I thought you alumni would be interested in new Courant Publisher Rich Graziano’s vision for the combined Hartford Courant / TV operation:
Dear Colleagues,
We are living and working in extraordinary times. Our generation has never before faced a more challenging business environment. Companies declaring bankruptcy, newspaper closings, and layoffs …This is reality and what we know as the current state of business and life.
The Opportunity…
I am writing this letter to you today to say that with great challenges come great opportunities and despite all the negativity, we have a great story to write. Together we will transform this business unit into one unified and very unique multi-platform media company. Let me outline for you our story as Connecticut’s largest media company and the role you can play in shaping it into the greatest media company on earth.
The Vision…
· One vision, one management team, one goal – to maintain and grow profitability.
· Break down silos of multimedia functions. We can no longer afford to operate our business departments with individual agendas. We will create one media company with one “super brand” like our sister property in South Florida, the Big “S.”
· Committed to the business, we will build out a $6 million state-of-the art High Definition TV studio centrally located in the cross platform news room.
· News gathering will be structured to optimize and aggregate coverage and content every day to serve all of our media outlets.
Our growth…
· Despite digital fragmentation, our combined media assets now have unrivaled reach. 91% of Hartford DMA and 79% of Connecticut DMA (see the Cross Media Sales pitch and video links for more information):
http://wtic.fox61.trb/Promotion/CTMediaNowCapabilities09.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHm7wvegM94
· Leverage our products and content to optimize results for advertisers.
· Grow cross-media revenue. Since April of 2008, our combined sales effort has generated approximately $1.7 million of new, incremental cross platform revenue.
· Continue to use this momentum to grow our business.
· Launch new brands and business models through power and reach of legacy, traditional business models.
· Look for all potential partners/local business opportunities, printing, distribution, aggregators of local content.
In order to effectively implement our vision and quest for growth, I am announcing the promotion of several key executives within our newly aligned media company. This reorganization of the management teams will help bring together both media outlets as one with a shared vision and direction. The following appointments are effective immediately.
Richard S. Feeney has been promoted to senior vice president and managing director, Hartford Courant. He will now serve as CFO for all business units – including broadcasting – and oversee New Mass. Media publications and the Hartford Courant Circulation Department. He has been the vice president and chief financial officer of the Hartford Courant since 2000. Feeney is responsible for all finance functions, including accounting, budget, planning, treasury and purchasing operations of the business. Prior to joining The Courant, Feeney worked 18 years at the Norwich (Conn.) Bulletin, serving as publisher and president from 1986 until 1990 and as the newspaper’s controller for over a decade.
Tom Anischik has been appointed senior vice president and managing director, Hartford Courant. In addition to his current duties of overseeing the Hartford Courant Operations Department, he now will oversee Television Engineering and the TV stations’ re-location project. Anischik has served The Courant for 27 years, most recently as vice president of operations and prior to that as vice president, new ventures and production. Since joining The Courant in 1982, he has served in numerous roles and has overseen a multitude of production, expansion and development projects.
Joseph Schiltz has been named as vice president of marketing and creative services for the combined business unit and now will oversee the marketing and branding strategy for the Hartford Courant properties. He will continue to manage creative services and marketing for the Hartford TV duopoly, direct the origination of local programming, and manage the broadcasting interactive assets. Schiltz joined Fox 61 and WTXX in November 2008, coming to Hartford with over 13 years of experience in media marketing and branding. While in New Orleans, he successfully lead and rebranded WDSU-TV amidst the backdrop of the Hurricane Katrina recovery. He has worked in marketing management at WESH-TV in Orlando and WPBF-TV in West Palm Beach in addition to serving as general manager of MD Small Business, a retail-advertising agency in New Orleans.
Please refer to the attached organizational chart for changes made to personnel and reporting structure for the combined business unit. [Here's that chart: hartford-market-direct-reports-as-of-mar-30-2009]
As we look ahead to our innovative emerging business model, we have boundless opportunities to successfully shape the landscape of both local and global media information. Without a doubt, we have before us an invitation to build a dynamic business culture that overcomes the challenges of changing times and competitively propels us into the future. I look forward to your contribution and invite you to help write the next chapter of our story.
Sincerely,
rich graziano
ceo, president & publisher hartford courant
senior vice president tribune broadcasting
general manager tic/txx
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How interesting that in all this coverage, notably the story that went out to the world in the paper today, there is not a word from the Courant. Nothing from the editor or the managing editor suggesting promise or resolve; nothing from the late and very much unlamented Steve (“he’s a good guy — despite everything terrible he’s done”) Carver. They could have at least paid lip service to something that went beyond: “One vision, one management team, one goal – to maintain and grow profitability.” Maybe there’s another goal, compatible with even the new TV-oriented structure, that suggests quality and professionalism and responsibility. Clearly the Courant crew will continue to pursue exactly that, but why couldn’t someone be found to say it?
This is so clearly a hostile takeover — with plenty of benefits to FOX-61 and none listed for the Courant. None.
Also, reflecting earlier discussions, the Monday story in the Courant web put the circulation at 165,000 daily and 235,000 Sunday (down sharply from 225,000 and 310,000). Any math majors who can work those numbers to come up with “read by 800,000 Connecticut residents every week in print and online”?
Notably missing from the “vision” is anything about actually doing good–nevermind great–journalism.
I hate to be cynical — being no longer a new reporter, I lack a ready excuse — but when they make you suddenly a “senior vice president” does that mean you get, ahem, a nice raise? Can’t help wondering, given the way things tend to go under Tribune.
Speaking of being “read by 800,000 Connecticut residents,” I kind of wonder whether, down the road, the Courant will modify its wording to say something like (to pull a number out of the blue) “Seen by 1 million Connecticut residents every week in print, on air and online.” I also wonder whether there will be some rebranding on the print or television sides and more prominent mention of Channel 61 in print. Certainly, a new sign will go up on the side of the building. I just hope that, in 10 years, when people drive by, they’ll still think of it as the Courant building and not the Channel 61 building.
“I kind of wonder whether, down the road, the Courant will modify its wording to say something like (to pull a number out of the blue) ‘Seen by 1 million Connecticut residents every week in print, on air and online.’”
I kind of wonder whether the Courant will modify its wording to say something like, “Seen by 100 Connecticut residents every month in print.”