Another bankrupt print media company may be getting a buyout.

Report: Bid for Bankrupt 'Sun-Times' Parent Near

A white knight has emerged for the bankrupt parent of the Chicago Sun-Times, the rival Chicago Tribune reported Friday.

[Editor and Publisher Breaking News]

An interesting piece on embracing change in an industry that traditionally eschews it appeared in Book Business:

For the last few years, we have watched the world around us changing, but within the industry’s walls, we have seen just glimmers of change surfacing along the horizon. Now, we are going to watch this industry evolve around us in a massive blaze.

From Forbes:

Spending on advertising in the U.S. fell 15.4% in the first half of 2009, compared with the same period a year earlier, according to an annual report released Tuesday by The Nielsen Company. For the six-month period, ad spending plummeted more than $10.3 billion to $56.9 billion.

Can high-power corporate executives run a local newspaper like a local newspaper? At least one of Star Tribune's potential new board members (who was once president of the UK Starbucks Coffee Co.), thinks so.

The Star Tribune said Monday that unless another buyer emerges, its board of directors will include L. Gordon Crovitz, former Wall Street Journal publisher; Michael T. Sweeney, managing partner of the Minneapolis private equity firm of Goldner Hawn Johnson & Morrison; former banker and investor William F. Farley of Minneapolis; and Michael E. Reed, head of GateHouse Media Inc. of Fairport, N.Y. Two additional board members are expected to be named later.

"I think a local newspaper company like the Star Tribune is the epitome of a local business," said Sweeney, who previously served as president of Starbucks Coffee Co. (UK) in London. "So it's a pleasure to be involved in such a local business."

Click "Read more" for the rest.

Full details at Yahoo! News:

Some months ago I was invited (about a dozen times) to join the "Don't Let Newspapers Die" cause on Facebook. Most of the well-meaning folks who invited me to the cause were, in fact, people in the newspaper industry with whom I have worked for many, many years. As a nearly 20-year veteran of the business, I can forgive my Facebook friends for assuming that I would be interested in preserving the newspaper industry as it exists today, and as it has existed for the bulk of my career.

More daily papers are facing hard times now. Creditors are attempting to take over Philadelphia Newspapers, and have been joined in that fight be a longtime publisher. Full details at Yahoo! News:

Two Peas Publishing announces the paperback release of Don Meyer's novel Jennifer's Plan (ISBN: 978-0984077311). The book is available through amazon.com and other online retail outlets.

The novel is an action-oriented crime drama that follows Jennifer Cerriety as she fulfills her plan to seek retribution against a gang of roughnecks who commit unspeakable acts of violence against her and a man named Harold Seaweather.

Midwest Book Review gave the hardcover edition of Jennifer's Plan five stars, calling it "a masterpiece of narrative storytelling and a highly recommended addition to community library collections and supplemental reading lists."

Don Meyer is the author of three books, including Jennifer's Plan, Winter Ghost, and the Vietnam War memoir The Protected Will Never Know.

Jennifer's Plan is available for purchase by booksellers from Two Peas Publishing. It is available for retail purchase through Amazon.com, Don Meyer's website, and other retail outlets.

Bill Ruesch thinks not.

Today’s publishing reality is that approximately 4% of manuscripts submitted to publishers ever become books. If you have written a book you need to face the truth. The odds of getting your book published through traditional methods are slim to none.

Recently a self-publishing author of my acquaintance inked a deal with a major publishing company for some very large bucks, maybe the largest in history for a new author. How did he do it? I’ll tell you.

The March/April issue of Writer's Digest contains an excellent series of articles under the featured header "Everything You Need to Know About Self-Publishing." Everyone's writing books these days, so the world of self-publishing has suddenly become a busier and more interesting place.

Writer's Digest explores the pros and cons of self-publishing, as well as advice on using professional editing and design services to give your book a marketing edge.