Well, this coming Monday marks an historic day in South Florida journalism: It will be the first day that the Sun-Sentinel will be printing and distributing one of its rivals, the Palm Beach Post. And one of the first undesirable effects of the change will be felt by Post staffers themselves.
To "streamline" operations and cut costs, staffers and departments will no longer be delivered their own copy of the newspaper. Instead, there will be stacks placed by the elevator. In an email sent to staff yesterday, the newspaper's general manager, Chuck Gerardi, encouraged them to take a discounted subscription.
"Coinciding with this plan, we will also be reducing the total number of copies made available throughout the building," the newspaper's general manager, Chuck Gerardi, wrote in the email. "If you are not currently a home-delivery subscriber of The Palm Beach Post, we encourage you to consider this option now. As an employee, you are entitled to a 50% discount off the base price."
Staffers, I hear, have a message back: Thanks for nothing.
See the full email after the jump.
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November 25, 2008
Dear Colleagues,
Beginning next Monday, December 1, we will be changing the way we distribute newspaper copies to employees at work. This change is being timed to coincide with the first day's printing of our newspaper at the Sun-Sentinel.
Because the newspaper copies will no longer be originating from this facility, we are putting steps in place to streamline, and reduce the expense associated with, the sorting and distribution of office copies. We will no longer distribute newspapers to each individual department or to individual recipients. Beginning Monday, your office copy of the newspaper will be located in the racks on each floor near the elevator.
On some days, the newspaper will be in a complete package; and on other days the parts (mains and advances) will be stacked separately in each rack. We recognize that this is a minor inconvenience for all, and we thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Coinciding with this plan, we will also be reducing the total number of copies made available throughout the building. If you are not currently a home-delivery subscriber of The Palm Beach Post, we encourage you to consider this option now. As an employee, you are entitled to a 50% discount off the base price.
Additionally, we will now make electronic replica copies of the newspaper, e-Post, available to all employees. If electronic distribution of your office copy would work for you, please go to www.palmbeachpost.com/epost to start your in-house subscription today (the password is the letter 'p', followed by your 5-digit employee number).
Thank you.
- Chuck Gerardi
