By Sharon Hill

Earlier today, we posted the announcement of the creation of Digital First Media, Inc., a company that combines MediaNews Group and Journal Register under one umbrella, headed by John Paton, current Journal Register CEO. Here’s an update.

Big and smart news from the world of community newspapers, as Digital First Media, Inc, to be run by Journal Register’s John Paton, is announced.

From Paton’s blog post about the new company: 

” Digital dimes can replace Print dollars… Digital revenues can pay for newspaper newsrooms.  In Q2 of this year, 10 of JRC’s 18 dailies are up year over year in advertising or within 2 percent of last year’s ad revenues because of digital advertising growth. JRC newspaper digital revenue grew more than 81 percent year over year in Q2. That’s against an industry average of less than 10%….

“And if our dailies continue on the trend they are on right now, by the end of the year they will have brought in more digital revenue than the costs of running their newsrooms.”

John Paton addressed Denver Post employees today. Here, as a wma file, is the audio of his presentation, with introduction by Dean Singleton, outgoing MediaNews Group CEO.  (Be patient, as the first few minutes is crowd noise waiting for the address to start.)  This file is courtesy of Ivan Lajara, life editor of Journal Register’s Daily Freeman in Kingston NY. He posted this on Twitter as @ivanlajara.

“Your sites are outrageously good,” he told the MediaNews Group folks. If you want to judge us by our websites please don’t. At least not yet.”

“AOL here we come, because Patch ain’t going to work,” Paton told the Denver Post employee audience.

Here’s the news release:  Continue reading →