Aaron London’s first by-line appeared in the Flagler-Palm Coast News-Tribune atop a story in late December 2001–a familiar one: a routine Palm Coast City Council meeting turned noisy when residents objected to a zoning change that would permit apartments near Belle Terre Boulevard and Citation Parkway.
London’s by-line over news and business reports, his Spare Change columns biting off macro and micro economics, and compilations of historic clippings that were invariably redistributed by the Flagler County Historical Society’s Sisco Deen, went on to make some 6,000 appearances in 18 years. Nurturing an affecting, tobacco-hazed crankiness, London went on to become the bi-weekly, then weekly section’s editor. His latest opus was a brief recap of last week’s legislative update by Rep. Paul Rennet and Sen. Travis Hutson before a Chamber of Commerce audience at the Hilton Garden Inn.
It would prove to be his last: London was among six journalists the Gatehouse Media-owned Daytona Beach News-Journal laid off last week, part of a wave of 200 layoffs across Gatehouse properties as the newspaper industry continues to struggle with declining circulation and declining revenue. In Florida, the Lakeland Ledger was also severely hit, losing five journalists. Its newsroom is reduced to 16, ensconced in the semi-basement of what used to be the Ledger’s own three-story building, now partially leased to Publix and other companies.
Others laid-off at the News-Journal include Mark Harper, the long-time politics reporter and editor, Assistant Sports Editor Jeff Wilen, Features Editor Cindy Case, Sports Editor Scott Zucker, and Rob Ullery, a letters editor. The News-Journal’s newsroom, including the Flagler bureau, has been reduced to 34 people–including reporters, photographers, editors and columnists–down from around 200 at its peak in the early 2000s. Nevertheless, the news staff won nine first-place awards through the Florida Press Club last year and the newspaper has sought to broaden its imprint and appeal online, though it remains behind a paywall. Audit Media does not have web figures.
Weekday average circulation of the print product peaked at 108,000 just as the housing bubble was bursting in 2007. By then the Davidson family was in a losing legal battle to keep control of the newspaper. Circulation was down to 71,000 after the newspaper went into receivership then sold to Halifax Media in 2010. According to Alliance Audit Media’s first quarter 2019 report, the News-Journal had an average weekday total circulation of 37,000, and 49,000 on Sundays, including some 2,000 “digital replicas” and free copies distributed to schools, contractors and retail businesses. Paid circulation was just under 34,000 on weekdays and 46,000 on Sundays.
The News-Journal’s circulation in Flagler County in 2006 had averaged nearly 13,000 copies on weekdays. It was down to just over 6,000 copies at the end of 2017, according to the latest audit by the Alliance for Audit Media, and has declined further since. (That compares to home-delivery circulation of 30,000 on weekdays in Volusia, and 35,000 on Sundays.)
In Palm Coast, weekday home delivery was down to 2,828 homes. It was 772 in Flagler Beach, and just 241 in Bunnell, according to Audit Media.
News-Journal Editor Pat Rice did not return a call and an email Tuesday. Another editor said the News-Tribune would continue without London. The News-Journal bought the News-Tribune in 1981, merged it with the Daytona paper, and published it on Thursdays and Saturdays. It’s now published in tabloid format just on Wednesdays and distributed free to about 30,000 households in an attempt to compete with the Palm Coast Observer, also freely distributed (and published every Thursday), with about the same circulation.
Until early 2017, the Flagler Bureau counted four reporters. Jennifer Edwards-Park was not replaced after she left that January. London’s departure leaves just two reporters: Matt Bruce, who covers police and government, and Shaun Ryan, who covers education and “coastal issues,” according to the paper’s contact page. Nick Klasne, an assistant managing editor, remains in charge of the Flagler operation. The operation is based out of a storefront on Palm Coast Parkway, a couple of hundred yards west of the former Sears building, whose own surprises have been cause for much newsprint in the past few weeks.
Gatehouse Media bought the News-Journal from Halifax Media and Halifax’s three dozen other properties in 2014. Gatehouse is owned by New Media Investment Group, whose stock fell to a five-year low today, trading at $9 a share. It peaked at just over $25 a share in early 2015. In an interview with Poynter.org, New Media CEO Mike Reed called the layoffs a “small restructuring — at least that’s what I would call it — that I’m sure will be misreported. We have 11,000 employees. This involves a couple of hundred.”
Maybe so, but at the News-Journal, it represented a loss of 15 percent of the newsroom’s remaining journalists.
In a May 24 memo to company employees, obtained by Subscription Insider, Reed writes the layoffs “will give us resources to invest in doing more, not less, quality local journalism and investigative journalism.” Reed, according to the Business Insider, called the cuts “immaterial.”
London, for his part, tweeted with characteristic sarcasm the day of Reed’s memo: “As one of the ‘immaterial’ former employees of Gatehouse Media thanks to all for your kind words. I feel certain I am in Mike Reed’s thoughts and prayers.” He received numerous accolades from former sources, story subjects and friends, among them a comment from former News-Journal reporter Annie Martin, who’d also been assigned to Flagler before moving on to the Orlando Sentinel: “Reed’s comments were cruel. If he knew the people who devote so much of their lives to their newsrooms and communities, I hope he’d realize how wrong he is.”
As one the “immaterial” former employees of Gatehouse Media thanks to all for your kind words. I feel certain I am in Mike Reed’s thoughts and prayers.
— Aaron London (@invizcarnivore) May 25, 2019
Rick G says
Once again capitalism rules over finding truth. Journalist are out last resort when it comes to local information that has proved valuable to their readers. It is that information that allows us to make educated choices when it comes to voting. As a News Journal subscriber I can say they could use a few more copy readers since I find numerous mistakes in their headlines and stories that are printed. I have often read with pleasure the stories that Aaron and Mark wrote. I will surely miss them now.
Rick G says
And as I was saying…. its a total disgrace to relieve Mark Harper of his excellent reporting on Volusia County government.
Business as Usual says
The Newspaper print industry has been compressing for decades. I worked for the Elizabeth Daily Journal, oldest continuously publishing newspaper, since the 1780s.
Gone almost 40 years, and re-trained in Computer Programming…now outsourced in India. Point is, evolve or die. That is the harsh reality of business. Owners are out to make a buck. If firing employees achieves this, so be it.
Keep Flagler Beautiful says
It’s beyond disturbing that this is happening not just in our area, but all over the United States. The entire staff of the Reading Eagle in Pennsylvania is on pins and needles. If the paper doesn’t get a bailout, that will be the end of one of America’s oldest newspapers still in print. There are some very fine reporters working for that paper — for the time being, anyway. What happened to Aaron London is nothing new. Some years ago, the Philadelphia Inquirer discarded many of its most talented, longest-serving writers. Their “crime” was sticking around too long and therefore being regarded as too expensive. I read somewhere that in 5 years, most daily newspapers won’t be in business. The big ones will be owned by people with extreme personal agendas who want a platform for their very special opinions. As much as I disagree with Pierre sometimes, he is an extraordinary writer and news-digger, and he produces an outstanding newspaper. We are lucky beyond our wildest dreams that we have a paper like Flagler Live to cover our area and keep an eye on what’s going on with our government and our environment. I’m signing up right now to make a monthly payment so we don’t lose it. I urge all others who value freedom of the press to do the same.
Nancy N. says
Mr Reed needs to start marketing his magical idea for pulling productivity out of thin air and he’ll be a gazillionaire in no time! Why is he wasting his time in the dying newspaper business when he’s sitting on that gem?
Sisco Deen says
My wife Gloria and I love the printed media and support same. We have subscriptions to the New York Times, the Washington Post and on 20 Apr 2019 we renewed our annual subscription to the Daytona Beach News-Journal to the tune of $466.32 – Boy, do we feel betrayed by Gatehouse Media!
Barbara Kipnis says
Of course Gatehouse is losing subscribers! Since they took over, they instituted “special inserts” and charged $5 each for them. In January that price increased to $9. But if you subscribe with auto-pay, you won’t realize it because the amount of your monthly subscription stays the same – they just reduce the number of days in a “month” so you get charged more often. And delivery on Thanksgiving, even for those who have a “daily subscription,” is $6 extra – and that fee is not mentioned anywhere. Going on vacation? Still think you can extend your subscription by the number of days you’re not getting your paper? Non any more! You’re still charged for the papers if the vacation hold is less than 30 days, even though you don’t see the papers!
Somehow, I don’t feel sorry that their stock is at a five year low!
Shoregal says
Printed paper has been dying for years…..Flaglerlive is wonderful!! But the key is that it is online, just like everything else is going… sad to say libraries will also become extinct along with shopping malls.
Jan says
You will be missed, Mr. London.
Teri L. Pruden says
Thank you Aaron for years of fantastic Flagler County coverage. You knew the community and served us well. Here is a cheer to your next chapter!
palmcoaster says
Sorry to hear of all these journalist and employees “let go”. I really pray for them to find jobs soon.
Looks to me that the “Trumpled” economy and tax breaks for the rich are showing it results with job losses and more young parents suicides over financial distress. Meanwhile our taxes get wasted by our state and federal government representatives in lavish cabinet worldwide and golf tour trips on our hard earned tax funds.
oldtimer says
It’s good to see somebody blames the downward trend in printed papers on Trump
Keep Flagler Beautiful says
Palmcoaster, the current plight of newspapers is not something that can be blamed on Trump. The downward spiral of print media began with the concurrent rise of digital and social media some 10 to 15 years ago. People didn’t want to pay for news they felt they could get online for free, while at the same time, it costs a lot of money to produce a printed daily newspaper. Those two factors are not compatible. No one thought the horse and buggy would ever be replaced, but then along came cars. Of all the freedoms we enjoy in America, freedom of the press is the most important. Just my opinion. I hope there will be a way for journalists to continue doing what they do, because social media is not an acceptable replacement for responsible reportage by trained reporters.
Mike says
Young people do not buy newspapers or watch news on television. up to the minute everything news is on the internet. Sites now want you to pay for access to their news sites. Why? So the industry is shutting down except sunday papers with tons of ads. Quite frankly the daily chatter about politics is boring to them as well.
Bruce Van Deusen says
I too want to thank Aaron London for his diligent work and excellent reporting over the years. Always cordial, Aaron worked hard to get the facts and tell the truth, whether reporting on a simple community activity or on some earthshaking local event, I could count on Aaron’s story to find out what was going on. I wish you the best, Aaron, and hope you land on your feet quickly.
Part of the problem says
Palmcoaster, did you blame President Obama for the layoffs at the Daytona Beach news Tribune in 2015? Stop playing the blame game.
beachcat says
Agreed, Keep Flagler Beautiful! Pierre is a gifted, highly respected writer, and we should feel honored to be able to read his thoughts in this exceptional online newspaper. Please, readers, keep Flaglerlive alive. Get that monthly donation in as soon as possible!