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Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Dallas Morning News to launch new paper, kill more trees

by PegNews wire

If a tree falls on your doorstep, will you want to read it?

In a move that seems at odds with prevailing wisdom, the Dallas Morning News has decided to add yet another print edition to their lineup. Briefing will be "a free newspaper aimed at nonsubscribers who want a "quick-read" newspaper" and "will be distributed Wednesdays through Saturdays to select households that don't currently subscribe to the News."

Besides the obvious "more paper?" argument, how exactly will the DMN determine what households want to receive this paper? And will these "nonsubscribers" be able to opt out of receiving it? And why only Wednesday through Saturday? Do people not want to get the news on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Sundays?

Posted by Alex B.

Staff
Verified User
Anonymous

Mike Orren, says:

I have answers to some of Alex's questions: The households selected will be over $75k annual income, and presumably clustered for ease of delivery.

Wednesday through Saturday are the biggest days (other than Sunday) for newspaper advertising. Even in the good old days, newspapers lost money on Monday editions. There have been suggestions in recent years that metro dailies cut their Monday and even Tuesday editions.

The most interesting question to my mind is the opt-out. Phil Anschutz' Examiner papers, particularly in Baltimore, have faced major complaints about their unrequested deliveries: http://stopexaminer.spaces.live.com/

Staff

1 year, 5 months ago
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Pavel Lishin, says:

At which point does it stop being delivery and start being littering?

Verified

1 year, 5 months ago
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DC, says:

I made the mistake of reading some of the Sunday Dallas Morning Noobs last week. What a waste.

Later this week, one of their telemarketers called me to ask if I wanted to sign up. The best part was when I told him I read the Sunday edition and hated it, he asked if I wanted Sunday only delivery.

I guess if they leave this crap around my door, I can always make some paper mache hats.

Anonymous

1 year, 5 months ago
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James Scott, says:

I was thinking the same thing Pavel - even more so with phone-books. I have two sitting on my doorstep that I've refused to bring into the house. I'm not sure I'd even know how to use one anymore.

Verified

1 year, 5 months ago
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Mike Orren, says:

@James:

That's easy--

Set phone books on desk.
Set laptop on phone books so that screen is closer to eye level.
Go to Google.com
Profit!!!

Staff

1 year, 5 months ago
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Jason Rice, says:

Hey! Print media has a very important purpose!

Fry's ads.

I think they have other stuff in there, maybe - sometimes I spot a swimsuit and maybe a plate of food, but Fry's ads are their true purpose.

If Mike steals Fry's from DMN, it would truly save me walking over to my coworker's cube each Tuesday and Friday. It is all about my convenience, right Mike?

Does this new publication have Fry's ads or is it just more landfill.

Verified

1 year, 5 months ago
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Mike Orren, says:

Jason, Frys may take a while before they catch on to online ads (ironic, I know), but they do have an email version:

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="864" id="Table_01" width="576"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="4"> <a href="http://www.frys.com/template/onad/product_navigation/"><img alt="" border="0" height="113" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/banner.gif" width="576"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="104" width="576"> <tbody><tr> <td background="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/text_1.gif"><div align="center"><font color="#000000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1">We have great deals waiting for you at Frys.com Click to see our</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1"> <a href="http://frys.com/template/computerspc/" target="_blank"><b>PC Hardware</b></a><font color="#000000">,</font> <a href="http://frys.com/template/computersmac/" target="_blank"><b>Mac Hardware</b></a><font color="#000000">,</font> <a href="http://frys.com/template/software/" target="_blank"><b>Software</b></a><font color="#000000">,</font> <a href="http://frys.com/template/dvd/" target="_blank"><b>DVDs</b></a><font color="#000000">,</font> <a href="http://frys.com/template/games/" target="_blank"><b>Computer and Video Games</b></a><font color="#000000">,</font> <a href="http://frys.com/template/cameras/" target="_blank"><b>Digital Cameras</b></a><font color="#000000">,</font> <a href="http://frys.com/template/electronics/" target="_blank"><b>Audio and Video Electronics</b></a><font color="#000000">,</font> <a href="http://frys.com/template/carelectronics/"> <strong>Car Electronics</strong></a><font color="#000000">,</font> <a href="http://frys.com/template/music"><strong>Music</strong></a><font color="#000000">,</font> <a href="http://frys.com/template/books"><strong>Books</strong></a> <font color="#000000">and everything for your</font> <a href="http://www.frys.com/template/appliances/" target="_blank"><b>Home</b></a> <font color="#000000">or</font> <a href="http://www.frys.com/template/b2b/" target="_blank"><b>Office </b></a><font color="#000000">needs. Start shopping soon - these prices are good starting <b>Friday May 30,</b> through <b>Thursday June 5, 2008</b> and while supplies last.</font></font></div></td> </tr> </tbody></table></td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2"> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5552030" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="216" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5552030.gif" width="144"></a></td> <td> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5089485" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="108" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5089485.gif" width="144"></a></td> <td> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5568560" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="108" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5568560.gif" width="144"></a></td> <td rowspan="2"> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5511450" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="216" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5511450.gif" width="144"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5588040" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="108" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5588040.gif" width="144"></a></td> <td> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5520730" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="108" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5520730.gif" width="144"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5329718" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="144" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5329718.gif" width="144"></a></td> <td> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5475269" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="144" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5475269.gif" width="144"></a></td> <td> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5593360" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="144" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5593360.gif" width="144"></a></td> <td> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/4878310" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="144" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/4878310.gif" width="144"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5138796" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="144" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5138796.gif" width="144"></a></td> <td> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5541290" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="144" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5541290.gif" width="144"></a></td> <td> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5530040" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="144" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5530040.gif" width="144"></a></td> <td> <a href="http://www.frys.com/product/5612051" target="_blank"> <img alt="" border="0" height="144" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/5612051.gif" width="144"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4"> <table background="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/text_2.gif" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="103" width="576"> <tbody><tr> <td><div align="center"><font color="#666666" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1">REMOVE- If you do not wish to receive future emails at MIKEORREN@PEGASUSNEWS.COM, <a href="mailto:remove@outpost.com?Subject=Unsubscribe-000001TUlLRU9SUkVOQFBFR0FTVVNORVdTLkNPTQAA">Click Here To Unsubscribe</a> Please be aware the removal process may take 2-3 days to complete. ©2006 Fry's Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Frys.com is a trademark of Fry's Electronics, Inc. All trademarks depicted are the property of their respective holders or owners. Frys.com disclaims liability for editorial, pictorial, or typographical errors in this email. </font></div></td> </tr> </tbody></table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4"> <a href="http://www.frys.com" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="40" src="http://images.frys.com/art/email/053008/images/fryscom.gif" width="576"></a></td> </tr> </tbody></table>

Staff

1 year, 5 months ago
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Mike Bullock, says:

Is this the reason why the price went up to .75 cents?

Staff

1 year, 5 months ago
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Chad Jones, says:

I learned that newspapers have many uses:

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1 year, 5 months ago
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Jason Rice, says:

Mike,

Not as ironic as you think. Someday sneak a peek at the PCs at each desk in Fry's. Last time I looked they were 286/386s.

"The cobblers children..." and all that.

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1 year, 5 months ago
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Scott Doyle, says:

Imo, Miko needs to make a PN paper mache sign out of Briefing editions. When people ask how he feels about the future of print, he simply points.

Also, Pavel won the thread. Hearty lol @ work. =)

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1 year, 5 months ago
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Jeremy Dunck, says:

Jason, Every company does accounting, and some businesses do 5 year depreciation, even on computer hardware-- so 386 isn't old in that (backwards, wrong) sense.

386 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_sale">POS</a> is plenty if they aren't broken and if the system is green-screen to the home office-- last time I was in Fry's, they were just opening a terminal to the central office server.

Now, real money is being lost due to their terrible POS system and the training money they must be spending on their turnover-heavy staff. I guess developers are too expensive. ;-)

I suspect they <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=l&hl=en&geocode=&q=fry's&near=plano,+tx&ie=UTF8&ll=33.00659,-96.703951&spn=0.001332,0.002379&t=h&z=19">have hardware on the roof</a> for satellite connectivity.

But yeah, it was only recently that their site became slightly less than completely terrible. Maybe they see online selling as channel conflict. I mean, you can't appreciate the marble or steers from your laptop.

Staff

1 year, 5 months ago
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Scott Doyle, says:

Or, they realize <a href="http://www.newegg.com/">Newegg</a> wins.

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1 year, 5 months ago
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xdavidwattsx, says:

I'm with ScoDo. NewEgg FTW.

Anonymous

1 year, 5 months ago
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AnnMarie Wilson, says:

I realize this is a truly radical idea but maybe, just maybe if the content was actually there...

You know, REAL NEWS, real information, documented, informed, world-wide... instead of biased non-news and fluff-pieces, there might be more subscribers.

But going against common wisdom Belo has decided that we're going to get another piece of junk that wouldn't task a second-graders reading level.

Go ahead, ask me why I get all my news from online sources; because it's actual informative news.

What a concept.

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1 year, 5 months ago
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jtmbls, says:

And fun, fun, fun if you're including Pegnews!!

Anonymous

1 year, 5 months ago
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twisteddog, says:

You can have this back. Don't need it.

Editor: removed huge gob of escaped HTML, which was unreadable. It was another Fry's e-mail newsletter. Sorry, TwistedDog; only verified users can post HTML.

Anonymous

1 year, 5 months ago
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Pavel Lishin, says:

James - I always thought the Obsolete Fairy brought phone books if you left like a 5.25 inch floppy under your pillow at night, but I guess they sort of magically arrive.

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1 year, 5 months ago
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Scott Miller, says:

I love it when the Belo telemarketer calls. That's when I get to get really creative.

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1 year, 5 months ago
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Jason Rice, says:

AnnMarie - you frighten me. Content? Heresy.

Jeremy, I dig depreciation, but I even wondered when they put it in where they could have possibly purchased it. Yeah, it's easier to part support than the VT120s they're emulating, but sheesh! Wow! Glad that's not my job.

Mike, you have now officially replaced DMN. I hadn't seen Fry's newsletter in a couple of years. (It used to reek) Thanks.

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1 year, 5 months ago
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Kay, says:

AnnMarie,

YES!!!!

Several years ago I dropped 2 newspaper deliveries (one local and one state-wide) 2 "news" magazines, stopped watching all network TV news and depend soley on "online" news sites and forums.

Anonymous

1 year, 5 months ago
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Clay213, says:

Is there any way to stop that DMN trash from clogging my mailbox all the time? I've never once looked at it.

Anonymous

1 year, 5 months ago
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Chad Jones, says:

Mr. Bob Mong, DMN prez and real <a href="http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2007/mar/16/think-interviews-bob-mong-dallas-morning-news-and-/">lowtalker</a>, recently took the time to give a presentation to the Richardson City Council/Home Owner's Association about said new paper.

I am told the meeting (<a href="http://www.cor.net/CityCouncilAgendas.aspx">June 17</a>) came to a close when all parties ventured outside to watch Bob rip a tree from the earth and urinate on it.

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1 year, 5 months ago
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Alex Bentley, says:

Content partner Uncle Barky has an interesting read on the <a href="http://www.unclebarky.com/dfw_files/ff59191ee7fbbe804268b4daa585de08-810.html#unique-entry-id-810">effectiveness of <em>briefing</em>'s delivery</a>.