That announcement that the ABQ Journal will lay off 70 workers and begin printing the paper at the Santa Fe New Mexican's facilites has prompted speculation that someday we might see the two family owned papers merge or at least further their collaboration in order to survive.

Owners of the state's two largest papers spoke glowingly of each other in announcing the surprise. That they could further the relationship in what are desperate times for them is not unthinkable. The New Mexican has been drowning in red ink and laid off dozens. However, it is the largest commercial printer in the state, printing many newspapers and other products. The Journal this year is losing untold ad revenue rom the cancellation of the State Fair and ABQ International Ballon Fiesta. To prompt more subscriptions it is now limiting the number of free articles readers can access on its web site.

For decades the Journal operated under a joint operating agreement with the Scripp's owned ABQ Tribune under the Newspaper Preservation Act. The newsrooms were separate but business operations were covered by the Journal. The Tribune folded in 2008. Could we see a similar arrangement between the New Mexican and Journal? Perhaps. If so, the editor of the New Mexican might be ready. He once worked for the Tribune.

Another prominent cost-cutting casualty of the pandemic media recession is veteran talk show host Jim Villanucci. He was let go from his afternoon talk slot at ABQ's ESPN 101.7 The Team. The station says:

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both sports and the economy has forced TEAM Broadcasting to make difficult decisions regarding our programming schedule. . . We will no longer broadcast the Jim Villanucci Show on weekday afternoons. Instead, we will extend our live play by play broadcasting through partnerships with the Los Angles Dodgers, NM United, NBA playoffs etc.

Villanucci was a popular fixture on ABQ talker KKOB radio before leaving the market and returning in October 2018 to 101.7 FM. He was a ratings leader on KKOB for 14 years, ending in 2013.

And from Los Alamos we learn of the demise of KRSN AM and FM radio. The closure comes as the station struggles with advertising during the virus crisis and the cancellation of popular high school football. The station traces its beginnings to 1946, right after WWII and the hiring boom at Los Alamos Labs. For years and through a variety of owners, KRSN hosted visiting politicos from across the state and will be well-remembered for a long record of public service. The stations go dark August 30.

SO IT BEGINS

And so begins in earnest the 2021 campaign for Mayor of Santa Fe:

Hundreds of workers with the city of Santa Fe are calling for the removal of Mayor Alan Webber.
(AFSCME) Local 3999 conducted a vote among its members for a resolution declaring “no-confidence” in Webber, following a series of controversies surrounding his administration. “Due to the lack of responsible supervision at City Hall, we felt compelled to speak up,” the union states. “We are at a point where we cannot tolerate Mayor Webber’s inability to govern anymore.”

THE BOTTOM LINES

In a first draft Wednesday we blogged that former ABQ Dem State Rep. Patricio Ruiloba was defeated in the June primary. Actually, a court ruling tossed Ruiloba from the June primary ballot for not following correct procedures in gathering petition signatures. . .And Sheriff Manny Gonzales was referenced as a "lawmaker" instead of a "lawman."

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2020