CJ's "expanded" Scene: Less is more?

Help us out, guys, because if I can get a list of sources to replace the pitiful C-J I'll cancel the subscription this week.
Thanks to anyone who can offer constructive advice.

Well Lonnie, I see that you live in the Knobs. I'm not sure if they deliver out there, but the New Albany "Tribune" is a great publication...Now that they have"merged" with the Clark County "Evening News" their coverage of the goings on in Southern Indiana is un-parelled. The C-J Indiana section barely reports any ground breaking developments and the coverage of Indiana high school sports is downright pathetic (for you KY residents niot in the know, they run a seperate Indiana section for sports and replace the Metro with an Indiana section)

Lots of style over substance in the new Scene. Perhaps these makeovers are what Gannett "corporate" is doing in other cities as well. Maybe as a result of media consultants and/or focus groups?

The old joke that a giraffe is a horse designed by a committee may also apply to the new Scene design.

The C-J will probably have to eventually put all of it's content online in a much better format.
If the New York Times can do it (and lose millions in subscription revenue but make it up with ad revenue to a much larger audience) then Gannett must be aware of that and watching this development closely.


(Click on "Today's Paper" at the following New York Times link to read the user friendly online edition of the print newspaper.)
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A Note to our New York Times Readers
We have ended TimesSelect subscription service effective September 19, 2007. All of our Op-Ed and news columns are now available free of charge. Additionally, The New York Times Archive is available free back to 1987.

http://www.nytimes.com/marketing/ts/

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Firms Abandon Online Subscription Plans

All Things Considered from NPR, Wednesday September 19, 2007

The New York Times has cancelled its online subscription service "Times Select." Rupert Murdoch says The Wall Street Journal may follow suit. And a music download service now allows users to get music for free after they watch an ad. The message many companies are learning? People expect the Web to be free.

Listen to this story... by Laura Sydell (03:36)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14537587

It seems that they're making it more magazine-like to appeal to a different, younger audience. There was definitely more white space, but I felt like the old Scene always seemed a bit cluttered. This will appeal to the US Weekly and People magazine readers out there. Of which there are tens of millions. Guess that's the mindset behind the switch.

I dropped the C-J for home delivery over 4 years, and haven't missed a thing. I only buy it on Sunday's now; and then only for the coupons !!!!!

Dropped it 'cause the idjit newspaper deliveryperson never could get it delivered to me BEFORE I went to work. And then when I got home, it invariably would be missing sections, or be missing-in-action altogether. And naturally the "complaint department" would be closed for complaints by the time I got home. "Catch-22" anyone ?

As they are still on-line, I'm not really missing anything of local importance either.

It appears to me that Gannet, which owns both the C-J and USA-Today, is trying to make the C-J into the localized-version of "USA-Today". Just more pablum to throw up !!!!!

Thanks to Robin and all who replied. It turns out my wife was underwhelmed by the notion of cutting the cord so I suppose I'll keep on getting it in the interests of marital bliss. But I'll take your suggestions anyway for alternative suppliments.
I don't lack sympathy for the devotion to occupational calling and ability of many of the (remaining) staff, either. But I started reading the C-J somewhat in the '60s and moreso, of course, as a teen and young adult in the '70s when they were a first class newspaper. The decline of both quality and quantity of content over the past decade has been very steep and is no longer good value for the money. It's sad there's not a true direct competitor in a comprehensive sense in this market.

I've always been surprised myself that with a city the size of Louisville we only have one daily.
Robin please, if you have any pull over there at the LEO, and I would think that with all your years in publishing they would listen to you, PLEASE ask them to meet this community need. Abandon the fashion shows and the satellite publications of which the city already has dozens of, and put the money into another reporter/writer. LEO has some great talent there already. Just build on it. Isn't it obvious after this thread that the area is hungry for some substantial news and reporting? We need a newspaper not a gossip/fashion/home decor rag. Please continue the LEO as it was originally intended when it was first published and stop watering it down to pap for mass consumption.
OK, I'm off my soapbox now.

I hate the C-J.

Of course, most of my complaints have to do with our delivery person, I think, not the C-J itself. I just hate getting up and having a soggy paper, and the fact that it always looks like it was just thrown into the plastic, not to mention, we're always missing pieces of it.

I really, really hate when they call us and offer us a "free" subscription for however long. We actually cancelled our subscription months ago, but they just keep on sending it.

We actually cancelled our subscription months ago, but they just keep on sending it.

I cancelled our subscription this past Sunday. No paper on Monday or Tuesday. This morning I have received, neatly bagged, the Oldham County Neighborhood section with the comics page. JUST the comics page taken out of the Features section.

This could get pretty interesting. Maybe tomorrow it will be a page of stock quotes with a single recipe cut out with pinking shears.

Haha! I'd like to say I'd be shocked, but I wouldn't.