The Plain Dealer Guild addresses a critical moment

The Newspaper Guild Local 1 of Cleveland ran this ad in Sunday's Plain Dealer in a plea for public support against a possible major cutback in the paper's publication frequency. There have been rumors  on the staff that significant changes are on the way - a reduction to a three-day-a-week arrival on your doorstep: Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.  With such warnings as this ad, you know that the situation  has reached the critical stage.

As one whose byline appeared in the PD during the 1990s,  I have witnessed the decline in newspapers in Cleveland, Akron and cities around the country.  Can't say I'm overjoyed by the print media's retreat at the hands of new communications media. . But it does hurt.

As the ad pointedly addresses the question:  "We're not afraid of change.  But we're afraid of disappearing." The staff has already been advised that unspecified changes are on the way in January. Many have already occurred. Since the 1990s, the PD has cut its staff in half from 350 to 175.

The paper is owned by Advance Publications,which has already turned to thrice-weekly publication in New Orleans and several other papers.  For whatever good it might do, the Guild calls upon readers to  contact Advance CEO Steven Newhouse at  718-981-1234, stevejj@aol.com, or
Advance Publications,  950 Fingerboard Rd., Staten Island, NY10305.  Or go to Facebook  to sign a SaveThePlainDealer Petition.

Today's post is the least I can do for an institution that once provided me with grocery money and a lot of other things when newspapering was fun.