WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Newspapers Battle Over Rack Territory

Newspapers Battle Over Rack Territory

By David Kenney
david@wlbt.net

A battle is brewing between newspapers, big and small, here in the metro area.

Several free papers say they're being forced out of places they have racks, by the state's most read newspaper, the Clarion Ledger. It all has to do with a new stand the Clarion Ledger plans to use in the future.

Jackson Free Press Publisher Todd Stauffer describes it as, "a big plastic box with about 9 windows in it like that."

Stauffer is describing the new Clarion Ledger T.D.N. distribution box, said to be headed to locations around the metro.

Designed to trim down on the number of newpaper boxes at any location, but at a cost, to all non Clarion Ledger publications.

Stauffer says, "They charge us, the Clarion Ledger would start to charge all the free publications for the right to be in the Clarion Ledger 's box.  The problem is for all of these small publications, it's adding ten to twenty percent what it costs to publish every year."

Some free publications say they were threatened to be taken out of prime locations if they didn't pay up.

Beverly Smith, publisher of the American Classifieds says, "Lee Warmouth is the circulation director of the Clarion  Ledger , he met with me last Thursday. He actually told me they were going to physically remove our stands. My attorney tells me they cannot remove our stands."

Todd Stauffer says, "The Gannett corporation which owns the Clarion Ledger has done this in a number of markets."

The free publications we talked to say businesses that carry the Clarion Ledger are being asked to sign a contract, excluding publications from the premesis, that don't pay to be in the T.D.N. boxes.

Something that's not in the business plans for small Jackson newspapers in the immediate future.

Lee Warmouth, the circulation director at the Clarion Ledger declined to comment on the matter.