N.Y. Times' CEO Robinson isn't happy with the media (Dinosaur Media DeathWatch™)

Marketwatch.com ^ | June 24, 2009 | Jon Friedman

[abb]

Robinson objects to criticisms surrounding the company's handling of the much-publicized labor negotiations with the Times' Boston Globe unit. She is weary of the endless speculation that the Times has already decided to launch a pay model for some or all of its Internet properties, noting that the company expects to make an announcement this fall.

And no, no, no -- the Times is not about to be acquired by Mexican billionaire and prominent Times stockholder Carlos Slim, Hollywood mogul David Geffen or anybody else, she says. Robinson is particularly tired of hearing the rumors that the company will be sold.

Robinson's unhappiness with the media echoed throughout my nearly two-hour lunch with her at the Times headquarters on Tuesday. The media, Robinson told me, "have to look beyond the stock price."

By the way, that nettlesome stock price is much closer to a 52-week low -- $3.44 -- than it is to a one-year high, of $16.75. As Robinson pointed out, media investors across the board are suffering, too. The Times' opportunities

There is a back story to our meeting. Robinson invited me to lunch a week after I wrote a piece suggesting that some critics think the company has "bad management." See earlier story. She addressed a number of questions about where the Times is headed.

Demonstrating her acceptance of the digital revolution, Robinson "definitely" envisions a day when the Internet will overshadow the traditional newspaper on the Times' bottom line. Internet businesses accounted for 12% of the company's revenues, or $352 million, in 2008, spokeswoman Catherine Mathis said.

Robinson said there is "an opportunity to look at the ways we could charge (on the Web) but we're not there yet."

snip

[abb]

Poor Janet. She should go back to college. By definition, any company whose stock is publicly traded is "for sale" every business day.

[abb]

ping

[ClearCase_guy]

tired of hearing the rumors

Yeah. It's better when the facts are checked and verified, and the sources for the information are clearly laid out. It's annoying when the rumor takes the form of "Some people say ..."

I think we're all tired of that crap, honey.

[Islander7]

Suggested new headline:

Presstitute Decries Pimp's Treatment of Favorite Whore

[abb]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9229a542-6021-11de-a09b-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1
Digital buyer for Hollywood news website

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/06/24/globe_guild_reach_new_pact/
Globe, Guild reach new pact

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20090623/FREE/906239961
Sun Newspapers to terminate 115 employees

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06242009/business/kate_plus_cover_175755.htm?page=2
Quick draw
Industry sources are trying to figure out why all of a sudden there is a sudden rash of rumors that McGraw- Hill Cos. is shopping Busi nessWeek.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-timewarner24-2009jun24,0,4034602.story
2 cable giants hope to discourage free online TV

[Psycho_Bunny]

Translation: “So far our attempts to sell have failed”

[abb]

http://www.minnpost.com/braublog/2009/06/23/9747/black_ink_star_tribune_reports_monthly_profit
Black ink! Star Tribune reports monthly profit

http://www.thewrap.com/article/deadline-hollywood-daily-sells-mailcom_3852
Nikki Finke Sells Deadline Hollywood Daily to Mail.com

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/06/23/nikki-finkes-10-million-payday/
Nikki Finke’s $10 million payday

http://paidcontent.org/article/419-mail.com-media-acquires-nikki-finkes-deadline-hollywood/
Updated: Mail.com Media Acquires Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood; “Seven Figure” Deal

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-deadline24-2009jun24,0,3372246.story
Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily is sold to Mail.com

[abb]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003986759
SPECIAL REPORT: More Newspapers Drop Print Editions — And Now Online Must Carry the Day

http://www.newspaperdeathwatch.com/
Redefining the Scoop

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/technology/news/e3i0849a35b3cfeb8594b319dc4f5199581
Media execs see future for paid content

http://www.buffalonews.com/494/story/711836.html
Jeff Simon: Walter Cronkite’s place in TV news

[TUX]

The only way to hit back at the New York Slimes, and the nations liberal copycats, is in pocket book. The liberals only understand power and money.

[GOPJ]

Demonstrating her acceptance of the digital revolution, Robinson "definitely" envisions a day when the Internet will overshadow the traditional newspaper on the Times' bottom line.

If The New York Times was lasered to the moon, bounced off Jupiter and landed on the internet aglow with stardust, I would NOT read it because it's biased, bigoted, and totally liberal.

I subscribe to the Wall Street Journal - in paper form - every day...

[Landru]

"Robinson is particularly tired of hearing the rumors that the company will be sold."

They're all real close to the edge, my friend. Just a li'l nudge, that's all it'd take.
Gravity does the rest. ;^)

BTW, abb?
I keep hearing the NYSlimes & numerous other rags are in the process of morphing into "pay-for" Internet based this and that services. Is that right?
All fine and dandy with me; but, who says these Internet based *things* will make a dime?

Seems to me there's a whole lot of assumin' goin' on here. When they go belly up --& they will fail-- how will the wreck be reconciled???

Truth is the stench & putrid reek of their past reputations will dog 'em into whateverinthehell they morph into, clear into bankruptcy court.
Of course *they* don't realize that yet, so the decent promises to be funnier than a barrel of monkeys.

Just thought I'd mention that point because after the last press has been stopped cold? We're *still* guaranteed many more months of the finest in entertainment anywhere on Earth.
Watching these digital Liberal-Socialist entities sink to the bottom, at digital speed? It just doesn't get any better than that. Minimally good for a 2,000 share. :o)

~snip~

Globe, Guild Reach New Pact

"The Boston Globe and its largest union reached a tentative agreement last night on $10 million in wage and benefit cuts, following three months of bitter labor talks that threatened to close the 137-year-old paper."

Oh, praise the Lord!!!
So glad to learn they've everyone's *pay* sorted out.
THIS means all hands can finally focus attention on getting SUBSCRIBERS? BWWWWWWWHAAAAAA!!!

Simply the most clueless among all clueless, ever.

[Norman Conquest]

> By definition, any company whose stock is publicly traded is “for sale” every business day.

The publicly traded shares have highly restricted voting rights. Effective control resides in the preferred shares owned by the Ochs/Sulzberger families. If I recall correctly, those can’t be sold outside the family trust. So until a majority of the heirs decide to bail out, the Times is safe.

[dead]

The Times CEO bitterly complaining about unfair media coverage is akin to Charles Manson complaining that somebody was impolite to him.

[martin_fierro]

Yeah. It's better when the facts are checked and verified, and the sources for the information are clearly laid out. It's annoying when the rumor takes the form of "Some people say ..."
I think we're all tired of that crap, honey.

EGGS ACKLEY!

[abb]

The publicly traded shares have highly restricted voting rights. Effective control resides in the preferred shares owned by the Ochs/Sulzberger families. If I recall correctly, those can’t be sold outside the family trust. So until a majority of the heirs decide to bail out, the Times is safe.

You are correct. But in practice, enough of the Class A shares can be accumulated to put pressure on the family and their Class B shares. Add to that the pressure that lenders (like Carlos Slim) can bring, and it can be done.

Now the question of who would want to buy it is another thing. They will be bankrupt within the next year or two, imo.

[Lancey Howard]

"The media, Robinson told me, "have to look beyond the stock price."

It's all about lying, spinning, and doing whatever it takes to support Ubama.
Money and profits are secondary. Everything is secondary.

[Lancey Howard]

[abb]

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/media/e3i048f01beefa084a3c1f1b77623b8ad57
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http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/295603-Time_Warner_and_Comcast_Start_TV_Everywhere_Trial.php
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http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003987094
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http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003987100
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http://www.nypost.com/seven/06242009/business/kate_plus_cover_175755.htm
IN TOUCH BEATS PEOPLE WITH REALITY-SHOW PHOTO

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Media_economy_57/Why_the_upfront_market_is_at_a_standstill.asp
Why this upfront market is at a standstill

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/culture/2009/06/23/a-media-guy-asks-why-do-they-hate-us.html
A Media Guy Asks: Why Do They Hate Us?

http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/layoffs-what-one-manager-told.html
Layoffs | What one manager told Gannettoid

[abb]

http://www.newspaperdeathwatch.com/
Globe Union Caves; Paper Primed For Sale

[abb]

http://medianation.blogspot.com/2009/06/economic-turmoil-and-globes-future.html
Economic turmoil and the Globe’s future

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003987182
‘Globe’ Guild Members Expect Latest Proposal to Pass Vote

http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/dontquoteme/archive/2009/06/24/who-won-the-globe-showdown.aspx
Who won the Globe showdown?