On page 7 of last week’s Avenue News, there was an ad encouraging readers to sign up for a subscription to the Avenue News.
There is a plan where subscribers can take advantage of a deal and pay $52 to receive 104 weeks of issues delivered to their address instead of paying the regular price of $52 for 52 weeks.
Did I miss something? I thought the Avenue News was free? Why would anyone pay 50 cents or a $1 a week to have paper delivered when they can pick it up at store for free?
Is it possible the paper won’t be free soon? The $52 for 104 weeks offer ends on Wednesday, Oct. 1 so will could the Thursday, Oct. 2 issue will require readers to pay?
I emailed The Avenue News Orestes Baez, Regional President – AMM – Chesapeake, and too his credit, he responded to my request.
While he didn’t state how much the paper would cost or when the charge would go into effect, he did share an article about another free publication that is becoming a paid publication. Here is the press release that he shared below:
I was working at the Dundalk Eagle when the parent company of the Avenue- then Adam’s Publishing Company- purchased the Eagle over 10 years ago.
The Eagle was a rare weekly paper that was paid publication compared to other weekly community newspapers.
However; the Eagle was a paid publication before the sale so we could create a full editorial stuff of five to six writers. That meant more local coverage for the Dundalk area.
Free weekly papers have a staff of one to two writers and limited coverage.
When APG purchased the Eagle, they kept the paid subscription model, gutted the staff and later increased to weekly paper from 50 cents to $2.
Less staffers meant Eagle favorites such as Mystery Beauty, Scrap Book, District Court report, local sports coverage and many others features went away.
It’s not shocking AMM – Chesapeake is switching the Avenue News to the paid model as the Dundalk Eagle and why not?
The Avenue News had the same editor for years and put out a better product over the past few years than the Eagle, which had a high turnover in editors.
The display ad also stated that subscribers will now receive seven-day access to The Avenue News website, which is currently free with a login.
Again, I used to write for The Eagle and left on good terms, but some will think my commentary is sour grapes. Not at all. I am questioning these decisions on behalf of the community.
Will web access now provide daily coverage when there is an overnight fire or a breaking news story such as Eastcountytimes.com
or other local news sites or will their site continue to get updated more than once a week?
Hopefully the additional revenue will go back into the community and not to the Eastern Shore (AMM – Chesapeake headquarters) by hiring a reporter or two and expanding coverage.
Perhaps the Avenue News Sport Section will stop running Associated Press three-day old articles about the Orioles and Ravens and start running local articles about Kenwood football, Eastern Tech soccer and Perry Hall volleyball, etc.
Let’s hope for the best and hope this doesn’t turn out like the Dundalk Eagle where higher subscription prices result in less content.
