I’ve had quite a few e-mails from people about my theory that newspapers are entering a death spiral, but none as compelling as this one, which just arrived. The sender is anonymous, so I have no way of verifying who he says he is. Read it, though, and judge for yourself.

“Hi Paul……I’m a Delivery Foreman for the NYTimes, union, of course. I make 90k a year without overtime. My drivers make 60k+ a year. The Times signed a new contract with us (NMDU) this spring that’s “guaranteed” through 2016. With diesel fuel approaching 3 bucks a gallon, newsprint costs, warehouse rent, insurance, pension, workers comp costs, etc. etc. etc. how long is this a viable model? Answer….not too effing long, that’s for sure. I tell my drivers, “We’re like the dinosaurs after the first meteor hit………we stick our heads up above the weeds, and think, ‘hey, it’s getting cold out…’…….and they don’t want to hear it. I’m really curious about what Sulzberger could have been thinking when he forced us to re-open our contracts and gave us the guarantee. Does he know something that the rest of us don’t? Anyway, I retire soon. I’m more than ready for a buyout, but the younger guys ….well, good luck with that ‘guarantee’. If one lawyer can write a contract, another one can break it……………. “

By the way, you can now download my article, “How the coming newspaper industry collapse will reinvigorate journalism” as a PDF.