Comments on: College media in the crosshairs http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/02/14/college-media-in-the-crosshairs/ a group discussion about the future of student media Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:18:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Kiyoshi Martinez http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/02/14/college-media-in-the-crosshairs/#comment-2649 Kiyoshi Martinez Thu, 15 Feb 2007 05:51:53 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/02/14/college-media-in-the-crosshairs/#comment-2649 Wow, I didn't expect to hear about another one of these so soon. You already know all of my perspectives on this. Although, I think I should do some follow-up reporting on whether these students will be getting at least minimum wage, access to Gannett's legal department, etc. Wow, I didn’t expect to hear about another one of these so soon. You already know all of my perspectives on this. Although, I think I should do some follow-up reporting on whether these students will be getting at least minimum wage, access to Gannett’s legal department, etc.

]]> By: Bryan Murley http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/02/14/college-media-in-the-crosshairs/#comment-2638 Bryan Murley Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:08:49 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/02/14/college-media-in-the-crosshairs/#comment-2638 So if college markets are in the cross-hairs, would college media just be "collateral damage?" What are we if not the primary servers of our markets? It's definitely a wake-up call. Whether or not it's the "model" is irrelevant. I don't think any major chain is going to buy out most college papers because of the models. They'll just build something else that competes - especially online where they have little to lose (relatively speaking) and much market share to gain. So if college markets are in the cross-hairs, would college media just be “collateral damage?” What are we if not the primary servers of our markets?

It’s definitely a wake-up call. Whether or not it’s the “model” is irrelevant. I don’t think any major chain is going to buy out most college papers because of the models. They’ll just build something else that competes - especially online where they have little to lose (relatively speaking) and much market share to gain.

]]> By: Kevin Schwartz http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/02/14/college-media-in-the-crosshairs/#comment-2632 Kevin Schwartz Wed, 14 Feb 2007 18:05:34 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/02/14/college-media-in-the-crosshairs/#comment-2632 Couldn't play the podcast, but no matter. While I agree with Eric 100% on the issue of actual acquisitions of college newspapers, I don't think Ralph would argue that maybe a better headline for his original post would be, "College markets in the crosshairs." Of that, there can be no doubt, right? Couldn’t play the podcast, but no matter. While I agree with Eric 100% on the issue of actual acquisitions of college newspapers, I don’t think Ralph would argue that maybe a better headline for his original post would be, “College markets in the crosshairs.”

Of that, there can be no doubt, right?

]]> By: Eric Jacobs http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/02/14/college-media-in-the-crosshairs/#comment-2631 Eric Jacobs Wed, 14 Feb 2007 17:58:55 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/02/14/college-media-in-the-crosshairs/#comment-2631 Calling this "another wakeup call for college media" is an over-reaction. This paper, like the one other college paper Gannett previously acquired, was a *commercial*, *for-profit*, *privately-owned* newspaper. This is *not* the model for college newspapers around the United States; in fact, there may be only one or two similar papers in the entire country. These papers, while they aim at the student market and employ students, are *not* traditional college newspapers. Treating them as such without even noting how different these papers are does a great disservice to readers. *If* Gannett buys out any of the vast majority college papers owned by colleges and universities, or any of the independently-incorporated non-profit college papers which exist at a few dozen schools, *then* this will be news for us to talk about. Until then, I'd suggest that the owners of a small for-profit newspaper business cashing in on their years of hard work by selling out to a larger company is no big deal at all. Calling this “another wakeup call for college media” is an over-reaction.

This paper, like the one other college paper Gannett previously acquired, was a *commercial*, *for-profit*, *privately-owned* newspaper. This is *not* the model for college newspapers around the United States; in fact, there may be only one or two similar papers in the entire country. These papers, while they aim at the student market and employ students, are *not* traditional college newspapers. Treating them as such without even noting how different these papers are does a great disservice to readers.

*If* Gannett buys out any of the vast majority college papers owned by colleges and universities, or any of the independently-incorporated non-profit college papers which exist at a few dozen schools, *then* this will be news for us to talk about. Until then, I’d suggest that the owners of a small for-profit newspaper business cashing in on their years of hard work by selling out to a larger company is no big deal at all.

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