Hawaii newspaper deals may lead to Honolulu becoming single-newspaper town
By Jaymes Song, APFriday, February 26, 2010
For sale: a newspaper in paradise
HONOLULU — Honolulu barely escaped becoming a one-newspaper town about a decade ago. Many believe the death of one its two dailies is inevitable this time around.
The parent company of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin announced Thursday it was purchasing longtime rival The Honolulu Advertiser, the largest newspaper in Hawaii, and would merge the two publications if a new buyer couldn’t be found soon.
University of Hawaii journalism professor Gerald Kato says the finding a buyer in this kind of economic environment is going to be difficult.
Newspaper analyst Ken Doctor of Outsell Inc. says finding a buyer was “highly unlikely.”
Employees at the Advertiser were hanging onto hopes that the paper and their jobs could be saved.
