New Publisher Of New Britain, Bristol Papers Speaks To Staff

Jan 27, 2009 (The Hartford Courant - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- JRCO | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Dressed in a sports jacket and tie, his hands clasped in front of him, Michael Schroeder spoke to employees at the New Britain Herald for the first time as owner Monday and told them he was looking for new offices.

The media consultant-turned-publisher closed a deal to buy the Herald, the Bristol Press and three weeklies from Journal Register Co. late Friday. He told the 40 Herald workers crowded into the newsroom Monday that he was searching for new quarters for both the Herald and the Press. Meanwhile, Schroeder will continue to lease the newspapers' current offices from Journal Register, he said.

"These are manufacturing and printing plants," he said. "The buildings are just inappropriate for the use, but we will be staying in the cities."

Schroeder's immediate plans also include creating "substantially different" websites for the papers, establishing a telephone line for customer comments and asking employees for advice on how to improve operations.

"If you've got an idea to make this paper better, I want to hear it," he said. "And don't be surprised if it gets done pretty quick and you're asked to do a good chunk of it."

Heads nodded as Schroeder spoke of listening to readers, rebuilding relationships with clients and "giving the community what it needs."

"We're going to be known as an organization that likes to hear what our readers and clients are telling us," he said.

Just three days after closing the deal with Journal Register, Schroeder was delivering copies of his new papers to longtime subscribers, meeting with employees and solving some immediate problems, like the heating bill.

The Herald offices are about to get a little cooler, he warned employees Monday, to save money. But he assured them that space heaters would be available.

At the end of his half-hour introduction Monday, Schroeder said, "Just hang on. It's going to be a wild ride." His wrap-up drew applause from the Herald staff.

"I'm psyched. I was psyched even before the speech," Herald reporter Rick Guiness said. "He wasn't anything but the truth. He was very candid."

Herald Executive Editor Marc Levy, who was fielding calls during most of Schroeder's speech, said his staff was "relieved."

"Everyone is so happy and so encouraged that we're still here and have the chance to make a difference," he said. "It's not really about the speech. It's about our publisher being right here. We're able to see him every day."

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