At the Wisconsin State Journal in Madison, Bill Wineke, the books editor and a columnist, recalls a time in the early 1970s–he’s been there since ’63–when he wrote a column that was distributed to about 15 Lee papers.
After a number of weeks, the State Journal decided to syndicate the column and asked the papers to pay 50 cents each, for postage. Every one of them dropped it.
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Ron Seely, science and environment reporter at the Wisconsin State Journal, said in late April that his paper was leaving two key jobs unfilled: a regional reporter position and an assistant city editor job. “That makes it harder on our already small staff,” he said. “That’s frustrating.”
Jason Shephard take a look at the local daily newspaper business in the June 2, 2005 Isthmus – available now. Shephard mentions Lee’s 20% profit margins along with a few local reporter’s comments.