The Albany Times Union has shot itself in the foot! What had become a Saturday morning ritual for me, is now gone forever! Every Saturday morning around 6:30, I head over to the convenience store to pick up my "Weekend Edition" of the Times Union. For $1.50 the paper gives you the latest news along with Sunday's comics, features and Parade Magazine. Plus one important extra: "TV Weekly Lite" - now a precious commodity on the "endangered species list."
Several months ago I agreed to take a Sunday only home delivery of the Times Union. I asked the phone rep "does the TV guide come with that?" She said "yeah," I said "sign me up" (it was a 5 dollar introductory offer) ::: HOLD IT RIGHT THERE ::: the first week it was delivered, no TV guide! "Shit," said I... and called the paper right away, only to learn the rep was misinformed, the TV section only comes with the Saturday edition! (TU had already billed my credit card, and for all I know, they're still charging it periodically)...
Here's the interesting part: starting with this weekend (April 2,3) the TV Weekly Lite is ONLY available in the Sunday edition.
Should I be happy? Hell, NO!
It's ONLY available in the NEWSSTAND editions! Who the heck is running the TV dept? Kernel Kah-daffy? Now I have to buy TWO Sunday papers???? Like many others I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO GO ON THE COMPUTER TO GET MY TEEVEE LISTINGS.
"IF it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Wise old advice there, that modern-day companies still don't get! Google screwed up for a minute when they took away the option to click "reader" from within g-mail. Twitter tripped with a super-annoying iPhone app. Google & twitter got smart in a hurry: both corrected the mistakes within days, knowing that TWO STRIKES and you're "out" seems to be the rule of the digital universe. Will good sense previal at the TU?
We have all heard how newspapers are "suffering" and how many have "gone under" while others are forced to take drastic cost-cutting measures including laying off staff. This brilliant move by the TU should cost a few jobs in the end!
Tags: times union, times union
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