I shot this photo five months ago, processing it with a dark theme and noting at the time that the Vancouver-based Columbian newspaper was laying off staff as a cost-containment measure. Perhaps someone can explain why the newspaper built a brand-new 30 million dollar office building in the midst of a slowing economy and drastic industry cutbacks. That building is now being vacated, with the Columbian announcing today that it is moving all operations back to its previous offices and that it will (probably) seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
My family canceled our dead-tree newspaper subscription a few years ago, instead gathering our news via online media sources. Local newspapers haven’t yet figured out how to monetize online news in a profitable fashion. I would pay for quality local online news. I think we were paying $12 per month when I canceled the paper subscription; I would pay that much if the online version were accurate and useful. Instead, many of my experiences with the Columbian’s online presence involve broken (404) links from their RSS feeds, walled gardens to participation, and a lack of any Columbian personnel anywhere in the Portland blog or online media scenes (and it’s not for a lack of awareness; I’ve extended personal invitations to Columbian personnel that have been met with silence).
It’s not that the Columbian is filled with bad reporters. When the SWAT team shot and killed a man in my neighborhood less than 24 hours ago, the Columbian was the first with an article about the situation, and it was accurate. Other media caught up, somewhat (the KGW article still has the location/neighborhood of the shooting wrong (by several miles) confusing Hazel Dell and Sifton would be like using the term Parkrose to describe St. Johns.
Unfortunately the bright spots within the Columbian’s reporting department are overshadowed by a lack of a sustainable financial model that is used to selling classified advertising in a paper. I don’t have a magic bullet of a solution, and the Columbian isn’t the only one in this boat (Oregonian buyouts, anyone?) but here’s my one little tip or bit of advice to the Columbian as a former subscriber: get into the local social media arena. Even though I’m not a huge fan of the Oregonian and/or Oregon Live, at least they’re visible amongst the local new media scene.
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I should know this, but who owns The Columbian? (Parent company, that is…)
I believe the Columbian is locally owned by the Columbian Publishing Company (no parent company), although I could be wrong and can’t find any material quickly to either support or refute this.
Scott Campbell is the third-generation publisher of the Columbian. There is no parent company, as Aaron mentioned, but Campbell’s company probably has minority investors.
Aaron, you were a visionary! Thankfully The Columbian is starting to put it’s toe into the social media arena. Thanks for your input at bar camp pdx.
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