Stephens Media’s central Arkansas newspapers, which began sharing content in the form of identical front pages last July, are ending that experiment in response to advertiser and subscriber requests.
The company’s Lonoke County papers, the Carlisle Independent and Lonoke Democrat, which used to have identical front pages below their individual nameplates, switched back to unique local content at the end of 2011, according to Publisher Byron Tate.
“Certainly, readers have appreciated something more individualized for their communities,” Tate said last week.
Three of Stephens’ Pulaski County newspapers currently have identical front pages and only slight variations to inside content. Returning to individualized content for the Jacksonville Patriot, Sherwood Voice and The Times of North Little Rock is “in the discussion stage” but should occur in 2012, Tate said.
When Outtakes reported the change last year, then-Publisher Dennis Byrd objected to calling the move a “consolidation” of the weekly papers. Byrd said instead that it was an effort to include more regional reporting for subscribers in the communities covered.
Tate, who also is publisher of Stephens’ daily Pine Bluff Commercial and weekly Hot Springs Village Voice and Van Buren County Democrat, was unsure if the reversal would require hiring staff.
More Stephens Changes
While content is being un-consolidated, some other functions are being centralized.
Emily Billings of Russellville started in January as general manager for Stephens’ central Arkansas weekly newspapers, a position that might be temporary since Billings is helping move some of the weeklies’ operations to Pine Bluff.
Currently, The Commercial shares an advertising director with the weekly newspapers, and printing and circulation work for the weeklies is done in Pine Bluff. Billings will help move other business functions, possibly to include customer service and billing, Tate said. He said he did not know if the changes would result in any staff reductions.
“We haven’t gone into this with the idea that we’re going to cut staff,” Tate said. “I think any operation looks for ways to do things better and more efficiently.”
Oakley Out
It’s been only about four months since Outtakes reported that Meredith Oakley, the longtime Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Voices page editor, had taken a job as editor of Stephens Media’s seven central Arkansas weekly newspapers.
Oakley started with Stephens in October. Tate confirmed Oakley’s resignation Jan. 30 and the simultaneous ending of her work for the company.
“That was her decision,” Tate said. “We were not displeased with her work.”
Stephens has not filled Oakley’s position. Oakley could not be reached for comment.
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