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To Journal Readers: A message from our publisher
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Published: September 23, 2008
It has been a long five months for the Winston-Salem Journal and our readers as we complete upgrades to our large, 72-page, high-speed presses. Upgrades to the electronic press controls and the addition of a digital-inking system began in May. Unfortunately, some of the planned $3.5 million in upgrades have recently caused late press times and deliveries, for which we apologize.
The project is needed to improve color-inking quality and reduce newsprint waste. Under the old press systems, the Journal had start-up newsprint waste of more than 3,500 copies. We hope that the upgrades will reduce this to fewer than 1,000 copies. We consider this to be good both environmentally and financially, because newsprint costs are expected to increase more than 40 percent by year's end.
The early part of the upgrade was the easiest, but the recent part has been the most complicated. Recently, we have had a number of late press starts and interrupted press runs caused by electrical controls not working properly. These delays are very upsetting to our carriers, who are trying to provide consistent, on-time delivery. Readers have suffered through intermittent late deliveries to their homes or late availability at newspaper racks and stores.
Even though the changes are not finished, an end is in sight. Our contractor, ABB of Switzerland, says it expects completion by mid-October. Until then, our readers may be affected, with some sports scores and late-breaking stories missed as we move up our nightly deadlines to help cover the temporary, longer press runs. Again, this is a very short-term situation, and we hope that our readers understand the long hours our circulation and production crews are enduring and the effort they are putting forth to complete this upgrade with minimal disruption.
When the project is completed, you can expect normal, on-time delivery of your newspaper.
I think it is evident that the Journal is making investments to improve quality and reduce resource consumption. We look forward to serving our readers and users through a better quality newspaper and on Journalnow.com, our up-to-the minute Web site. Thank you for your patience.
-- Michael J. Miller, publisher
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