I believe in TVNewsCheck and I’ve often joked that I enjoy writing the Market Share columns so much that I would do it for free. And perhaps now is the time to do that, at least for a little while.
You may have seen the article written by TVNewsCheck’s owner and publisher, Kathy Haley, that was posted at the top of our site on Wednesday, Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, and remains there now.
In the article, Haley addresses a cash flow shortage which required her to “pause” the daily publication of TVNewsCheck.
That article follows one that announced that “pause” to TVNewsCheck’s daily updates to its website and publication of its regular newsletters amid escalating challenges in the industry’s business environment.
You may have seen my Market Share column on Feb. 12, announcing that Market Share was ceasing publication on TVNewsCheck.
And then you may have seen a few Market Share articles pop up on TVNewsCheck over the past couple days.
And then you asked yourself, what the hell is going on?
Haley informed the employees of TVNewsCheck on Friday, Feb. 9, that due to advertising challenges, she needed to let us go. I was a contract freelancer and not an employee, but I faced the same situation. Writing Market Share is a part-time job with part-time compensation.
After a couple of days of not seeing any new updates to TVNewsCheck, I contacted Haley and said I was going to file some Market Share columns for free.
I believe in TVNewsCheck and I’ve often joked that I enjoy writing the Market Share columns so much that I would do it for free.
And perhaps now is the time to do that, at least for a little while.
If that makes me a fool, so be it. But at least I’ll know that I did everything I could to keep TVNewsCheck going.
One more thing, Haley mentioned the outpouring of support we received from readers, and I received many from you about Market Share via email, or as comments on Facebook and LinkedIn. I’ve read and saved everyone. Those comments lifted my spirits at the exact time I needed it. Here are a few without attribution as I want to respect their privacy.
“Your articles and collaboration represent an invaluable resource for my position as a local tv marketer.”
“You have shined a HUGE SPOTLIGHT on an under-represented aspect of this business. YOU gave us that platform in front of our bosses. When it made your column, it got noticed”
“Local stations were able to see other’s best practices and first-class production examples.”
“Your articles were a “must read” for so many years and your take on the industry was always “spot on!”
“Your column has always been “Must Read TV.”
We have lost a very important publication.
I would gladly become a paid subscriber.