Behind the Curtain at the CA

Pesky Fly as a peek into the publishing side of the Commercial Appeal under new publisher Joseph Pepe. Interesting stuff, and a pointer to an interview with Pepe in the print edition.

Flyguy argues that the early moves into community "editions" at the daily will accelerate under Pepe, since that's what he specialised at in his former gig in St. Louis. There's a financial logic, as Fly explains, but frankly it pisses me off to see the region's "paper of record" turned into a lot of Daily Shopper's Guides. I want to know what's going on all around me, not just within arm's each.

But, of course, it's not what the readers want -- or need -- but what sells profitable advertising. News? That's secondary at best, and I am beginning to be convinced that at the "new" CA it's tertiary. (That means third, for you Frayserites.)