Gentrifying Northwest Portland and the Pearl District now have two monthly newspapers covering their environs.
The Northwest Examiner is the incumbent. Now in its 19th year, it does not shrink from stories that impact its coverage area - hookers on Burnside, parking garage controversies on NW 23rd, and this month, an exploration of reputedly harmful effects of a weed-killing herbicide applied on the grounds of Washington Park's Hoyt Arboretum.
A few months ago, an old mainstay as well as a talented new find disappeared from The Examiner's masthead. Longtime ad manager Mike Ryerson's departure was, as I recall, announced in a terse "has left the publication." Rosie Key, a feature writer specializing in stories about people who had just moved here, also disappeared from view.
But only temporarily. Key has resurfaced as editor and publisher of The NW Paper, and Ryerson is listed in the masthead as (literally) The Ad Guy.
I've been in newspapers for 30 years, have written for journalism trades, and was a Northwest Portland resident up 'til very recently. So even although I don't know the players personally, I feel qualified to comment.
It seems to me that NW Paper is differentiating themselves from the NW Examiner in a couple of ways. The new entry seems to be that much more feature oriented, as well as more geographically limited to close-in NW Portland and The Pearl. I don't forsee them doing any pieces about Linnton, like the NW Examiner does.
There is a feature-y tone in the new pub from front to back cover that is only occasionally found in the Examiner. Kind of like a genuine interest in what makes people tick. I'd say this tone is not inconsistent with the types of people portrayals that Rosie Key showed she was capable of when she was at the Examiner. She sounds like an interesting person - arriving here on a whim less than a year ago without knowing anyone.. exploring her new city, making friends, then hooking up with the Examiner and telling stories with her skillful and unique voice. She is as good or better a feature writer than most Oregonian staffers.
The parallel, then, would be that the Examiner reminds me of a monthly newspaper, and the Paper reminds me of a monthly magazine.
Yet back to the title of this post. Over the course of my career, I have been up close and personal with many local as well as national newspaper launches. I have seen - sometimes first-hand - the effects of what happens when a new newspaper appears in an established publication's geographical or topical turf. Many if not most advertisers take a wait-and-see attitude before they commit to buying ads in the new paper as well as the older one.
I've even been in situations where a successful salesperson jumps frm the older newspaper to the newer. It's my assessment while that can provide a visibility boost, it is not a guarantee that many advertisers the salesperson secured when h/she was at the older paper will automatically come over. Sure, there may be enough chits or favors called for those advertisers to try the new waters - but will they come back for a second helping?
Listen, as one who puts consonants and vowels together, and who has been in the newspaper wars myself, I really hope that both the Northwest Examiner and the NW Paper succeed. It may be a matter of whether the new paper has access to enough capital to get them over the "I'd love to advertise, but check back with us next month" responses they surely must be getting.
So here's to you, The NW Paper- may you live long and prosper. And to you, Northwest Examiner, may you continue to prosper.
Posted by Russ at May 13, 2005 11:52 AM
