Digital First Media Workers

Heath Freeman’s view from the 34th floor

The brash young executive behind the thousand cuts at your local newspaper By Julie Reynolds “What do all these people do?” Heath Bradford Freeman, the 37-year-old New York hedge fund president behind the unprecedented downsizing at Digital First Media newspapers… Continue Reading →

2017/11/16 0

The Pulitzer

Pursuing great journalism in the hedge fund era By Thomas Peele I was back to work that second Monday in April after a week off, aware of the day and tense about it, almost queasy. After we’d won first the… Continue Reading →

2017/11/10 1

THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN, Part 2

The rise (and myth) of Alden Global Read Part 1 here. By Julie Reynolds While Randall Smith and his close relatives were investing in Western U.S. real estate, hotels and oil fields, Smith was also busy expanding his offshore empire…. Continue Reading →

2017/11/08 0

THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN, Part 1

Randy Smith and the destruction of the American newspaper Read Part 2 here. Part 1 The Birth of an Empire By Julie Reynolds Randall D. Smith is many things, but he’s not a man who’s ever showed an interest in… Continue Reading →

2017/11/01 0

From newspapers to big coal: Alden’s questionable investments continue

By Julie Reynolds Alden Global Capital, the hedge fund behind the wholesale pillaging of one of America’s largest newspaper chains, specializes in troubled industries. At times, investing in businesses on the brink has been a losing bet for Alden, such… Continue Reading →

2017/10/25 0

Mixing business and pleasure: newspaper asset sales mingled with home buying spree

By Julie Reynolds When billionaire Randall Smith bought a $3.6 million mansion at 341 Hibiscus Avenue in Palm Beach County, the ownership papers traced back to a prestigious address in midtown Manhattan: Suite 1940 at 885 Third Avenue, better known… Continue Reading →

2017/10/16 4

2017/09/20 0

How newspapers — and communities — pay for bad hedge fund bets

Inside the Alden–Fred’s pharmacy $100 million debacle By Julie Reynolds In the book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, author Michael Lewis asks: “What are the odds that people will make smart decisions about money if they don’t… Continue Reading →

2017/08/24 0

I am ashamed: Veteran reporter slams a major news chain’s failure to cover Charlottesville

Editor’s note: The following is an open letter to Digital First Media’s Philadelphia-area publisher Edward Condra from Evan Brandt, an award-winning reporter from the Pottstown (Pennsylvania) Mercury. It has been slightly shortened from the original version. ——————– From: Evan Brandt Date:… Continue Reading →

2017/08/15 2

DFM papers hit with (yes, more) layoffs

Last-minute layoffs target long-time workers, hit newsrooms hard OAKLAND — More news workers have been laid off at Digital First Media newspapers as the company approaches its new fiscal year on July 1. The layoffs appear to be targeting long-time… Continue Reading →

2017/06/30 1

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