The Inquirer has been offering a variety of digital and print deals for some time now as leadership there continues to navigate a tough newspaper market in 2020.
Some of their writers and managers have been sharing links on social media this week advertising another deal, this one offering 54 weeks of unlimited digital access for only $54.
The Inquirer, as you know, is exiting another round of buyouts and layoffs with some general restructuring of business practices.
Last week it was revealed that their content will start appearing on Facebook, a $500,000 deal that’s part of Mark Zuckerberg’s revamped approach to news. And earlier this year, in August, the Inquirer was offering a limited time six dollar deal that got you six months of digital access.
There’s a new deal now available for all of y’all:
As the Girardi era begins for the #Phillies, it’s a great time to sign up for all the Inquirer sports coverage, investigative journalism and much more. Get 2 months for $2 at https://t.co/RstHOuo564
— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) October 28, 2019
Lauber’s link appears to be broken, so I went over there to check out the subscriptions and see what was available. This is what came up when I clicked the “unlimited access” button on the top right of the website:
There’s a lot of fake news out there these days. You won’t find any on Crossing Broad, which takes journalism seriously, but a good amount false crapola appears on Facebook.
So Mark Zuckerberg is fixing that by partnering with real news outlets to provide…. real news on his platform.
Here’s something you don’t see every day.
Over at Philly Magazine, Victor Fiorillo walks us through the farewell festivities for Inquirer/Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky, who took a buyout after 47 years writing about anything and everything.
During the gathering, a bunch of people got up to serenade Bykofsky and wish him well in the future, blah blah, that sort of stuff. Then this happened, according to Fiorillo:
It was all in good fun. Well, that is until Pulitzer-winning Inquirer architecture critic Inga Saffron was summoned to speak.
…
Saffron brought up the friendship between Bykofsky and a longtime Philly publishing world character by the name of Ted Beitchman, who has a rather checkered history that includes procuring topless dancers for a party while he held a senior position in Ed Rendell’s mayoral administration and a conviction for tax evasion.
Just as one newspaper editor walked over and whispered something to (columnist Jenice) Armstrong, Saffron invoked The Great Stu Bykofsky Thai Prostitution Controversy of 2011. Or, as Saffron put it, “his infamous column about his taste for child prostitutes in Thailand.”
“This is a total fucking lie,” Bykofsky retorted, his arms crossed, as Armstrong’s concern over the mess became more obvious
Well shit! That escalated quickly.
Here’s the video of that particular exchange, full credit to Philly Mag, after the jump:
The Crossing Broad news desk is receiving bits and pieces of information regarding the buyouts taking place at the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News.
Sources tell us that Flyers writer Sam Donnellon is taking a buyout, along with longtime columnist John Smallwood and Pennsylvania high school writer Rick O’Brien.
Additionally, sports editors Deborah Woodall and Oscar Miller are leaving the company, along with Philadelphia Eagles beat writer Zach Berman, who will cover the Birds for a different outlet this season. Longtime Metro columnist Stu Bykofsky, as we mentioned this morning, was offered a spot on the sports desk but decided to take a buyout instead.
The Inquirer/Daily News is going through another round of restructuring and looking to trim its staff by 30 employees, offering voluntary separation before layoffs begin.
Friday news coming to us via Jeff Blumenthal at the Philadelphia Business Journal, who reports that Inquirer/Daily News/Philly.com bosses might be shifting to layoffs after not receiving the requisite buyout agreements from employees.
Writes Jeff:
NewsGuild President Diane Mastrull, a longtime business reporter and editor, said, as of Thursday, 16 members had accepted the package. That is well short of the 30 she said management claimed was needed to avoid implementing layoffs. Mastrull said the deadline for accepting the buyouts is Friday, but she does not think there will be 30 takers.
In a show of solidarity, Guild members delivered a petition to Vice President of our People and Culture Lauren Kauffman — Publisher Terry Egger was out of the office — signed by 255 of about 330 members to demand no layoffs.
….
“The possibility of layoffs remains,” Inquirer management said. “However, whether that step is necessary and how many might be affected won’t be known until the voluntary separation program is completed next week.”
Jeff went on to share a couple tweets confirming that sports editor Deborah Woodell and news reporter Jan Hefler would be accepting buyouts.
There hasn’t been much movement when it comes to the latest round of buyouts and possible layoffs taking place at the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News, and Philly.com.
The latest update was that Philly.com would be re-branding as Inquirer.com, a move that seems strange to me, since Philly.com is one of the most recognizable brands and URLs in this region. Could foreshadow some kind of Daily News split, but I don’t know. It was also revealed that the “Philadelphia Media Network,” which owns the Inky/Daily News/Philly.com, will now be known as “Philadelphia Inquirer, PBC,” which stands for “public benefit corporation.”
Call it whatever; ownership is looking to cut “30 union jobs in the newsroom and other departments, plus an unspecified number of nonunion jobs,” as cited on… Philly.com. Buyouts will be offered to 140 employees, which includes 117 NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia members.
Apparently that’s no bueno with the guild, who posted this on their website as they circulate a petition, after the jump:
Stunner on a Thursday afternoon!
Philly.com is going the way of the Dodo bird, making way for…. Inquirer.com?
Yes that’s apparently what is happening here, as first spotted by Sean Brace at Philly Influencer:
As noticed by @Sean_Brace , https://t.co/GaVD7hAEgf is apparently no more, which is the most insane thing I’ve ever heard: pic.twitter.com/xYZblHM5CS
— Kyle Scott (@CrossingBroad) May 30, 2019
Here’s the explanation, after the jump:
21+ Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler
Crossing Broad is owned and operated by CB Sports LLC
