Every week for the past 30 years I have had a column in the Tonawanda News. In all that time, nothing has been edited out - kind of like you wrote it, you deal with it. This Saturday, the column was partly about the unbelievable news that the Tonawanda News will stop printing Jan. 31. This is the column I wrote, however, some items were taking out. As I resent and am angered by the editing, it occurred to me that it could go on Facebook and could be read full force, so to speak. So here it is unaltered. Feel free to share this. By now everyone knows of the unjust demise of the News. When we all heard the news, gathered by the new publisher (only time I met him in the four months hes been the Gazette and News publisher) and two other VPs from corporate in Alabama, my first thought was the parallel bad news story from St. Francis School. At St. Francis, a bishop and school superintendent newly arrived from out of state, took a look at bottom line figures, didnt check how closing St. Francis School (thriving by the way) would impact families in the City of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda, closed the school. No input from the parish, parishioners or families, no looking into extenuating circumstances like busing, but they had an eye on a healthy endowment. Thats old and sad news. Here at the Tonawanda News, a publisher newly arrived from out of state came in, took a look at the bottom line. Without a moment of thought of the impact closing would have, leaving the Twin Cities, the Town of Tonawanda and Kenmore without a daily paper that has been a mainstay for 134 years, closed it. That leaves about 150,000 people without a paper. Did anyone think to ask the employees here for suggestions on building circulation and creating more advertising or how to continue to serve these great communities? No more than the bishop did with St. Francis. And there were many ways to keep the paper alive and thriving. Just a few: Print the News seven days a week, increase the advertising staff, replace the reporters (three who left for better positions), give the sports department an added staffer (the sports editor, has to cover eight high schools as well as numerous other sports venues) and make a clear effort to cover the Town and Kenmore. Heres what the dummies at corporate did: Took away the tremendous head of the advertising department, cut the advertising staff, printed the paper only five days, did not replace the three reporters and kept the sports department the same. It can be summed up in a word that I hate, never use, but strangely, fits now: Stupid. Charlie Hewitt, his mom Ruby, and Harvey Hough must be rolling over in their graves and scowling down from heaven at the news. Martha Hough Barry, Harveys daughter, sent an email: Boy. am I shocked! Am very upset at the news about the NEWS closing; imagine Dad and the Hewitts turning in their graves --- you have our sympathy. And Joelle Logue sent a comment that The paper was an institution and a real voice for the community for 135 years. But just think of the places that well never learn about: DeGraff Memorial and Kenmore Mercy hospitals, the hoopla and fun of the T-NT games, the Quality Student information, the new businesses, the art scene from the Riviera to the art galleries, Carrousel Museum, Long Homestead — the list goes on and you can probably add your own places, organizations and churches. Of course, those of you who dislike my column and those of you who hate Soundoff will rejoice that both will be gone. The latter is a comforting thought for me. When asked about dropping the paper and leaving a void in the whole area, the triumvirate had an answer worthy of a politician, but it came down to, as Clark Gable so aptly put it, Frankly, my dear, I dont give a damn.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 15:57:11 +0000
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