What's new: East Bay Times & The Mercury News

 

East Bay Times

– Environment news

– Dedicated East Bay business stories

– Regional transportation coverage

– Focused front page news from the East Bay point of view

 

The Mercury News:

– Award-winning journalism

– Local writers

– Community watch-dog stories



Q: Which papers are being affected by this change?

A. Contra Costa Times, East County Times, West County Times, San Ramon Valley Times, Tri-Valley Times,
  Oakland Tribune, The Daily Review, The Argus, San Jose Mercury News, San Mateo County Times.

 

Q: What is changing?

A. In the East Bay, the Contra Costa Times and its four editions, along with the Oakland Tribune,
  The Daily Review and The Argus, will be combined and renamed “East Bay Times.”

 

    In Silicon Valley and the Peninsula, the San Mateo County Times will be combined with the
  San Jose Mercury News under the name “The Mercury News.”

 

    As part of the move, we will create a new East Bay-focused website, EastBayTimes.com, replacing the
 current ContraCostaTimes.com and InsideBayArea.com. It will join our existing websites MercuryNews.com,  
 SiliconValley.com and MarinIJ.com.

 

Q: When will it happen?

A. This will all happen effective Tuesday April 5, 2016.

 

Q: Why is this happening?

A. These changes are prompted by a desire to sharpen our content offerings in the Bay Area and are supported by   
  our readers’ request for focused regional news that impacts their daily lives, along with important national and
  world coverage. In an extensive reader survey conducted last fall, our readers also said they want news about
  their community.

 

Q: What prompted you to make changes?

A. As you well know, the media landscape has been changing for the past 5 years, and as we invest in our 
  digital audience and our digital content offerings, we also needed to make sure we were providing our
  print subscribers with the content they most valued. That led to our research investment this past fall and
  ultimately the decisions we are sharing with you and our readers today.

 

Q: Does this mean less local coverage?

A. We will continue to provide compelling and important news in our daily Local section and neighborhood and
  community news offerings every Friday in our weekly publications distributed across the Bay Area. In fact, we
  are adding three new weeklies on Friday, bringing our total to 30 targeted publications: We are adding the
  Oakland Tribune, The Daily Review, and The Argus to preserve those mastheads and continue to cover local and
  community news in those markets.

 

    Are you doing this to save money and cut expenses?  Our journalism has an audience of millions of readers… in  
 print and online. We remain committed to enhancing the quality of that journalism. In order to do so, we must
 maintain an economic model that ensures a thriving Bay Area News Group, so we can continue to serve a well-
 informed Bay Area community.

 

Q: How can you be more local if you reduce East Bay mastheads from 8 to 1?

A. Our research said that in particular, our East Bay readers wanted more news about the East Bay, and less news 
 about Silicon Valley. By focusing on two regional brands instead of a large group of newspapers trying to serve
 the Bay Area, we will better achieve that mission. Two newspapers that have a distinct voice and perspective, one
 serving the East Bay and one serving the South Bay/Peninsula.

 

Q: Are you reducing reporters?

A. Our focus is on creating content and stories that our readers want more of, and in the East Bay we are
  expanding our coverage of the environment, local business and transportation issues.

 

Q: Will you have fewer San Mateo County Times reporters?

A. Our San Mateo readers said they most wanted to read about the Bay Area, local government news, pro sports, 
 and in particular, they look to our newspaper to provide the value and savings our advertisers bring to the table.
 That will all continue.

 

Q: We have heard there are buyouts …how many?

A. As part of this change, we will have a very modest reduction in staffing. Unrelated to our Regional change, we
 are also offering a buyout to selected employees. The majority of any staff reductions will be connected to the
 production of our newspapers, and a very small number connected to content creation. And all of our decisions
 are being guided by our research.

 

Q: Can you tell us how many actual employees will lose their jobs?

A. We don’t comment on specific employee matters, and as I stated earlier, in total it will be a very modest
  reduction in staffing.

 

Q: Are the websites changing? 

A.  MercuryNews.com has always covered South Bay and the Peninsula, and will continue to do so.

     ContraCostaTimes.com and InsideBayArea.com will now become: EastBayTimes.com.

 

Q: Will Oakland Tribune, Daily Review and Argus area subscribers get a Monday delivery again? 

A.  Our current 6 day print subscribers of these newspapers can elect to upgrade to a 7 day delivery and add
   Monday delivery back into their subscription package. More to come, as we will be contacting our current
   subscribers about that subscription option.

 

Q: Will my favorite Oakland Tribune writers now write for the East Bay Times? 

A. Yes they will.

 

Q: Will the app for my town (example San Mateo County Times) - go away? 

A.  We don’t know the answer to that yet. More to come.

 

Q: Will subscribers still get digital access to all BANG papers? 

A.  Yes, subscribers still have unlimited access to our digital products when they subscribe to one of our news 
   packages.

All Access

 

Q. What is the new Bay Area News Group “All Access” subscription?

A.  A Bay Area News Group “All Access” subscription gives you access in ALL ways to the news and information you
     want. That includes unlimited access to all digital content from our 3 daily and 29 weekly publications in the
     Bay Area. This includes our news websites from any computer or device, along with access to our iPad, iPhone,
     Android & Kindle Fire apps, and our electronic replica editions (e-Edition). A Bay Area News Group “All Access”
     subscription bundles all the ways you can read your content into one subscription. Without a subscription, you
     will only have limited digital access to our content. You will be unable to access our digital replica e-Editions
     and e-Edition apps.

 

Q. When does All Access begin?

A.  All Access begins in early December.

 

Q. What are the benefits of a subscription?

A. The All Access Subscription provides unlimited digital access to content from any of our publications.
     Only subscribers can enjoy these benefits!

 

Subscribers receive:

​ Local news from your neighborhood.

​ Unlimited stories on current events, news, and information from any of our publications, including      
     The Mercury News, East Bay Times and Marin Independent Journal.

​ Access to our archive of stories.

​ Access to mobile, apps, desktop, laptop, and e-edition for news when you want it, where you want it.

​ Dozens of publications to choose from via digital replica, apps and online sites.

​ Enhanced customer care centers and customer advocate teams.

​ Access to new content features in print, online and via tablet apps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q. How Do I Subscribe?

A.  Click here

 

 

Q. If I don't subscribe, can I still read your news website for free?

A.  Non-subscribers will only have limited access to our content. To avoid limited access, subscribe today and
     receive unlimited access to all of our content.

 

 

Q. Why is there a meter on the news website?

A. “All Access” is a subscription model that gives total access to a newspaper’s content only to our subscribers. 
     Non-subscribers receive only limited access to news and information via our metered web sites and apps.
     If you are a regular/daily reader – and we hope you are – then you will want to subscribe to ensure you continue
     to have access to the news and information that matters to you.

 

 

Q. I’m already a subscriber, and I want to access all of the content you offer.
What do I need to do next?

A. If you are not a frequent reader of our news sites, you may not be presented with our pop-up registration
    window while reading MercuryNews.com, EastBayTimes.com and our other news web sites. However, if you are
    a frequent reader of our online news sites, you will be presented with a registration window (via PressPlus). In
    this window, you will see a link for current print subscribers to register and “activate” your access.  Click this link,
    then follow the online instructions. You will only have to register once.

 

 

Q. What mobile devices are supported in the “All Access” subscription?

A.  Our Bay Area News Group breaking news web site apps are available in the iTunes and Android marketplaces
     for phones and tablets. Our Bay Area News Group e-Edition apps are also available in the iTunes, Android, and
     Kindle Fire marketplaces for phones and tablets.

 

 

Q. If I have a computer at home and a computer at my office, do I need to purchase two digital subscriptions?

A.  No. You can log in using your username and password from wherever you access the Internet.

 

Q. Can everyone in my household use the same account?

A.  Yes, you can use the same username and password for all your family members.