Out of Time for The Times

by Judy Silberstein

(December 16, 2004) The Journal News is discontinuing publication of their three local weekly editions in the Sound Shore area as of December 24, according to a short article tucked under a separate story in their business section last Friday, December 10. The Journal News is only one of over 100 newspapers owned by the Gannett Company. For Larchmont and Mamaroneck, the announcement means the end of The Times, which published articles covering the three local governments, two school districts and numerous local organizations, activities, and personalities in this area.

“The whole decision is based on our reallocating resources – people and newsprint – back into the overall newspaper,” explained John Green, the Journal News vice president of market development, who noted that only some markets were served with a weekly edition. “We want to cover the entire market,” he said. There will be more columns of local news each day, he promised, although he acknowledged that the extra inches would not necessarily be devoted to Larchmont or Mamaroneck news.

The obvious winner in this situation is Hometown Media Group, the local chain that publishes the weekly Sound and Town Report for Larchmont and Mamaroneck. Howard Sturman, their publisher, declined to comment for this article, but he is in a good position to benefit from the disappearance of his major competitor for local business and political advertising.

Jaime Garzon, who has been The Times reporter for the past year, was informed of the decision on Thursday, December 9, and was not sure where he would land. “I’ll be continuing to do what I love to do – which is to write,” he told the Gazette this week. That could be with the Gannett or perhaps with a newspaper in Connecticut. “It’s a shame, but life goes on,” he concluded philosophically.

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