TampaBayTimes Should be interesting to see the personnel moves in the Sports dept

[Triple B]

Dear Subscriber,

For those who care about newspapers and the vital role they play in civic life, this is an important day.

Today, the owners of the Tampa Tribune sold it to our company. This purchase puts the Times on solid financial footing and gives the Tampa Bay region an independent, locally-owned newspaper that can keep serving customers and communities for the long term.

Without this move, the continued competition between the Times and Tribune was putting both newspapers in peril. In today’s economy, you can count on one hand the number of cities that can sustain more than one daily newspaper, and the Tampa Bay region is no longer among them.

To the Tribune’s readers and advertisers, we say welcome. From today forward, we will deliver the Times to all the subscribers for both newspapers, and it will include the advertising that has been scheduled for either one.

We want to make the Times a better newspaper for all our readers, including those who have been with us right along.

In Hillsborough County, the Times will expand our local news sections and give them a new name. Starting Friday, those sections will become the Tampa Tribune, just as the comparable section in south Pinellas is now called the St. Pete Times. We raise these banners to honor the history of both newspapers and their hometowns, now part of the larger region and the newspaper that reaches throughout.

Each newspaper has built its own website, and we will keep both. We are looking for ways to improve both tampabay.com and tbo.com.

The Times launched its Tampa edition in 1987, recognizing that the region was not only growing, but that its parts were growing together. To survive, a newspaper would have to serve readers and advertisers throughout Tampa Bay.

Starting from a small base in Hillsborough County, the Times has worked to build a network of customers and friends, to become a truly local newspaper throughout the entire region. Four years ago, we even changed our name to embrace all of Tampa Bay.

It’s fair to say that we have seen this day coming for a very long time. Now that it is here, we can look toward many more days ahead. To all our readers and advertisers, no matter where you are, no matter how long you have been buying the Times, we are honored to have you with us. We call ourselves “Florida’s Best Newspaper” not to brag, but as our commitment to you.

Sincerely,

Paul Tash

Chairman & CEO
Tampa Bay Times

[Bull Matrix]

Sad news for USF as I believe the Tampa Trib was the official newspaper. There is danger here, Shiree! 

[CPR]

With the internet always at my disposal, I don't think I've ever really sat down and read a newspaper. Newspapers are the dinosaurs of the media world and it's only a matter of time before the The Times follows. I feel bad for the employees that were let go. It has to be difficult if you were working there for a long time and only have that to put on your resume.

[Sellular1]

1 hour ago, CPR said:

With the internet always at my disposal, I don't think I've ever really sat down and read a newspaper. Newspapers are the dinosaurs of the media world and it's only a matter of time before the The Times follows. I feel bad for the employees that were let go. It has to be difficult if you were working there for a long time and only have that to put on your resume.

You've never read the online version?  An article posted on the innerwebz by one of their beat writers?  

[CousinRicky]

3 hours ago, Bull Daly said:

Sad news for USF as I believe the Tampa Trib was the official newspaper. There is danger here, Shiree! 

Thought I read (online version of the TBT) this morning that the Trib was the official paper of the Bucs and that the Times would not take that spot.  So same could happen with USF???

[Mike Stuben]

11 minutes ago, Bourbon Bull said:

Thought I read (online version of the TBT) this morning that the Trib was the official paper of the Bucs and that the Times would not take that spot.  So same could happen with USF???

I am guessing either the Bucs burned the bridge with the Times or the deal was too rich to be sustainable. 

If you are the Bucs, and you want an official paper, your choice now appear to be Charmin or Angel Soft. 

[DELdaBull]

Interesting news.

[Triple B]

55 minutes ago, Mike Stuben said:

I am guessing either the Bucs burned the bridge with the Times or the deal was too rich to be sustainable. 

If you are the Bucs, and you want an official paper, your choice now appear to be Charmin or Angel Soft. 

The Times will pick up the sponsorship of the Bucs to go with their sponsorship of Lightning and Rays, per paper today. 

[BDYZR]

1 hour ago, Mike Stuben said:

I am guessing either the Bucs burned the bridge with the Times or the deal was too rich to be sustainable. 

If you are the Bucs, and you want an official paper, your choice now appear to be Charmin or Angel Soft. 

Times would be committing suicide not covering the Bucs.

[Mike Stuben]

13 minutes ago, Triple B said:

The Times will pick up the sponsorship of the Bucs to go with their sponsorship of Lightning and Rays, per paper today. 

I didn't know, just basing my comment on the one before me saying they wouldn't. 

1 minute ago, BDYZR said:

Times would be committing suicide not covering the Bucs.

BDYZR - I wasn't saying they wouldn't cover the Bucs, just not be a sponsor. Much the same way the Times covers USF while not a sponsor of USF.