US: Gannett’s Ocean County Observer goes weekly

Posted by Evan Fell on November 29, 2007 at 2:03 PM

A Gannett owned daily newspaper, The Ocean County Observer, is changing to a weekly due to declining circulation.

The president and publisher of the Observer and the Ashbury Park Press, Thomas M. Donovan, said that it became too difficult to publish two daily papers in the same market due to changing reader habits, advertising challenges and an increase in operating costs.

The daily will be replaced by the weekly Toms River Observer-Reporter that will focus on local schools and sports, small businesses and the Toms River, NJ -area population.

'Under the new structure, we will have strong, comprehensive local news coverage in the daily and Sunday Asbury Park Press, breaking news and other interactive features on our redesigned Web site, APP.com, and great hometown coverage in our weekly Toms River Observer-Reporter,' said Donovan.

Donovan also reported that there would be no layoffs due to the changes because Observer employees would be offered jobs at the new weekly, the Ashbury Park Press, or as online staff.

Source : finanznachrichten.de through Ifra Executive News Service

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