Boston Globe Publisher Says Paper Will Still Be Alive ‘A Year From Now and Beyond’

By Ben Haber

May 8th, 2009

In a story published in today’s paper, Boston Globe publisher P. Steven Ainsley spoke with Boston Globe reporter Robert Gavin about the paper’s current financial problems and how he is prepared to weather the storm.

While Ainsley did not have any specific answers or solutions, he did hint at some changes that people should expect, including higher newspaper costs and future layoffs. Here are some of his thoughts from the story:

• The Globe will continue to reduce its workforce in the near future but does not have any specific layoffs planned.
• Ainsley says the Globe is more than just a business , and is a huge community responsibility that he takes very seriously.
• Ainsley would not comment about whether the Globe is for sale, but the New York Times has reported that the Times Company is looking to sell the paper.
• Globe employees have been asked to make considerable financial and personal sacrifices
• The Globe’s business model is shifting away from an almost complete dependence on advertising for revenues to one that will have readers pay more (the Globe will soon be announced increased subscription prices).
• The Globe is studying ways to charge readers of its online affiliate, Boston.com, but they have not determined how this might work.

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