Since I first wrote in June about our printing operation moving to Concord, staff members have been asked numerous questions. Those questions have included:
Are you losing your job? Are you moving to Concord? Is the entire operation moving to Concord? Has the Valley News been sold?
I hope that all of these questions have been previously answered, but I learned long ago not to make assumptions. As reported on these pages on Sunday, we are moving our printing to a refurbished, offset printing facility in Penacook, N.H., a section of Concord. The press operation will be a joint venture with our sister newspaper, the Concord Monitor.
This is a sad but exciting time. It is distressing to lose jobs in our community, but it is invigorating to see what our staff is doing to implement these changes in the best way possible. The hard work and collaboration is energizing.
I want to summarize what the changes mean to you, the reader, when you pick up your copy of the Valley News on Friday morning, the first edition printed on the new press:
The width of the printed paper will be reduced to 11.75 inches. This is the same size as The New York Times and The Boston Globe, and is now the industry standard.
The paper will feature a new design, meant to make articles easier to read.
The newsroom’s deadline will be earlier, and the delivery deadline to home delivery subscribers will be 6:30 a.m. weekdays and 7:30 a.m. weekends. Due to our earlier deadlines, we will no longer run lottery numbers.
In summary, new size, new design, same newspaper — the same quality journalism you count on and deserve in your local newspaper.
So the answers to the often heard questions above are:
Yes, about 30 people are losing their jobs; six staff members accepted transfers. Only the printing is moving to Concord. The Valley News has not been sold, nor is it being marketed for sale.
The Valley News will continue to be the Upper Valley’s main source for news and advertising in print and online. I invite and welcome your feedback as you process these changes. I can be reached at dmcclory@vnews.com or 603-727-3203.
On behalf of everyone associated with the Valley News, I thank you for your support.
Dan McClory
Publisher, Valley News