There were no dailies around to roll into a cluster, and we didn't see the company growing into that part of the country. When Paxton buys neighboring papers, it tries to combine operations. In a couple of cases, it has consolidated printing plants into one site and invested in a larger press. The new press provides greater flexibility, more color and better print quality. The integration generates savings that can be reinvested.
Integration faces some limits, however, especially when it comes to sharing editorial resources.
In certain circumstances, clustered newspapers may coordinate event coverage, but CNHI's Reed says this creates a slippery slope. I firmly believe in local, local, local. Editorial decisions and reporting must remain locally driven and based on the common wants and needs of the readers, he insists. If you start trying to hand-feed information to the readers, you will loose your core business. What is more, imposing synergies may not serve the best interest of the publications.