The Commercial Dispatch in Columbus was surprised to learn yesterday that it was changing format from a daily newspaper to a weekly "advertiser" format. Except that it wasn't true. Turns out The Clarion-Ledger was mailing subscribers in the town, spreading false information to try to increase its own subscriptions in the area.

"We found out when some of our subscribers here in Columbus started calling us frantically, saying, 'Are y'all really changing to a weekly shopper format?'" Peter Imes, operations manager for The Commercial Dispatch, said today.

The first part of the July 17 letter states: "I was sorry to hear your local newspaper in Columbus has changed its format to that of a weekly advertiser. I know how important it is to receive your daily news and I know it is a valued part of many people's morning. We would like the opportunity to service that need."

"We were scratching our heads," he continued, "and asked a couple of our subscribers to drop one by if they were in the area. We got just a flood of these letters. We immediately tried to contact The Clarion-Ledger. For several hours, we couldn't get a call back or e-mails returned."

Sharon Heckler, circulations operations manager for the Ledger, sent the letter, Imes said.

"She eventually called me back and offered to send a correction letter that supposedly was mailed out yesterday," he said, adding, "We received a (draft) copy of that letter in which they apologized for the mistake and then make another attempt to sell subscriptions."

Imes said that Heckler cited a single person in Starkville as the source of her information. In early June, The Dispatch launched a daily in Starkville—the next town over—called The Starkville Dispatch. Heckler told Imes that she was under the impression that the Dispatch was no longer doing a daily in Starkville, prompting her to send the letter.

"What got us scratching our head is that ... we haven't heard from anybody in Starkville who received this letter," Imes said. "Only people in Columbus have let us know that they've received this initial letter."

Imes said they haven't seen any direct negative concerns, but pointed out that the incident has the potential for deepening the problems all newspapers are experiencing.

"Our main concern is that this adds to this air of uncertainty around all newspapers," he said.

"I feel like we need to be helping each other out and reassuring people. This makes The Clarion-Ledger look as bad as anybody—worse than anybody," he added. "It's just not true what they said in the letter."

Imes said The Dispatch is waiting to see the Ledger's response before taking further action, taking on "good faith" that the paper will do the right thing with their response and let their readers know that The Commercial Dispatch and The Starkville Dispatch newspapers are still coming out on a daily basis.

Read the letters here.

Previous Comments

ID

149972

Comment

The Clarion Liar rides again!

Author

Ironghost

Date

2009-07-23T12:44:34-06:00

ID

149973

Comment

How pathetic! They're really getting desperate.

Author

kudzuking

Date

2009-07-23T12:49:27-06:00

ID

149988

Comment

Have they no shame?

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-07-23T15:23:53-06:00

ID

149990

Comment

Remember when they tried to take over our distribution spots, and that of other local publications, by handing out a list of "accepted publications" to potential spots -- making them believe we had agreed to PAY the damned Ledger to take up our racks and boxes and put us in their decrepit green multi-boxes. No, I'm not bitter at those schmoes. Of course, the Mississippi Independent Publishers Alliance (MIPA) beat 'em at their own game! http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/goliath.php Or, just Google TDN and Gannett and see what pops up.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-07-23T15:33:18-06:00

ID

149991

Comment

You'd think they would have published a big apology on the front page of their Web site by now after putting out such a thing to Columbus residents. But, no.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-07-23T15:34:53-06:00

ID

150075

Comment

Editor & Publisher, the respected trade magazine of newspapers, picked up this story yesterday. Note they mentioned the Jackson Free Press. It is so true that the Ledger's Goliath tactics just aren't working anymore. It is a different century. It is also remarkably tacky that in the correction/apology letter (PDF above in story) that the Ledger still tried to sell them subscriptions. Do they have *no* class??? Also, bear in mind that the Ledger laid off its circulation director a couple weeks ago. So perhaps that department is a rudderless ship? Is that why I haven't seen any new Litter-Ledgers in driveways around Fondren in the last couple weeks? Or have they finally decided to stop littering all our driveways with free papers we all don't want? Bearing in mind, of course, that the JFP is not welcome in the dinosaur-era Mississippi Press Association because we distribute for free, even as as competitors in the jackson area (Ledger, Northside) are distributing free publications. They'll take our money to be "assocate members" alongside PR agencies, but ironically won't allow us to compete for awards alongside their, uh, "real" newspapers. How scared can you be? A newspaper should never be afraid.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-07-25T07:49:24-06:00

ID

150085

Comment

Is that why I haven't seen any new Litter-Ledgers in driveways around Fondren in the last couple weeks? Or have they finally decided to stop littering all our driveways with free papers we all don't want? Come to think of it, you're right. I don't recall seeing the Litter-Ledgers in my yard either as of late. It's all just one big society page anyway. Imagine what they could do by directing resources away from those Litter-Ledgers (they publish the Madison and Rankin Ledger as well) to doing something of real substance. Of course, the key words are "imagine" and "could".

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-07-25T23:22:40-06:00