Sunday, December 07, 2008

Chicago Tribune Near Bankruptcy

I suspect this is just the tip of the iceberg. Can't be long until the newspapers are lining up for their bailout money.
Tribune has hired bankruptcy advisers as the ailing newspaper company seeks to stave off a potential bankruptcy filing, people briefed on the matter said.

The newspaper, which was taken private last year by billionaire investor Samuel Zell, has hired the investment bank Lazard and the law firm Sidley Austin, these people said. Tribune has been hobbled by debt related to that sale last year, which has been compounded by the growing drought of advertising for newspapers.

It is only the latest — and biggest — sign of duress for the newspaper industry yet. Several newspaper companies have struggled to cope with declining revenues and mounting debt woes.
Declining revenue, mounting debt woes, and readers fleeing in droves due to the relentlessly liberal slant.

It's not as if this is anything new. Over the years countless papers have failed and/or wound up merging with others. The print newspaper industry is dying and there's no turning back.

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