I’m not sure if I have the chronological order correct but I recall first the sports department being decimated. But I continued to subscribe because I liked you, Jeff Miers and Adam Zyglis. Then in some order you left and Jeff left. Also the only comics I read were dropped. And the print size and type font became silly (obit photos are stretched vertically to an absurd shape). We still subscribe (now digitally) for Adam, the crossword and jumble. And the My View when my wife or a friend writes it. Such a sad state of affairs.
A few yrs ago I commented online that Galarneau's reviews made me hunger for every dish in the place. He's right about Lee not caring but I think its worse than that. I think its vulture capitalism, ie Lee wants the BN to go broke, then sell off its assets. It's doing everything it can to kill the paper. Allowing Russian trolls to dominate the comment sections is troublesome, combined with no editorial criticism of Trump in 2 yrs or more make me believe that Lee is all-in with Trump/Putin partnership.
Your writing impresses. Astounding. Whatever stars led you in the direction of the food forum, the decision to focus on food news and reviews, it was a brilliant decision, a fortuitous "yes". Although your work is obviously absent in print in Gusto, your shine glistens still. Just how you polish up your fork nowadays still impresses those of us in the food biz. I hope you never disappear like yesterdays print edition.
The excuse of giving people the day off on the 4th is ridiculous. Everyone working on the newspaper for the 5th was working on the 4th, or there would not be a newspaper this morning. Most working on the newspaper for the 4th already did their job on the 3rd and delivery guys were done by 8 am on the 4th. So this is a bad lie by people who do not know the newspaper business.
What's really going on is digital. I was fired from the NY Daily News along with my boss, the managing editor, her boss, the EIC, and 100 other writers, when Tribune took back over. For the first time in the newspaper's history they went to a syndicated horoscope, which was the same one run by HuffPo with whom I had a noncompete in my News contract. So now HuffPo and its "competitor" the Daily News use the same syndicated horoscope. So absurd. The purpose of the horoscope is to get you to follow THAT writer in THAT publication.
We cancelled our subscription not too long after you left. We were seeing less and less local news and more NYT reprints. And they kept charging us more and more. After I cancelled, it took nearly 3 months and 4 phone calls to get the refund we were owed. It makes me very sad.
Cost was another factor. The online edition is only about 20 bucks a month that I’m willing to pay for a substandard newspaper. It’s tragic to type those words.
Well, it does not help that they don't make themselves relevant to the people. Here in Kingston, the Daily Freeman declared themselves "not the local newspaper" after being taken over by some conglomerate. They only know pretty well how to act like it.
This Substack is a good example of what purpose a newspaper can serve. So it happens here in a decentralized way. Andrew does not need the kind of infrastructure around him that a newspaper provides (he only needs the reach); most writers do. They need an editor. If you look at most Substacks, it's clear that the writer not only does not have an editor; 99% of them writing here never did.
This is part of the anarchy that digital has been propagating for a generation (my first online publication started in 1996). But it's worse because the chaos is really mental and it comes down to whether anything is true or the concept of truth exists. With food and sports (unlike with politics), reality is the bottom line. You either like the food or not; and everyone saw the game. The press cannot change the score arbitrarily.
Terrible- I finally switched to the digital paper when the print paper was no longer covering Buffalo Bills games the morning after the game. What was the point if I had to go on the digital paper to read about the game the night before. The paper now is a flimsy shell of itself. Short of one or two, there’s no personality left in the paper and nothing that I’m that curious to read yet. I still do because I feel it’s good to be informed. I’ve been in Buffalo for 40 years and I remember what the paper was like back in the 80s in the 90s and into the new century. Thanks for sharing this column
Thanks, Andrew, for detailing the deplorable situation with Lee Enterprises’ ownership and denigration of The Buffalo News. I am particularly saddened and angered as a former reporter at The News from 1969-87, which in retrospect were golden years. More than 20 reporters and editors were hired the year I started. The future of The News looked bright when we moved to One News Plaza. No one could have predicted the demise of The News when Warren Buffet purchased the operation, and Courier-Express went under. I salute and support the current hardworking journalists, photographers and other dedicated employees who each day turn out excellent local content for The News’ readers and carry on the important work of those who preceded them. The News would be dead already if was not for the leadership of The Buffalo Newspaper Guild. The union is currently in negotiations with Lee for a new contract. Keep informed by following the Buffalo Newspaper Guild’s Facebook page.
I have been a Buffalo News subscriber for 30 years plus. I am now retired, and agree with all the aforementioned comments regarding the “fall of the Buffalo News “. I am a foodie, so Andrew’s departure was very significant for me. My favorite reporters are gone. Yesterday was a joke. I am not a digital person and could not get in to read the paper. There was no phone access….everyone off for the holiday! I did not have a log in number, so no access. I called at 7:00am this morning and voiced all my complaints. It was a waste of my time. I was told the next step is three (3) days a week printing…..no Sunday. The paper is almost done…….
I absolutely believe you were told the future is three days print. But I do wonder why they’re getting out the information this way, instead of just stepping up to the mic and telling customers the way it is?
It’s so sad. Local news is so important. I’m outraged they were only paying you $50 for a review. That’s insane. I cancelled my subscription, I can’t deal with the format change of the online page.
Fuck the buffalo news and the rest of the corporate media. Substack is a better place for readers and writers in nearly every way. If anyone is nostalgic for a print newspaper I would recommend subscribing to County Highway: America’s only newspaper.
BTW The Spectrum at UB ended their print edition; 22-23 was the last year. I talked to the outgoing EIC and he said that it was very expensive and the students were not picking it up. To me that was understandable enough. Students are now all digital natives. I get the feeling that most 21st century people do not know what to do with a newspaper. But I still do...that's how old I am!
I just cancelled my 30+ year subscription to the News. I have been reading local newspapers since I was 8 and this makes me feel like I jumped out of an airplane without a parachute. I agree with your assessment that Lee is using it for scrap. I spent an entire month calling and writing them about my carrier, who has decided we must park our cars to her liking and move our motion detector light, and who has taken to throwing the newspaper in the general direction of our back driveway instead of placing it in the newspaper box mounted on my house. They assured me each time that a manager would contact me. I also contacted them about the two extra monthly payments they took out of my bank account, for which I received a gibberish explanation, and was promised contact by a manager. No one has ever contacted me. Since I don't normally pay for abuse, I cancelled my subscription and disputed the extra payments they took out with my bank. Now that I know where you are, I will bookmark this site. And I will leave my flag at half mast for the demise of the Buffalo News.
So so sad. Criminal actually. It will die. And I will go from reading multiple newspapers a day(growing up with all the NYC papers!) to nothing a day. Hurts my heart and soul. And I feel for all of you let go, and the stalwarts left behind.
And you can't even cancel online. They make you call with huge wait times then bully you into keeping it (you're paid up for 4 more weeks...) The cost is outrageous now and the paper is thin and lackluster.
All of the above for me. The breaking point came when the paper started printing pieces from 45s enablers and excuse makers. This shall not pass.
I’m not sure if I have the chronological order correct but I recall first the sports department being decimated. But I continued to subscribe because I liked you, Jeff Miers and Adam Zyglis. Then in some order you left and Jeff left. Also the only comics I read were dropped. And the print size and type font became silly (obit photos are stretched vertically to an absurd shape). We still subscribe (now digitally) for Adam, the crossword and jumble. And the My View when my wife or a friend writes it. Such a sad state of affairs.
It really is very sad. To think of what the paper used to be. I know times change, but Warren Buffett kept it going
A few yrs ago I commented online that Galarneau's reviews made me hunger for every dish in the place. He's right about Lee not caring but I think its worse than that. I think its vulture capitalism, ie Lee wants the BN to go broke, then sell off its assets. It's doing everything it can to kill the paper. Allowing Russian trolls to dominate the comment sections is troublesome, combined with no editorial criticism of Trump in 2 yrs or more make me believe that Lee is all-in with Trump/Putin partnership.
Your writing impresses. Astounding. Whatever stars led you in the direction of the food forum, the decision to focus on food news and reviews, it was a brilliant decision, a fortuitous "yes". Although your work is obviously absent in print in Gusto, your shine glistens still. Just how you polish up your fork nowadays still impresses those of us in the food biz. I hope you never disappear like yesterdays print edition.
I love you too, Madame <3
The excuse of giving people the day off on the 4th is ridiculous. Everyone working on the newspaper for the 5th was working on the 4th, or there would not be a newspaper this morning. Most working on the newspaper for the 4th already did their job on the 3rd and delivery guys were done by 8 am on the 4th. So this is a bad lie by people who do not know the newspaper business.
What's really going on is digital. I was fired from the NY Daily News along with my boss, the managing editor, her boss, the EIC, and 100 other writers, when Tribune took back over. For the first time in the newspaper's history they went to a syndicated horoscope, which was the same one run by HuffPo with whom I had a noncompete in my News contract. So now HuffPo and its "competitor" the Daily News use the same syndicated horoscope. So absurd. The purpose of the horoscope is to get you to follow THAT writer in THAT publication.
First it's a couple of holidays that are online only, then the weekends, and before we know it, there's no more print edition.
That’s coming I am sure
We cancelled our subscription not too long after you left. We were seeing less and less local news and more NYT reprints. And they kept charging us more and more. After I cancelled, it took nearly 3 months and 4 phone calls to get the refund we were owed. It makes me very sad.
Cost was another factor. The online edition is only about 20 bucks a month that I’m willing to pay for a substandard newspaper. It’s tragic to type those words.
I get a daily email titled "Let's bring you back for $1.00 for 6 mon"
That's a high fee for a digital subscription.
I guess it just felt like an enormous bargain because of the cost of the print copies!
Well, it does not help that they don't make themselves relevant to the people. Here in Kingston, the Daily Freeman declared themselves "not the local newspaper" after being taken over by some conglomerate. They only know pretty well how to act like it.
This Substack is a good example of what purpose a newspaper can serve. So it happens here in a decentralized way. Andrew does not need the kind of infrastructure around him that a newspaper provides (he only needs the reach); most writers do. They need an editor. If you look at most Substacks, it's clear that the writer not only does not have an editor; 99% of them writing here never did.
This is part of the anarchy that digital has been propagating for a generation (my first online publication started in 1996). But it's worse because the chaos is really mental and it comes down to whether anything is true or the concept of truth exists. With food and sports (unlike with politics), reality is the bottom line. You either like the food or not; and everyone saw the game. The press cannot change the score arbitrarily.
Terrible- I finally switched to the digital paper when the print paper was no longer covering Buffalo Bills games the morning after the game. What was the point if I had to go on the digital paper to read about the game the night before. The paper now is a flimsy shell of itself. Short of one or two, there’s no personality left in the paper and nothing that I’m that curious to read yet. I still do because I feel it’s good to be informed. I’ve been in Buffalo for 40 years and I remember what the paper was like back in the 80s in the 90s and into the new century. Thanks for sharing this column
Thanks, Andrew, for detailing the deplorable situation with Lee Enterprises’ ownership and denigration of The Buffalo News. I am particularly saddened and angered as a former reporter at The News from 1969-87, which in retrospect were golden years. More than 20 reporters and editors were hired the year I started. The future of The News looked bright when we moved to One News Plaza. No one could have predicted the demise of The News when Warren Buffet purchased the operation, and Courier-Express went under. I salute and support the current hardworking journalists, photographers and other dedicated employees who each day turn out excellent local content for The News’ readers and carry on the important work of those who preceded them. The News would be dead already if was not for the leadership of The Buffalo Newspaper Guild. The union is currently in negotiations with Lee for a new contract. Keep informed by following the Buffalo Newspaper Guild’s Facebook page.
Arthur is right, as usual. Please follow and support the Buffalo News Guild, starting with its Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/buffaloguild?mibextid=LQQJ4d
I have been a Buffalo News subscriber for 30 years plus. I am now retired, and agree with all the aforementioned comments regarding the “fall of the Buffalo News “. I am a foodie, so Andrew’s departure was very significant for me. My favorite reporters are gone. Yesterday was a joke. I am not a digital person and could not get in to read the paper. There was no phone access….everyone off for the holiday! I did not have a log in number, so no access. I called at 7:00am this morning and voiced all my complaints. It was a waste of my time. I was told the next step is three (3) days a week printing…..no Sunday. The paper is almost done…….
I absolutely believe you were told the future is three days print. But I do wonder why they’re getting out the information this way, instead of just stepping up to the mic and telling customers the way it is?
It’s so sad. Local news is so important. I’m outraged they were only paying you $50 for a review. That’s insane. I cancelled my subscription, I can’t deal with the format change of the online page.
Fuck the buffalo news and the rest of the corporate media. Substack is a better place for readers and writers in nearly every way. If anyone is nostalgic for a print newspaper I would recommend subscribing to County Highway: America’s only newspaper.
https://countyhighway.com/
BTW The Spectrum at UB ended their print edition; 22-23 was the last year. I talked to the outgoing EIC and he said that it was very expensive and the students were not picking it up. To me that was understandable enough. Students are now all digital natives. I get the feeling that most 21st century people do not know what to do with a newspaper. But I still do...that's how old I am!
So do I
I just cancelled my 30+ year subscription to the News. I have been reading local newspapers since I was 8 and this makes me feel like I jumped out of an airplane without a parachute. I agree with your assessment that Lee is using it for scrap. I spent an entire month calling and writing them about my carrier, who has decided we must park our cars to her liking and move our motion detector light, and who has taken to throwing the newspaper in the general direction of our back driveway instead of placing it in the newspaper box mounted on my house. They assured me each time that a manager would contact me. I also contacted them about the two extra monthly payments they took out of my bank account, for which I received a gibberish explanation, and was promised contact by a manager. No one has ever contacted me. Since I don't normally pay for abuse, I cancelled my subscription and disputed the extra payments they took out with my bank. Now that I know where you are, I will bookmark this site. And I will leave my flag at half mast for the demise of the Buffalo News.
So so sad. Criminal actually. It will die. And I will go from reading multiple newspapers a day(growing up with all the NYC papers!) to nothing a day. Hurts my heart and soul. And I feel for all of you let go, and the stalwarts left behind.
And you can't even cancel online. They make you call with huge wait times then bully you into keeping it (you're paid up for 4 more weeks...) The cost is outrageous now and the paper is thin and lackluster.