IS STARK COUNTY IN DANGER OF LOSING ITS ONLY "COUNTYWIDE" NEWSPAPER?

A little over five years ago (April 11, 2007) The Canton Repository was purchased by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Preparatory to the sale by pre-GateHouse owner Copley News, Repository publisher David Greenfield was instructed to let managing editor Michael Hanke go (despite his very able performance over a 35 year employment run) in order to reduce the newspaper's "expense base," per the recommendation of the investment banker involved in the sale. (source:  He Has Covered Both Sides, New York Times, Michael Winerip, March 20, 2009)

Consequently, Hanke (who went on to become [2007] and continues to serve as Stark County's chief administrator) never had to work for GateHouse Media, Inc. (GateHouse).

GateHouse stock was at about $23.00 a share at The Repository purchase date.  As yours truly writes this blog, it stands at $0.06. 

It is likely now that Hanke is grateful Greenfield let him go effective December 31, 2006, given the financial hard times that GateHouse has been experiencing since shortly after its Rep purchase.

At the time, it had to be extremely trying to Hanke because he had had many good years at The Rep and he left with fond memories of his time there.

Unsurprisingly, (in light of its common stock plummet) on April 2, 2012, an article appearing on "theday.com." contains this excerpt from GateHouse's annual report (facing an outstanding debt due date of of more than $1 billion in 2014), to wit:

There can be no assurance that our business will generate cash flow from operations or that future borrowings will be available to us in amounts sufficient to enable us to pay our indebtedness.    If we are unable to repay our indebtedness at maturity we may be forced to liquidate or reorganize our operations and business under the federal bankruptcy laws. (emphasis added)

Even if GateHouse is forced into bankruptcy, one has to believe that The Repository (begun in 1815) will find a way to continue to serve Stark County in some way, shape or form.

However, nothing in life is a sure thing.

There are problems (labor/management tension) at The Repository these days in addition to the overall financial struggle that its parent company is going through that gives pause for thought.

So the SCPR believes that Stark Countians should be concerned about the continued viability of the nearly 200 year old "institution."

There has been a tug-of-war going on between the  Northeast Ohio Newspaper Guild-CWA Local 1 (the union for non-management employees) and the management at GateHouse for some time.

The union represents about 180 non-management Repository employees and the Canton aspect of the union effort is headed up by reporters Tim Botos and Edd Pritchard.

A Facebook page "Save The Repository" (LINK) shows a history of dispute over the management's desire to have the right to outsource Canton-based (The Repository), Massillon-based (The Massillon Independent) and New Philadelphia (The Times-Reporter) going back at least into 2011.

Recently, things have heated up.

The Report is told that while huge numbers of local jobs are not thought to be at stake presently, the fear is that the drive for outsourcing will prove to be a "slippery slope" that will eventually threaten many more of the jobs currently in place.  Perhaps, in time, even reaching into the reporter pool.

This past Monday Newspaper Guild members conducted an informational picketing demonstration in front of The Repository's building located at 500 Market Avenue, South.

The Report hears that another demonstration is scheduled for Friday, May 4th (Canton's First Friday) in front of the Newspaper Guild headquarters located at 203 Market Avenue, South in Canton.

Moreover, a community rally is said to be in the works for May 24th from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  No word on location of the rally.

While the outsourcing seems to be the main issue, the SCPR is told that Repository non-management employees have not received any raises for some four years.

The lack of raises has to be particularly galling given the following excerpt from Media Nation:

One source suggested to yours truly that ever since GateHouse has taken over, it has been doing so on the cheap.  The source doubted that departed executive editor Jeff Gauger (August, 2007 through March 2, 2012) was making anywhere near the money that his predecessor David Kaminski (now with the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce) made.

The question:  Did GateHouse's frugality and/or its dire financial condition have anything to do with Gauger's departure?

It will be interesting to see whether or not GateHouse replaces Gauger.  Managing Editor Don Detore was appointed this past February as interim executive director.

While yours truly has never been enamored of The Repository, there is no doubt that Stark County needs a countywide daily newspaper.  So whatever happens to GateHouse, Stark Countians should be rooting for an enduring Canton Repository.

Just a much better one than we have known in the recent past!

IS THE WORM BEGINNING TO TURN OF HEALY? HIS HERETOFORE ALLY STARTS PRINTING POINTED STORIES - FOLLOWING SCPR LEAD?

Mayor William J. Healy, II's worries just got compounded.

Following the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT'S LEAD, The Canton Repository has taken a much more critical turn on Mayor Healy.

On April 27, 2009 the SCPR went with the story: Healy on conversation about Hawk: it was private. Can you believe this guy?

On June 07, 2009 (41 days after the SCPR piece), Ed Ballint writes a story: Was mayor's remark at charity event politically motivated?

Here a link to the SCPR original story.

Compare it to Balint's.

Wow! Almost a carbon copy.

But The Rep's piece is 41 days down the pike.

The SCPR is complimented that The Rep many times follows up on inside political stories that originated in the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT.

The Report does believe The Rep "powers that be" have ethical problems of their own. Anytime the SCPR uses The Rep's material, there is full credit and attribution.

But the reciprocal is not true.

Moreover, the SCPR believes The Rep has ordered its reporters from crediting the SCPR with originating stories, has ordered that references to the SCPR in the comments section be edited out or the comments refused and, of course, Executive Editor Jeff Gauger himself refuses to apply journalistic ethics vis-a-vis the SCPR and, obviously, has ordered his fellow editors from properly crediting The Report when they get their ideas on editorial topics from reading the SCPR.

The Report has learned that there was a celebration at The Rep a few months ago when they thought they had beaten the SCPR to the punch. They hadn't. Again, The Report is complimented when Stark County's only countywide newspaper with staff galore (when compared with the SCPR - which only has yours truly) feels challenged.

The SCPR is the only alternative to The Rep on political news and analysis. Frequently, The Report gets e-mail compliments lauding the SCPR as being much higher quality than the political news reporting and analysis at The Repository.

The Rep has never been a great paper, but with the introduction of executive editor Jeff Gauger, managing editor Don Detore, publisher Kevin Kampman and the whole GateHouse Media Ohio, Inc team; The Repository has sank to new journalistic lows.

Nevertheless, The Rep's is Stark County's only countywide newspaper which buys ink by the barrel and likes to think it is the 800-pound-gorilla of local journalism and Mayor William Healy should be more worried than ever that media scrutiny of his every action is to be magnified considerably.

In addition to Balint's piece today, there is the editorial offering Mayor owes Hawk, citizens apology and Mayor has put the cart before the horse (June 4, 2009).

The evidence is clear to the SCPR, Mayor Healy's romance with The Rep has come to an abrupt end. Undoubtedly, this is painful for The Rep's powers, for all the criticism that yours truly levels at The Rep; there is no question that they want Healy to succeed as mayor. So does the SCPR.

However, Healy is chasing failure at a fast, fast rate.

As one high level city official within the last few days told The Report, "Healy just continues to shoot himself in the foot. For those of us working in the administration, all these incidents are distracting. We just want to get the job done for Cantonians. Healy is huge problem in that regard."

The same source told The Report: "Healy has no close friends in the administration. He is not a friendly guy. It is reduced to him and communications director Adam Herman making command decisions for the adminstration. The departure of Safety Director Tom Nesbitt is a huge blow."

These are horribly bleak times for Canton city government. But Mayor William J. Healy, II has made them much more bleak than they need be.

JUDGE JIM JAMES MAKES A GREAT POINT: CLASSLESS (THE SCPR'S WORD) NEWSPAPER UNDERMINES PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT!

Jim James is one the most respected jurists in all of Stark County. This judge is calm, cool and collected, above all. For James to write the headlined "letter to the editor" to The Repository is a real slap in the face of lead editors Jeff Gauger and Don Detore.

Gauger, somewhat of a popinjay, got on his high horse at the beginning of the Schuring/Boccieri 16th district congressional race and pontificated about how he was going to see to it that the dialogue concerning the candidates remained civil.

Well, Editor Gauger what is in good taste about allowing readers to demean a profession?

As Judge James puts it:

It is inappropriate to debase any profession. This is a surprising tack for a news organization that aspires to high journalistic standards.

Judge James is generous in attributing "high journalistic standards" as among The Rep's aspirations. All yours truly can say is that hopefully such is the case. But one does have to wonder and there is room for skepticism.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report/SCPR) believes that The Rep is desperate just to stay in business these days. Because of the pressure to sell newspapers and draw online readers in order to to drive up or maintain advertising rates which is a function readership volume, readers should expect see more and more sleazy journalism emanating from The Rep.

So which is going to be Editor Gauger: a step up a la the Schuring/Boccieri standard or a step down a la the solicitation of lawyer jokes?

The Report will be taking silence as a vote for a step down; an apology for a step up.