Newsdesigner.com | You Make the Hypothetical Call!

You Make the Hypothetical Call!

1:04 PM, March 6, 2006

So let's say, hypothetically, that Newspaper X were to launch a free, youth-targeted tabloid. And let's say that on the same day, cross-town rival Newspaper Y were, hypothetically, to devote 86.2 percent of its available Page One news space, more than any other major American broadsheet, to say, hypothetically, the Academy Awards. Would that be a coincidence? I mean, hypothetically?

Comments

Heads up: After you hit "post" things may be slow and you may get an error. Most likely, your comment did post. Apologies. I'm looking for a fix.

People in Tampa must love their Oscar coverage.
/naïveté

Posted by: Christopher Harrop at March 6, 2006 2:49 PM

It's heartbreaking to watch newspapers slowly die like this...

Posted by: ChrisM70 at March 6, 2006 3:44 PM

Strategically sound, I will give it that, but more importantly, one of the two isn't an absolute eyesore...

Hmm...

Posted by: Paul at March 6, 2006 3:53 PM

Damn, Mark, you beat me to it. Guess I'll just have to link to you (again). sigh.

as for the regular conversation, not a fan of tbt's design, and while trib was pretty to look at, what sort of substance did it proved. I mean, the AT&T/Southen Bell item was at the bottom of the rail in favor of--hold on to your hats--Coldplay and a crossword puzzle?

Kinda makes you think about that one.

Posted by: nicole` at March 6, 2006 9:41 PM

that shoud be PROVIDE sted proved.

Posted by: nicole at March 6, 2006 9:42 PM

newspaper Y should launch a hypothetical copy cat tab who's ONLY purpose is to hypotheically piss off newspaper X and hypothetically confuse the market. haha. i'm just kidding. =)

Posted by: martin at March 7, 2006 9:44 AM

Oh, Martin, that would NEVER happen!

Posted by: Mark at March 7, 2006 10:54 AM

Did the "and The Tampa Times" part get tacked on recently, or is that something that's been around a while? If so, talk about confusing the market.

Posted by: Ernie Smith at March 7, 2006 5:22 PM

The "and The Tampa Times" has been there for at least a couple of years. I doubt many readers even notice it, or remember that there was a Tampa Times.

Posted by: Jonathan Kleinow at March 7, 2006 5:39 PM

The "Tampa Times" logo was there when I lived in the area in the late '80s/early '90s. I believe it's been there since the Times closed in '82. I suspect one of the reasons it's kept there is to keep a pretty firm legal hold on that trademark.

Posted by: Mark at March 7, 2006 8:04 PM

This is really pathetic. But the suggestion here that they start up a tab to compete is not at all out of bounds (not that it was that successful in Chicago, with the "Reds".) LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Posted by: Stephen A. at March 8, 2006 7:59 AM

This is terrible. This is exactly what's wrong with the corporate newspaper of today. First of all, if I cared enough about the Oscars to warrant this much coverage -- I'd just watch the Oscars, making this newspaper worthless from a news standpoint. If I don't care about the Oscars, but want news, I'm still getting Coldplay, NFL and X-words? What's the deal?

Posted by: MV at March 8, 2006 3:55 PM

The refreshing part of this story is about competition between two papers, which is obviously lacking in American cities these days. Competition is a healthy thing in any business. It keeps you smart, prevents lazy coverage and it's fun. Like either one or not, viewing these pages is like window shopping on the real story that's going on in St. Pete and Tampa. Go St. Pete!

Posted by: Sue Morrow at March 16, 2006 10:10 PM

Sue is right. Competition is healthy in any business. Readers benefit as these Bay area newspapers go head to head every day. Go Tampa!

Posted by: Shane Blatt at March 17, 2006 9:22 AM

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