Modesto Bee shrinking... management proposal calls for cutting weekly page count by as many as 16 pages

This memo on shrinking the Modesto Bee was recently sent to Modesto Bee staff:

These are not things we want to do, but things we need to do.

In the next several weeks, we'll be:

• Consolidating and/or combining some sections.
• Reducing the number of section fronts.
• Eliminating some pages and sections altogether.
• Refocusing some sections with content that we think will be a plus for readers.
  

At one point we considered going to a two-section paper on Mondays, which would move the local news into the A section. But given all the changes in the paper, with the web reduction and the shift to Sacramento, we decided against that at this time.

The changes we're making could reduce the weekly page count by 16 pages, plus or minus depending on ad volumes and sizes. One daily page is about $280, so, for example, taking 10 pages out of the paper over the course of the week would save about $2,800 or more than $145,000 a year.

Hat tip: email, plus Gary Scott
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