MPA/MPS e-Bulletin

From NNA: Reliance upon America’s community newspapers to inform and empower citizens remains strong along Main Street America from coast to coast. In a follow-up to the National Newspaper Association’s landmark 2005 research on readership patterns for community newspapers, NNA found that readership of community newspapers increased slightly (from 81 percent in 2005 to 83 percent in 2007). This is in stark contrast to news reports purporting to chronicle the decline, if not demise, of newspapers.

• MORE: Overwhelming numbers still use newspapers for information on shopping, spending decisions.

From American Journalism Review: Last year was a momentous one for the newspaper industry. Two major companies changed hands, two others initiated spinoffs of their newspaper operations and a fifth announced that it no longer is a newspaper company. Hovering over all this was a sharp decline in the perceived value of the business.

From CNNMoney.com: Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said weakening operating trends in the US newspaper sector could continue to drive meaningful EBITDA declines in 2008 and lead to a tightening of cushions in companies’ bank covenants.