05-03-2011 BELTON STAR HERALD STARTED IN 1892 KC STAR PARENT TO CLOSE TWO SUBURBAN PAPERS In yesterday's announcement of another round of layoffs at the Kansas City Star, President and Publisher Mark Zieman made reference to "eliminating about two dozen jobs from our downtown and suburban operations" without providing particulars. While major journalistic names like movie critic Robert W. Butler and Michael Mansur were being announced on this site as being let go at the Star, it is just now coming to light that The Star Herald in Belton (MO) and the Blue Springs Journal will be shuttered. Both will publish just two more issues. The two weeklies were part of the Star's Suburban Group of newspapers, which includes the Lee's Summit Journal and the Cass County Democrat. Those newspapers will reportedly continue to operate. The Belton and Blue Springs papers were reportedly profitable, but not as profitable as the Star and its parent, McClatchy Cos, had hoped. The Star Herald in Belton had published for nearly 120 years while the Blue Springs Journal had been in existence for three years (and three months). Four employees were let go at the Herald while the Blue Springs Journal shared staff with the Lee's Summit Journal. Veteran newspaperman John Beaudoin, who assumed duties as the publisher for the Suburban Group of papers in February of this year, wrote the obituary for the Star Herald today. He also wrote "A Sad Goodbye" in the afternoon for the Blue Springs Journal, where he announced "the end of the road" for the publication. Overall, it was a sad day for community journalism.
05-03-2011 MAD HATTER ECON "Profitable ... but not profitable enough. Mad Hatter Economics 101." ----David Remley
05-04-2011 SET UP SHOP "Not profitable enough: Coming from the same folks who criticize corporations for making 2-3% profit margins. The staff of these newspapers should set up shop and do their own newspaper. I bet they'd be happy to work and make even a small profit." --- John Altevogt
05-06-2011 AWARD WINNER "Interestingly, McClatchy just recognized the Star-Herald with McClatchy President Awards for Community newspapers. According to the MO Press News, the monthly news magazine for the Missouri Press Assn, Star-Herald reporter Allen Edmonds snared a first place award in photography. But they shutter it anyway. "I'm with Altevogt - here's hoping the effected employees buy the name for a dollar and continue their award winning work for their community." --- Michael Bushnell, Publisher, The Northeast News
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