Media

Fiorina’s YouTube Vid Attacking Tom Campbell Goes Viral

Feb 05, 2010, by Danny Wool Politics, Media Comments (3)

You gotta hand it to Carly Fiorina. Love her or hate her, you can’t help watching her Internet-only ad, and that’s what campaign ads are all about—getting eyeballs. Described as everything from an SNL skit to what would happen if the kid from The Omen directed Teletubbies, it’s already gotten 375,000 hits in Youtube, and the number keeps going up and up.

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Stop the Presses?

Jan 27, 2010, by Pete Campbell Media Comments (27)

The parent company for the Mercury News is filing for bankruptcy/reorganization and the Sunday edition of the San Francisco Chronicle now costs $3 at news stands. These two pieces of information speak volumes about the current plight of the newspaper business. Isn’t it only a matter of time before they stop the presses completely and put everything up online? If this happens, will people be more or less informed?

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Former Mercury News Exec Foresees More Job Eliminations

Jan 22, 2010, by Silicon Valley Newsroom Media Comments (13)

By Lou Alexander

Lou Alexander was the advertising manager of the Mercury News for 20 years, and retired in 2003. — Editor

A couple of people have asked me for my take on the announcement that the parent company of MediaNews has reached a deal with its senior creditors to carry out a pre-packaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy as part of a financial restructuring. I doubt this bankruptcy will make much difference in the day-to-day work lives of people who work at the SJMN and other MediaNews newspapers, at least for the moment.  The company’s material says there will be no layoffs as a result of this action. And the same guys will be in charge.

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NAACP President Compares POA to Nazis

Jan 20, 2010, by Silicon Valley Newsroom Politics, Media Comments (36)

For a couple of weeks leading up to Monday’s MLK Day “Freedom Train” event, there was a story going around that San Jose/ Silicon Valley NAACP president Reverend Jethroe Moore II made some rather offensive remarks during a radio interview. The rumor was sparked by two anonymous comments on San Jose Inside and Protect San Jose, claiming that during a segment on radio station KLIV, Moore said “the MLK taking money from the POA is like the Jews taking money from the Nazis.”

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Merc Owner’s Bankruptcy Blindsides Newsroom

Jan 19, 2010, by The Fly Media Comments (9)

The news that the Mercury News would have its fourth owner in four years came as a shock to Mercury employees, though not entirely a surprise. MediaNews’ debt service issues were well known, and a first quarter restructuring was anticipated. Unlike past announcements, however, the shoe-dropping came without warning. “This thing blindsided everyone in the newsroom,” one knowledgeable insider said.  The announcement arrived, along with an FAQ, at 4:30pm Friday, as the staff was getting ready to head out for a three-day weekend.

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Singleton files bankruptcy, loses ownership control of Mercury-News to Bank of America-led group

Jan 16, 2010, by Silicon Valley Newsroom Media Comments (13)

The San Jose Mercury News’ owner will seek bankruptcy protection in a major restructuring of the company’s ownership and debt, news agencies reported Friday night. The Chapter 11 filing will slice holding company Affiliated Media’s debt from $930 million to $165 million. The negotiated transaction will cost executives Dean Singleton and Jody Lodovic ownership control.

Equity in the struggling newspaper group will be issued to 116 creditors, a group led by Bank of America Corp. Hearst Corp., which owns the San Francisco Chronicle, will see its $400 million investment in MediaNews wiped out in the proceedings, according to the Wall Street Journal, which reported that Hearst declined comment.

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