What's gonna happen?

Want to know what will become of the Beacon Journal?

Nobody knows for certain so here is my assessment.

There are four possible bidders:

Yucaipa Cos: Neither Ron Burkle nor the Newspaper Guild which enlisted his aid is apt to be interested in purchashing just one newspaper. and it is doubtful the six orphans still to be sold will be purchased as a group. Only three, the BJ, Duluth News Tribune and Grand Forks Herald are Guild papers.

HM Capital Partners, a private equity firm, quite possibly could win the bid which would only continue the angst until it re-sold the newspaper. Retiree health benefits would no doubt be lost.

Black Press Ltd.of Canada has a lot of small dailies and if it is successful in purchasing the BJ just might be the best possible deal for Beacon employees.

Advance Publications could be the worst case scenario if it is the winner. Here is why I believe that: My hometown county with a population around 80,000 once had three small dailies and now has only one. Based on my knowledge of what happened there, my dire prediction if Advance is successful is that there would be no newspaper in Akron.

Independent newspaper anyalist John Morton, quoted in a story by Gloria Irwin on today’s business front, said that with the PD and BJ within 30 miles of each other, “I’m sure they would probably take advantage of any economic efficiencies, particularly administrative staff.”

I could guarantee it. Also, the PD just built a fancy new printing plant and both newspapers could be printed there. And, eventually, it would seem best to have one newspaper cover the entire area. The BJ would close completely will full asssurance of continued coverage–something like a studio B at Summit Mall which one Cleveland TV station promotes. Eventually, though, news from Akron would not be real essential.

I’ve seen it happen.

Click here to read Irwin’s story.