N-C anniversary special: Ups and downs at the News-Chronicle By Tom Brooker News-Chronicle editor Last year, this annual report to our readers was laced with optimism. The News-Chronicle seemed to be working itself out of the difficulties of 2001, a year when heavy financial losses prompted the layoff of eight people. That cutback was followed by a reorganization affecting almost every one of our company's publications. By the time the dust seftled, the daily paper had new people in the positions of managing editor (Tim Harty), features editor (Brenda Erickson), news editor (Sarah Riley) and sports editor (Scott Tiftrington). Patti Zarling was just settlng into her job as editor of the De Pere Journal, and Warren Bluhm was getting used to his editor's role in Sturgeon Bay. We had solidified an expanded graphic arts department designed to work hand-in-hand with our ad reps. We hired Doreen Schuh as a receptionist, Tim Froberg as a sports reporter and Monique Balas as a news reporter. We added the Christian Science Monitor syndicated news service to those of the Associated Press, the Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and the New York Times. (Without question, we now have the most diverse - and prestigious - assemblage of journalists of any newspaper our size in the country.) Not only had we stemmed our financial losses, we actually came out stronger. A year ago, I wrote about that in great detail. Well ... The ink was barely dry on that column when the full force of the localized recession hit us squarely in the puss. Advertisers scaled back, a lot of subscribers fell by the wayside, and our costs started to increase. At Brown County Publishing Co., the effects of the economic slowdown were widespread and deep. Virtually all our operating units were affected. Commercial printing was extremely hard hit, and profits from most of our other weekly newspapers also dropped. In short, the last quarter of our fiscal year - January through March - was one of the toughest we ever experienced. At the daily, we quickly started bailing water. Several key positions that had become vacant - our sales manager, our circulation manager, our graphics supervisor, our Rave writer - were left vacant. In August, it became apparent that even this was not enough. We laid off more people, several in editorial, two in sales and the bulk in our circulation department. We dropped house-to-house delivery in some of the rural areas of the county, and we now deliver those copies through the mail. Tittrington and Harty also left at this time and were not replaced. Scoff DeBroux, who had been holding down the fort in circulation, was transferred to one of our new auto publications. His position was filled by Keith Davis, who was asked to expand his role of overseeing our shoppers' delivery to include the daily as well. Al Rasmussen, who directs the business and sales side of all the company's publications directly filled in for Hollihan a sales manager for the daily and assumed most of my own general manager responsibilities. That left me more time to assist with the editorial products here and throughout the company. We were even forced to discontinue our local columnists. Curt Andersen, who had been writing faithfully for us for about six years, along with relative newcomers Antonio Saldana and K.D. Seefeld, can put their pens to rest - at least for a little while. Syndicated outdoor writer Dick Ellis was also dropped. All in all, our goal was to shave $450,000 trom yearly expenses while trying to maintain decent products and timely delivery. It's too early to tell with great certainty whether we've succeeded. However, judging by September (the last month for which we have detailed figures), it looks as though we're on track. The daily and its several companion products made about $2,000 - our first profitable month in a year. Just when it seems darkest, there's usually something uplifting that comes along. This three-part anniversary edition, for example, is sponsored by 90 different advertisers. On average, more than 3,000 clients a month rely on our group of products for their advertising needs. Forced to do the same kind of belt-tightening as we, many of these firms have nonetheless continued to support us. Some have had to spend less, but they remain loyal to the best degree they can afford. For that we are extremely grateful. This Week Magazine, which was launched a little more than a year ago, has gone counter to the downward trend and been resoundingly successful. This is the first product that uses the impact of 0 the company's paid publications and their total cir- culation of 42,000. It also is a common vessel for all of our writers, regardless of location. It has become one of our best-received publications to date. Our quarterly Apartment Review booklet has likewise gained in support and revenue. It's being printed in a larger format now on our commercial-quality presses. Most of all, I take great pride and pleasure from my colleagues who persevere despite adversity. Today, that's virtually the entire staff. Not just the reporters and editors - although they are indeed inspiring in their dedication, labor and chutzpah - but also salutary are the sales people, the managers, the circulators and the front office staff, all of whom are taking up the additional load once carried by others now gone. Finally, the ones who make it all worthwhile are those like you - people who buy our products and read them; people who take the time to call us on the phone to gripe or praise or suggest; people who e-mail or use ol' fashion snail mail; people who subscribe year after year and people who drop two quarters in a vending machine whenever the mood strikes. This kind of support continues to make this one of the rare two-newspaper towns in the United States. We're working hard - actually, harder than ever - to keep it that way.