Hartford Business Journal

14 Hartford Business Journal • April 20, 2020 • www.HartfordBusiness.com By Matt Pilon and Greg Bordonaro mpilon@hartfordbusiness.com; gbordonaro@ hartfordbusiness.com J ust weeks ago, some national experts were pre- dicting the economic crisis set off by the coronavirus pandemic would be the death knell of the local news media industry, particularly newspapers, which have been struggling finan- cially for more than a decade. While there have been notable media layoffs and cost cutting around the country, including in Connecticut in recent weeks, COVID-19 doesn't ap- pear to be a definitive nail in the coffin for the industry, at least not yet. That's largely because many publishers and broadcasters, just like thousands of other Connecticut employers across myriad industries, are hoping to soon receive federal stimulus loans that will cover their employee payrolls into the summer. Among them are the regional par- ent of the Hartford Business Journal, as well as the Connecticut Mirror, New London Day, and Connecituct Public. Without those low-interest, forgiv- able loans, some organizations would be forced to drastically cut staff or other costs, executives say. Mean- time, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal has called for further federal stimu- lus funding to help the struggling local media industry. For now, Connecticut news organi- zations, while working almost exclu- sively from home to avoid contract- ing or spreading the virus, remain mostly intact as they report fever- ishly on a pandemic that has brought much of the economy to a halt and affected every aspect of daily life. The situation is surreal for many industries, particularly the news business. The pandemic is dominat- ing news coverage, requiring report- ers and editors who don't typically cover health care and hospitals to get quickly acquainted with the beat. Some outlets, such as the Hartford Courant, have repurposed their sports desks to cover the crisis, since sporting events, from high school to professional, are all on hold. Others are launching new products or shows to get readers and viewers information they seem to be craving. "It's a bizarre time," said Elizabeth Hamilton, executive editor of the Connecticut Mirror, a nonprofit news operation that covers state policy and politics. "Normally we would be all hands on deck at the state Capitol covering wall-to-wall policy issues out of the legislature." Now her reporters are all at home, working their sources by phone, email or videoconference, to cover state gov- ernment's response to the crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has created "a firehose of news, all the time," Hamilton added. Seeking to serve their missions to inform readers, some print and on- line publications have removed their content paywalls either entirely or at least for coronavirus stories, including HBJ, the Courant, Hearst Connecticut, The Day and the Mer- iden Record-Journal. Area news executives say web traffic, viewership and listener- ship have spiked significantly since people began staying and working in their homes. For some, additional print subscriptions or reader dona- tions are bringing in sorely needed money in an uncertain time. That inflow could help offset at least a portion of the significant drop in advertising and events rev- enue caused by COVID-19. Global publishers surveyed by the International News Media Association have estimated they will suffer a nearly 25% drop in ad revenue this year, while ad revenue for U.S. newspapers has already fallen nearly 25%, INMA said. "You don't want to lose that other revenue unless you really have to," said Timothy Dwyer, publisher of The Day in New London, which has seen circulation and single-copy sales increase during the pandemic. The approximately 200-employee company has not furloughed any workers, despite seeing advertising revenue fall. "We're thinking long term and day-to-day, and a lot is hinging on the [federal stimulus] loan," said Dwyer. Dwyer, who has an accomplished career in journalism and has seen the industry consolidate and shift over the past few decades, tries to keep the current crisis in perspective. "It's a challenging time, but it's been challenging for 20 years in media," he said. A time to innovate News media companies are also trying to be innovative during the crisis, forging news partnerships with competitors and launching new audience and advertiser offerings. On-air TV and radio talent are broadcasting live from their homes using technology that probably wouldn't have been available just five years ago, news executives say. For example, WNPR's Lucy Nal- pathanchil, who hosts "Where We Live," and Colin McEnroe, are both broad- casting live out of their homes, while the radio station's parent company — Connecticut Public — has launched a new TV program called "Connecticut Conversations: Coronavirus." WFSB Channel 3, which says it has seen its viewership climb as much as 80% during certain newscasts, never has more than 15 of its 135 employees in its 60,000-square-foot TV studio in Rocky Hill, and some of its newscast- ers, including meteorologists, are broadcasting live in their living rooms, said the station's Vice President and General Manager Dana Neves. The station also launched a special 7 p.m. news broadcast that's seen surprisingly strong ratings. "It's almost like you can't give [view- ers] enough information and I think part of that is because the situation is changing so rapidly," Neves said. Despite the significant spike in viewership, advertising revenue is down, in some cases as much as 35% in certain revenue categories, Neves said. Some advertisers are canceling campaigns or pushing them off until later in the year, while others are changing their messaging to adapt to the new environment. "All the money is not there," she said, adding that the station has not made any cuts yet to staff. "This will be difficult. When the dust settles, I don't know where we will end up. I think everybody in some way has had to look at their budget and make tough decisions." Others have launched COVID-19 email newsletters (WNPR), webinars (HBJ), or special features such as the Courant's Neighbors Helping Neigh- bors column, which tells the stories of good samaritans assisting those in need during the crisis. "We're trying to not just tell people what horrible, grim developments there have been," said Rebecca Lurye, a Hartford Courant reporter who also chairs the newspaper's union. "We want to highlight the things that make the community special." Viral Shedding As local news media covers coronavirus 24/7, industry's financial health is ailing The Day of New London's newsroom sits empty as most reporters and editors work from home. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED

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