Columbia Missourian to explore new funding
The Missourian Publishing Association Board met today to discuss the future of the paper. They did not reach a decision but they discussed ways to keep the paper alive for future students.
For fiscal year 2008, the Missourian was in $95,000 deficit. This was not the first year the Columbia Missourian was not making a profit. Because of this, Provost Brian Foster red flagged the paper, and the paper is looking at alternative models, including a “partner” model. Under this new model, a larger paper would pay for the printing of all the Missourian’s papers, while advertising profits would go to the partner.
Missourian General Manager Dan Potter said he believes advertising will increase under this new system. The current proposal would shift distribution to campuses of MU, Stephen’s College and Columbia College, cutting city distribution to about 2,000 and eliminating home delivery.
Foster said while the Missourian is an important part of the Journalism School and MU as a whole, there is a limit to the amount of funding they can allocate to it. According to the fiscal year 2008 budget, MU gave the Missourian over a million dollars last year.
Potter said the paper is going to draft a proposal to Reynolds Journalism Institute in about a month. This proposal will ask for any paper who wants to bid to be the Missourian’s partner to make an offer.
“It will be out in the open for 30 days or longer I think,” Potter said.
Proposals such as an all-digital model are no longer under consideration due to lack of support.
“All our constituencies won't stand for it,” Potter said.
Columbia Missourian Executive Editor Tom Warhover said the mission of the Missourian is three-fold: to provide news for Columbia and mid-Missouri, to serve as a laboratory for students to learn the practice of journalism and to explore innovative avenues in journalism.