Comments on: Virginian-Pilot kills Link tab, lays off 15 from newsroom

By: Douglas E. Jessmer

Douglas E. Jessmer — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:04:15 +0000

When we started what became Trib PM in Pittsburgh, I remember thinking about whether that afternoon tab would cannibalize readers of our morning paper (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review). I don’t think it has, but there has been some idea transfer back and forth, and some freedom in the tab that the broadsheet didn’t then have.

If nothing else, these commuter tabs should help sharpen the broadsheets that sponsor(ed) them. Here’s hoping that happens at the Pilot and in Salt Lake City.

By: Josh Awtry

Josh Awtry — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:23:12 +0000

Putney,

I know that overcoming the perception that Link “failed” is difficult. We had to close up our Buzz, our free commuter daily, a couple of months ago, and had to see some good journalists go with it. Aside from wishing farewell to those let go, the hardest part can be overcoming the sense that the product didn’t work. In the case of Buzz, it outperformed every readership metric we imposed on it.

Hang in there, and send our best to folks at the Pilot — both those departing and still there.

By: Kyle Ellis

Kyle Ellis — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:31:35 +0000

As a student journalist that will soon be entering the workforce it breaks my heart to see “Link” go. For God’s sake, if they don’t see the value in keeping something so innovative alive it only continues to scare me for the future of newspapers.

By: Mike Higdon

Mike Higdon — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:24:23 +0000

WTF.

This proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we have a Phoenix to build.