Wisconsin State Journal And Capital Times In Turmoil

David Blaska has the must read article on the turmoil and upside-down world of the local newspapers.  And this is supposed to be the capital city where one would think a solid newspaper could thrive, and real journalism might flourish?  As Blaska writes there are some real odd happenings in the local newspaper world.

Two of the marquee columns in town are disappearing. After next week, the Wisconsin State Journal is discontinuing the columns written by Susan Lampert Smith and Melanie Conklin.

The new publisher, William Johnston, reportedly wielded the axe, saying their columns “were not working.”

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Of course, letting Doug Moe go was incredibly stupid on the part of The Capital Times. As Bill Lueders reports, they made him reapply for his old job and that raised his hackles. Good for Doug. But the whole affair told me immediately that his old newspaper still does not know what it is doing. Even under Paul Fanlund.

The announced plan, of course, is that The Capital Times will be a vital online presence, 24/7, and a twice-weekly free-distribution newspaper: Wednesdays — news and analysis — and Thursdays — arts and entertainment.

I don’t get the 24/7 online thing. The newspaper is shedding 20 positions, thereby reducing its staff by one-third (it has four more involuntary cuts to make after 16 voluntary separations). That only exacerbates the discrepancy that existed even before the downsizing. So why would anyone go to The Capital Times website when you would be guaranteed more breaking news content at the Wisconsin State Journal website?

Yup…exactly.

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