Doug Franklin of Cox: Reduce Staff and Combine Papers

Franklin

Doug Franklin, briefly publisher at The Palm Beach Post and now executive vice-president of Cox Newspapers, spoke at the recent meeting of the Florida Press Association/Florida Society of News Editors members in Palm Beach.

Talking to the assembled group of publishers and editors at The Breakers, Franklin addressed the tough challenges facing the industry. He reportedly gave a roster of ideas to do away with the current “non-working” business model of newspapering, and embrace cost-cutting measures to streamline operations and get profitability back on track while meeting readers’ needs.

He advocated cutting and combining staffs of all local papers to create one large regional paper for the Southeast area.

Some key points included:

• Identify “core” coverage areas, and use salaried beat reporters to cover them.
• Use freelancers to fill in all other coverage, reducing full-time staff to essential personnel.
• Eliminate local copy desks – combine desks among all the papers in one region.
• Combine the papers in a region and pool all other resources.

He also didn’t rule out going solely to a digital edition but said the media must shed traditional formats to deliver news and information on several platforms in this technology-driven age.

Already in motion

Franklin put into pratice his methods at The Post beginning in August 2008, when more than 280 employees were offered “Voluntary Separation Agreements.” This was followed by further staff cuts in December, and the shutting down of presses and print production on site. Those operations were moved to the Sun-Sentinel, along with distribution.

Coverage of certain news beats is pooled with them; sports and photography departments also pool resources.

Palm Beach Newspapers Inc., which publishes the Palm Beach Daily News and La Palma along with The Post,  is down to around 540 full-time employees,  from a high of around 1700.  More staff cuts, estimated at 40 to 50 from advertising and news departments, were recently announced the current publisher, Alex Taylor.

After a round of hurried employee evaluations — points awarded to each staffer based on criteria decided by managers and HR — the cuts will be made by September 1. Remaining positions will undergo a reorganization. Those remaining must reapply for their jobs.