer free online access to news figured in the paper's decision to hold off on establishing a paywall. The Deseret News, which also covers Salt Lake City, does not have a paywall.

Michigan Dailies Bracing for Massive Layoffs in April

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Unless new owner 21st CMH Acquisition Co. retains them, more than 840 Journal Register Co. workers, including 131 editorial staffers, could lose their jobs in April, the Michigan Live (www.Mlive.com) blog reports.

Four dailies, including the (Royal Oak) Daily Tribune, The Macomb Daily, The Oakland Press and The (Mount Pleasant) Morning Sun, along with numerous weeklies statewide, are part of the beleaguered Journal Register Co. ("JRC") stable.  For the second time in four years, the media conglomerate last September filed for bankruptcy court protection.

The Yardley, Penn.-based JRC, which is owned by New York-headquartered Digital First Media, reportedly was acquired for more than $122 million by 21st CMH Acquisition Co., an Alden Global Capital LLC affiliate. Michigan Live reported that JRC outlined in a letter to Michigan's Workforce Development Agency its plan to terminate its personnel sometime in mid-April when 21st CMH is expected to complete its acquisition.

Reportedly, JRC is urging the new owner to rehire the staff it is cutting loose, but the final decision regarding how many of the 840-plus workers are retained rests with CMH Acquisition Co.

Old News: Journal Register Co. Re-Enters Bankruptcy

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Despite a promising shift to digital news, nagging debt and a near 20 percent decline in print advertising over the past two years has again pushed the Journal Register Co. this week to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to stories in The New Haven Register and NiemanLab.org.

The Yardley, Pennsylvania-based Journal Register Co., owner of the New Haven Journal Register and the Media News chain, emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009 six months after declaring insolvency. For now, the company maintains its latest filing to seek reorganization and protection from creditors will not result in any staff reductions.

The Journal Register Co. is managed by Digital First Media, whose CEO John Paton has succeeded in a relatively short time period in boosting significantly the Journal Register's online readership and digital revenues. According to news accounts, the company expects to exit bankruptcy in 90 days and publication will continue uninterrupted.

The Alden Global Capital hedge fund, which owns the Journal Register Co., is likely to remain in charge of the company once the dust has settled, and may even acquire Digital First Media in the bargain, according to reports.