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Hernando Today

Hernando Today Changes Publication Schedule

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By TONY MARRERO

Hernando Today

Published: January 6, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - Grappling with an economy in recession and a newspaper industry in transition, Hernando Today will decrease the number of days it publishes the printed newspaper each week, the paper's publisher announced Monday.

The paper will suspend publication of the printed product on Mondays and Tuesdays, effective Monday, Jan. 19, publisher Duane Chichester said. The paper will continue to be printed Wednesday through Sunday.

The changes are a way to be "proactive" as advertising revenue continues to fall, the economy slumps and the cost of newsprint rises, Chichester said.

Beyond the economy, newspapers are being forced to change business models to adapt to an increasingly digital media landscape, he said.

"Our industry is facing more challenges than the economic downturn," he said. "We have more competition than ever before for advertising dollars and our industry Web sites are not yet producing enough revenue to replace print revenue losses."

Breaking news will continue to be posted on the paper's revamped Web site, www.hernandotoday.com, on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The move will allow the paper's editorial staff to provide an even better printed product five days a week while giving staff the ability to post more content on the Web, Hernando Today Editor Chris Wessel said.

"We're looking forward to the challenges as we move forward," Wessel said. "Our readers will find as much if not more local information available to them through Hernando Today and hernandotoday.com."

The paper has already had some staff reductions in the last year and Chichester said more reductions cannot be ruled out.

"We're going to do what we can to avoid that," Chichester said.

The paper will put more effort toward engaging a younger demographic that doesn't know a world without the Internet and will continue to meet the needs of "the lifelong, loyal newspaper readers here in Hernando County," Chichester said.

Hernando Today is a publication of Media General based in Richmond, Va. Media General owns The Tampa Tribune, The Pasco Tribune, WFLA Channel 8 in Tampa and tbo.com, among other Florida media products.

The Tampa Tribune has seen significant staff cuts in the last 18 months. The Pasco Tribune went to a five-day publication schedule last summer.

Readers with questions can call Chichester at 352-544-5204 or e-mail him at dchichester@hernandotoday.com.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

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