My column has been popular around the country, but now it was really going to be impossible for people outside Long Island to read it.
80-year-old former Newsday columnist (and lifelong newsman) Saul Friedman • On his reasons for suspending his popular “Gray Matters” column for the newspaper. They all have to do with Cablevision’s decision to start charging $5 a week for non-subscribers to read the paper online. Friedman’s column wouldn’t be able to reach outside of its Long Island home base as a result, despite the fact the column has a national audience. Friedman himself lives in the D.C. area, so he would have to pay, too. Where does Friedman go next? The blog “Time Goes By,” which seems like a much better place for an 80-year-old guy who understands the internet better than a cable company. • source
Customers are still coming to us, and the net of this is Cablevision doesn’t get the benefit of our revenue.
Verizon Senior Vice President Eric Rabe • Discussing Cablevision’s policy of turning away Verizon’s FiOS ads in Newsday, despite the fact that they had been a high-paying advertiser in the paper for years. Cablevision bought Newsday last year and has made a lot of questionable decisions like this, according to Gawker. • source
