KCRag Forum

McClatchy is already trying to sublease half the space that they had built out for the Wichita Eagle just three years ago. 181000 square feet in their old building down to presumably about 8100 now is a pretty crazy reduction.

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/330-N-M ... /18510963/

Video showing the space in 2017: https://www.encompas.com/the-wichita-eagle-headquarters

The company that owns the national enquirer just bought the KC Star

Hedge fund wins auction for Kansas City Star publisher McClatchy

https://www.stltoday.com/business/local ... cfcde.html

what a shame.

Might be time to drop my subscription. Not much use anyway.

So sad. I hope KCUR and the other smaller news startups can fill the void. Crazy to think how much things have fallen in just 10-15 years.

I think moving to the paywall/subscription concept was the final nail in the coffin. Instead, they should have simply copied all the highly successful free websites that rely on clicks to obtain advertisers.

DColeKC wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:27 pm I think moving to the paywall/subscription concept was the final nail in the coffin. Instead, they should have simply copied all the highly successful free websites that rely on clicks to obtain advertisers.

Didn’t they still trying doing that with sensationalized headlines and stories?

langosta wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 2:05 pm

DColeKC wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:27 pm I think moving to the paywall/subscription concept was the final nail in the coffin. Instead, they should have simply copied all the highly successful free websites that rely on clicks to obtain advertisers.

Didn’t they still trying doing that with sensationalized headlines and stories?

It seems like they got tight on the paywall here in the last year. As much as I hate the click bait headlines, it seems to be the only way local media can survive. All the local TV stations do this mixed in with relevant stories.

DColeKC wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:27 pm I think moving to the paywall/subscription concept was the final nail in the coffin. Instead, they should have simply copied all the highly successful free websites that rely on clicks to obtain advertisers.

"Highly successful" lol what?

Show me one local newspaper that is highly successful. Even the national free sites I assume you're talking about like BuzzFeed, vox, and vice you're just...wrong about.

WoodDraw wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 4:56 pm

DColeKC wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:27 pm I think moving to the paywall/subscription concept was the final nail in the coffin. Instead, they should have simply copied all the highly successful free websites that rely on clicks to obtain advertisers.

"Highly successful" lol what?

Show me one local newspaper that is highly successful. Even the national free sites I assume you're talking about like BuzzFeed, vox, and vice you're just...wrong about.

I’m talking about the myriad of websites that use a free membership or free non-membership model to maximize traffic that leads to advertisers forking over money to have a presence.

I wasn’t talking about anything local or even any specific type of website.

You’d be surprised to know what percentage of local tv and radio revenue is generated via their websites. Why do you think someone like KMBC would put out a story on their free website instead of saving it for the 10pm news?

By going the membership or paywall route, they fucked themselves because they have no unique content or unique perspective. If I see a story from the star and can’t get past the paywall, I can just go read the same damn thing for free elsewhere.

By going the membership or paywall route, they fucked themselves because they have no unique content or unique perspective. If I see a story from the star and can’t get past the paywall, I can just go read the same damn thing for free elsewhere

Agreed. Through staff reductions and lack of strategic thinking, they lost their ability to do real in-depth analysis or distinguish themselves in any way. How difficult would it have been to focus on business, arts & entertainment, sports, editorials - anything? But with the content they have now, it is rare that I can't find the information somewhere else for free.

TrolliKC wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:24 pm

By going the membership or paywall route, they fucked themselves because they have no unique content or unique perspective. If I see a story from the star and can’t get past the paywall, I can just go read the same damn thing for free elsewhere

Agreed. Through staff reductions and lack of strategic thinking, they lost their ability to do real in-depth analysis or distinguish themselves in any way. How difficult would it have been to focus on business, arts & entertainment, sports, editorials - anything? But with the content they have now, it is rare that I can't find the information somewhere else for free.

Yes, it's sad they didn't see and get ahead of the trend but most local media made the same mistake. I was briefly involved in radio 20 years ago and they at that time were already all over the website game knowing the internet was going to take a massive chunk of revenue away from on-air ad revenue.

longviewmo wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 12:58 pm McClatchy is already trying to sublease half the space that they had built out for the Wichita Eagle just three years ago. 181000 square feet in their old building down to presumably about 8100 now is a pretty crazy reduction.

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/330-N-M ... /18510963/

Video showing the space in 2017: https://www.encompas.com/the-wichita-eagle-headquarters

They’re now completely vacating that space and expecting people to work from home. Went from 100 people to less than 20 in four years. https://www.kmuw.org/post/staff-working ... fice-space

Star just doubled the price of my online subscription. I can understand a price increase but doubling the price while the quality has plummeted (at least IMO)? I've been unhappy with the Star for some time; most likely will move to City Scene or the Business Journal.

Highlander wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 6:25 pm Star just doubled the price of my online subscription. I can understand a price increase but doubling the price while the quality has plummeted (at least IMO)? I've been unhappy with the Star for some time; most likely will move to City Scene or the Business Journal.

This is their regular M.O.

Either negotiate or cancel and re-subscribe under another email for an introductory price.

I canceled mine. Sports is only thing I'm going to miss.

I canceled mine. Sports is only thing I'm going to miss.

The athletic is pretty good for sports. Missouri independent for state stuff. City scene for downtown. Kcur does some good city was stuff.

Honestly there's just not much left to subscribe to at the star

shinatoo wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 7:02 pm I canceled mine. Sports is only thing I'm going to miss.

True Blue app is free and has all the Star Royals content. Used to have an SKC app too, I believe. Of course, now someone will read this and put up the firewall.