Rusted Sky

The 'AJC' is already down to rough parity with my suburban local paper, the 'Marietta Daily Journal,' in number of pages. I can't compare it to any other metro-area daily papers, as the 'AJC' has spent the last fifty years diligently running all possible competitors out of business. (The Cox family have deep pockets.) Even the 'New York Times' couldn't get a surrogate toehold in Georgia, though they tried.

Quality-wise, the 'MDJ' does a far better job on local stories (especially Cobb County) than the 'AJC.' There have been some staff changes at the 'AJC' already; there's a new 'airline beat' focus reporter who seems particularly clueless. And the editorial page has added a new regular whose specialty seems to be high-school-level snark.

BTW, news really is not important to a newspaper, any more than program quality is important to a TV network. Advertising revenue is the driver in both cases, and the 'AJC's' has tanked.

The 'AJC's' circulation is down nearly 17 percent over the last four years -- a fact I bear in mind whenever I read their editorial-page advice to other area businesses or governments.

I spoke (wrote?) too soon. The AJC had articles today about the layoffs and changes:

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/town-talk/entries/2008/07/16/ajc_announces_p.html

Twice I read claims that AJC 'total readership' -- print plus online -- was up 7 percent. No mention of what their actual hardcopy circulation decline was. Not a breath about what has happened to their advertising revenues.

These guys cannot solve their problems; they cannot admit they have a problem.

I left a comment about the AJC's decline in circulation over at the AJC website. The response I got from the AJC's site moderator is -- uh, 'interesting':

"There are are a few comments (RNB, Tom) on our circulation declines, so wanted to mention that recent circulation results are not a surprise… AJC’s distribution footprint has been significantly refocused over the past 15 months. We’ve also made a few strategic changes like transitioning our classroom program from print to on-line, resulting in a large volume reduction of the print product. Also, our response to our advertiser’s demands to focus on providing a quality circulation audience has resulted in a number of programs being eliminated. These examples, combined with the reduction in our distribution footprint, tell a more complete story on strategic volume reduction over the past year."

"...recent circulation results are not a surprise." It's not a 'surprise' what happens when you step off the top of a building, either.

"...transitioning our classroom program from print to on-line..." We quit providing free copies to schools to punch up our distribution figures.

"...our advertiser's [Sic. Implies they have one advertiser.] demands to focus on providing a quality circulation audience..." Is this like the joke in 'Spinal Tap' about how the band's audiences haven't been shrinking, they've just become more 'selective'?

"…the reduction in our distribution footprint..." Translation: The area we're available in is about to shrink inside I-285.

"...strategic volume reduction..." This has got to be a classic business euphemism! It's on a par with 'friendly fire' and 'advance in a retrograde direction.' I'm gonna remember this 'un.

Long on buzzwords and evasive statements, short on actual content.

Kind of like the AJC in print, unfortunately...

J.