N.Y. braces for press war

Press, 8 November 1978, Page 9

N.Y. braces for press war

NZPA-Reuter New York New York’s morning newspapers, absent through the election of two Popes and the Camp David summit, were back on Monday, and long lines of news-star-ved New Yorkers snapped up copies of the unusually thick editions. Within hours of settling an 88-day strike, the “Daily News” produced a record'breaking 192-page issue and the “New York Times” offered a fat 96-page return edition. Because of later-than-nor-mal press starts, neither paper printed as many copies as usual, and both were virtual sell-outs at news-stands. The “Times” printed 700,000 copies, some 200,000 short of its normal press run, a spokesman for the paper said. The tabloid “Daily News”, printed 850,000 copies, nearly one million fewer than normal, and a spokesman said mechanical problems, combined with late press starts, caused the low figure. One report said it was i estimated that newspapers I lost revenues of ' at least |SUSISOM, which will not be recovered. And the stoppage may have cost unions SUS6OM in lost wages. The papers returned to face competition from the afternoon “New York Post,”

published by the Australian ! entrepreneur, Rupert Mur--1 doch. The “Post” settled i with its unions and resumed > publication last month, earn- ■ ing the bitter enmity of the > “Times” and “Daily 7 News” ■ publishers, who in the early I days of the strike had (presented a united front (with Mr Murdoch. ! I The question of how many I ■’ I former “Times” and “Daily I ■(News” readers will return to! II their old papers, and how! ’'many will remain faithful to Uthe “Post,” remains to be: !answered, as observers pre-! • diet the fiercest New York! " newspaper war in years. Mr Murdoch, known as( 1 the “Dirty Digger” in Fleet! • Street wheri he publishes’ . the “Sun,” also plans to l publish a new morning ’ daily, the “New York Sun,”! ’ to compete with the “Daily ! News” and the “Times.” , Union problems have delayed the debut of the- " “Sun,” which Mr Murdoch' 1 had hoped would appear be--1 fore the return on its com- ; petition, but the publisher 5 s'till insists the paper will be I : on the stands soon. 5 The main issue which ’ sparked the strike was the ,' publishers’ attempt to reduce j the number of printers and {.compositors as a result of ’ automation. The publishers: j and unions finally agreed to ;!reduce manning schedules in; ’ return for job guarantees.