Jump to content

Downfall of The Buffalo News


IKnowPhysics

Recommended Posts

If you want to read a passionate debate about the subject, Head on over to the stadium wall. Since the Buffalo blitz pay wall went up there has been a ton of debate. The new sports editor Josh Barnett has been very involved in the conversation. One thing that became clear is that there are people who claim they will never subscribe to Buffalo blitz as long as those two were employed. If you were the new guy who comes in and is charged with shoring up the sports department, you probably start looking around to see who is connecting with the community and who is not. In my experience, over the 20 years my websites have been around there has been a crushing majority of people who do not value those two columnists. It has always been this way as long as I remember.

 

Is there a particular thread there that you'd recommend (other than the TSW counterpart to this thread)?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My dad read every column by both. He never once clicked.

 

Well, there's no automated way of tracking that sort of readership, innit?

 

I'd venture to say that TBN could rely on a large share of print readership to look for Sullivan's and Gleason's columns. I'd also surmise that TBN is not terribly concerned with retaining print readership. There's certainly no growing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe Terry beat Warren in pinochle and that was the bet? 

 

Or, as was just floated by someone on the Twitter, maybe TBN wants to be well positioned to sell their land when PSE comes looking for a downtown stadium site.

Edited by That Aud Smell
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or, as was just floated by someone on the Twitter, maybe TBN wants to be well positioned to sell their land when PSE comes looking for a downtown stadium site.

 

Does that tweeter think we faked the moon landings?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does that tweeter think we faked the moon landings?

 

No idea.

 

I'll admit that it's a little out there, as theories go, but it's far from wackadoo, imo.

 

I've been saying it for a while (and I'm hardly alone): There's something genuinely weird going on at TBN. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So the theory is that TBN canned Bucky and Sully to facilitate a future real estate deal?

 

Uh-uh.

The principal observation is that TBN has, of late, become weirdly solicitous of local business interests (including the biggest “business interest,” the Empire State Development Corp. (Cuomo)).

 

The principal theory, that I floated, is that TBN’s solicitousness of business interests extends to PSE.

 

The further flung theory is that TBN may even be trying to stay cool with PSE so as to ensure a role or voice in downtown stadium development.

 

I’m no tinfoil hat jabroni. I think that last piece is plausible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The principal observation is that TBN has, of late, become weirdly solicitous of local business interests (including the biggest “business interest,” the Empire State Development Corp. (Cuomo)).

 

The principal theory, that I floated, is that TBN’s solicitousness of business interests extends to PSE.

 

The further flung theory is that TBN may even be trying to stay cool with PSE so as to ensure a role or voice in downtown stadium development.

 

I’m no tinfoil hat jabroni. I think that last piece is plausible.

 

It isn't.  Buffett isn't worried about an extra couple of mil for a building on Washington Street in Buffalo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It isn't. Buffett isn't worried about an extra couple of mil for a building on Washington Street in Buffalo.

You keep referencing him.

 

The people who run TBN report to Buffet. They want good numbers and good news (ha) to report to him. Those are the folks I have on mind.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You keep referencing him.

 

The people who run TBN report to Buffet. They want good numbers and good news (ha) to report to him. Those are the folks I have on mind.

 

I understand that, but they're not thinking six moves ahead and considering what happens if PSE wants a stadium on Washington Street without someone higher up at Berkshire Hathaway being involved.  I just don't see any of the alternative theories being nearly as plausible as the simple explanation that readers didn't like reading / watching Gleason and Sullivan and weren't going to pay a premium for their content--which we know to be true.

Edited by Eleven
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It isn't. Buffett isn't worried about an extra couple of mil for a building on Washington Street in Buffalo.

I think Mr Buffett would disagree with you. Graham and Dodd would tilt their heads, quizzically. I remind you Buffett became interested in a tiny WNY Bank decades ago. It had a market cap less than some other banks’ car loan portfolios.

 

In his own words.

 

“In 1994, Coca-Cola sold about 280 billion 8-ounce servings and earned a little less than a penny on each. But pennies add up.”

 

Mr. Buffett drives me nuts. It’s not because of his inattention or indifference. I would like to have dinner with him.

Edited by Neo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I work with someone whose husband is heavily involved in downtown commercial real estate, the land the News and HSBC Buildings are a target for a future stadium/convention center development.

I understand that, but they're not thinking six moves ahead and considering what happens if PSE wants a stadium on Washington Street without someone higher up at Berkshire Hathaway being involved. I just don't see any of the alternative theories being nearly as plausible as the simple explanation that readers didn't like reading / watching Gleason and Sullivan and weren't going to pay a premium for their content--which we know to be true.

However the second part of this is the most plausible explanation Edited by Brawndo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is about as much as I feel comfortable copying and pasting, but there's more here:  http://www.dailypublic.com/articles/06012018/whats-happening-buffalo-news-part-2

 

 

Management had tweets and emails from people saying they would never subscribe as long as Sullivan was writing for it and that he was too negative. The News caved. Under this reading, the logic is that, if Sullivan wasn’t blamed, that would leave management responsible for the app’s shortcomings.  

But as newspeople, they know that for every person complaining about Sully, there were probably five more waiting to hear what he had to say after every Bills game and to either agree or disagree with it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The thing I hate about the newspapers today is that they all become part of one big group.

 

They only spew out the same news, and copy paste it for each of their papers.   I can't bother reading newspapers anymore online or not. 

Edited by Huckleberry
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The thing I hate about the newspapers today is that they all become part of one big group.

 

They only spew out the same news, and copy paste it for each of their papers.   I can't bother reading newspapers anymore online or not. 

This. And I only read the free content till I get the you have read your 10 articles bullspit. If they want clicks let people read the damn articles. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This. And I only read the free content till I get the you have read your 10 articles bullspit. If they want clicks let people read the damn articles.

A little more thought into the situation would serve you better. The “clicks” are paying less and less. Sources of revenue are drying up and they are searching for a sustainable model.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A little more thought into the situation would serve you better. The “clicks” are paying less and less. Sources of revenue are drying up and they are searching for a sustainable model.

Yeah and I guess I get what I pay for. Which is nothing so...complaining don't help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pay for what?  I still got my daily newspaper, not my fault they can't sell advertising at a reasonable price to stay afloat. 

Well I'm only complaining about the Buffalo news content I get on Sabrespace that I'm not allowed to read.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is OLD. A NEW topic should be started unless there is a VERY SPECIFIC REASON to revive this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...