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Ledger Buys News Chief, Will Discontinue East Polk Section

Posted Mar 4, 2008 by Billy Townsend

Updated Mar 4, 2008 at 11:08 AM

This has been in the wind for some time. Bob Gernert of the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce hinted a few weeks ago without specifics. Props to him.

But I think The Ledger buries the lead here a bit. Shutting down the East Polk section—or simply replacing it with the News Chief—seems a big deal. Most immediately, where are The Ledger reporters and ad folks—many of whom I know well—going to go? Will they become countywide reporters, thereby enhancing The Ledger’s reporting staff. That would be good for readers, I think. Those of us who don’t get East Polk Ledger miss things from the east of the county.

On the other hand, The Ledger is now absorbing an entire publishing operation that duplicates what it was doing in east Polk. Given the economic realities that everyone in this industry faces, how likely is it that everybody at both the East Polk Ledger and the News Chief gets to stay?

This is an interesting development. If anyone out there has answers for my questions, drop me a line.