He Said What?

I've been trying to figure out how to write a post praising–yes, praising–Sam Zell's largely sensible recent remarks about what ails the newspaper business without getting into an instantaneous flamewar with the anti-Zell zealots. But then I saw that Alan Mutter had underscored Zell's highlights even better than I could. 

It's worth reading the Zell Q&A with an open mind. Yeah, his obsession about putting the temperature on the front page is fairly inane. But most of the rest of it–especially his understanding of the enormous structural changes roiling the newspaper business, of the idiotic practices of previous management, and of some of the faulty assumptions that underlie newspaper business models and the religion of journalism–are spot on. 

Sorry, folks. There are times when Zell makes a lot more sense and shows a much firmer grasp on the issues than a lot of longtime newspaper people. Yes, he's heavy handed about it, and yes, he's made severe cuts–cuts I bet he didn't expect to have to make. But more so than a lot of people in the newspaper business, he's dealing in a reality-based environment, not living in the past. 

Let the flamewars begin.

Comments

[Dave Mastio]

All his actual ideas aside, the most important thing I think he gets across is the sense of urgency. Too many people still don't act like the building is on fire.

[Merrill Brown]

Mark,

With all due respect, what has Mr. Zell said here that you or Mr. Mutter or any number of folks haven't been saying for a decade or so? Better question is what was he actually thinking when he made the acquisition. Why didn't he call Mark Potts before he did since he might have gone in with a clearer view of the challenge? The problem with newspapers is the legacy of Woodward and Bernstein?