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Bottom Line Communications

"Examining all things media..."

FEEDBACK (08-26-2008):

    "First of all, nice scoop on the Star biz. I see a lot of other sites have been ripping you off. I also think you handled our grim news tastefully and respectfully, like I knew you would, rather than dancing on our graves, which is what another publication did."

The Star's $200 million printing plant completed in 2006.

BLC Exclusive (08-24-2008)

KANSAS CITY STAR FACING ANOTHER ROUND OF MAJOR CUTBACKS
   We have learned that the Kansas City Star has implemented another round of employee buyouts last week, and nearly 100% of its employees will receive buyout packets this week. This follows massive layoffs in June at Kansas City's leading newspaper.
  This latest news comes after an announcement earlier this month that the newspaper had implemented a one-year wage freeze.
   It is believed Star executives now want to cut the same number of employees and positions they did in June. The only area not affected by the layoffs are Advertising sales assoicates and those few employees hired in 2008. 
   At the present time up to 35 newsroom employees are expected to be cut. If enough employees don't  take the buyout packages in the next two weeks "involuntary" layoffs will begin. 
   The buyouts---voluntary and involuntary--will be complete and those impacted employees will gone by the end of September. This is the third employee reduction since December 2007.
   McClatchy Companies, parent company of the Star since 2006 and the third largest newspaper company in the nation, has experienced severe financial problems in the past few years (see story below). 
   McClatchy newspapers in Fort Worth, Modesto and Lexingon, KY among others have announced major cutbacks  in just the past few weeks.

McClatchy revenue slides, shares tumble
Sacramento Business Journal
(8/20/08)

    Shares of The McClatchy Co. dropped almost 6 percent in trading Wednesday, after the newspaper publisher announced another month of disappointing revenue.

    The Sacramento-based company — publisher of The Sacramento Bee, The Miami Herald and 28 other daily newspapers — reported $167.8 million in revenue last month, a 16.4 percent decline from the $200.7 million for the same quarter a year ago.

    Advertising revenue plummeted 19.3 percent to $136.8 million from a year ago. Classified advertising, especially for employment and real estate, tumbled 29.5 percent from a year ago, while national ad sales plunged 20.2 percent for the same year-over-year period.

    For the first seven months of the year, McClatchy’s revenue has declined 15 percent from a year ago. However, online advertising — considered the future of newspaper companies — increased 11.7 percent.

    “As we anticipated, July advertising activity turned out to be only slightly better than June,” McClatchy chief financial officer Pat Talamantes said in a news release. “Online advertising continues to be a bright spot for the company, with online advertising up in all categories except employment advertising.”

    Shares of McClatchy (NYSE: MNI) dropped 23 cents to $3.78, only five cents above its 52-week low. The stock had dropped to $3.53 during the day, but rebounded in the final hours.

    The company, like many newspaper companies, has been dealing with declining advertising revenue and fewer subscribers, forcing belt-tightening efforts, including across-the-board 10 percent cuts to positions and a wage freeze effective starting next month.

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