Deadline Looms For McKeesport Daily News
MCKEESPORT (KDKA) -- Every day at noon the bells toll at the McKeesport Daily News offices, and now, those bells may be symbolic.
The newspaper covering everything that's happened in McKeesport and surrounding towns long before John F. Kennedy's visit there as president in 1962, and everything since in news, sports, features and opinion could close its doors at year's end.
Trib Total Media, which originally put nine newspaper properties up for sale earlier this year, is still negotiating for buyers for the Daily News and the Valley Independent in Monessen.
Few in McKeesport want to see the Daily News go.
"I don't think they should shut it down because it has all of McKeesport's news in it, and I think we need it," said Rose Tierno, who works not far away from the newspaper.
"Well, I hope someone would buy it so we can get the local news, telling you what happens within the City of McKeesport," said Curtis Brown of McKeesport.
Given readership and ad revenue though, particularly among small town papers, finding a buyer may not be easy.
"Newspapers are really struggling," says Duquesne University marketing expert Dr. Audrey Guskey. "It's not just here in Pittsburgh, but it's across the country, and when you've got ad revenue decreasing because advertisers are taking their money elsewhere, it's really a big issue. And, you know, the Trib is the second biggest paper in the Pittsburgh area, so it's very successful, but they're just trying, is my understanding, to cut costs and eliminate some additional papers, so that way they can be more streamlined."
"It's a shame to see it go," said Jennifer Stercula. What does she hope happens?
"A miracle," she said.
At this point if there is no buyer in place by December 31st, the Daily News will cease operations.
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