January 2017
Dear Affiliate:
Like many newspapers across the country, circulation at the Daily News is dwindling, dropping to around 300,000 today, down from 800,000 15 years ago. The decline is a concern for not only the 450 union members and eight unions at the newspaper represented by the Allied Printing Trades Council, but also for the entire labor movement.
The Allied Printing Trades Council asked the New York State AFL-CIO to meet with Daily News management to discuss if and how the labor movement could work with the newspaper to help protect good union jobs at the newspaper while also increasing circulation.
As a result of those discussions, the Daily News is implementing a plan to attract greater union member readership. First, the Daily News is offering union members and their families a deep discount for one full-year of home delivery in hopes of increasing circulation. The discounted subscription price is $1.99 per week, a significant savings from the current price of $7.50 per week.
Next and most significant, the Daily News has committed to increasing its labor coverage by establishing a labor reporting desk with a labor beat reporter, something they have not had in nearly two decades. They will also include regular content on a labor-focused webpage. For the first time in many years, we will have an opportunity to receive coverage of the issues and initiatives many of our unions put forth every day on behalf of their members.
Last, the Daily News has pledged to work closely with the New York State AFL-CIO to place more Op-Eds by our affiliated unions.
This should not be seen as an endorsement of the paper but an opportunity for us to promote the good work of the labor movement, while also offering a discount to our members interested in subscribing to the Daily News. Just as important, we will be supporting our 450 brothers and sisters of the Allied Printing Trades Council.
Our executive board voted unanimously at our December 16, 2016 meeting to work together to inform our members and affiliates of the discounted subscription offer.
The State Federation will be sending out a flyer to all of our affiliates and activists and will post the information to our website and on social media.
State Federation Communications Director Darcy Wells will be reaching out to your union to discuss the best ways to make members aware of the discounted subscription and to discuss labor story ideas and Op-Eds. Darcy can be reached at (518) 436-8516 x240.
In Unity,
Mario Cilento
President
