Sun-Times, Daily Herald form ‘content sharing alliance’

Chicago newspapers

Chicago newspapers

The Chicago area’s No. 2 and No. 3 daily newspapers are teaming up to share content covering the city and suburbs.

The suburban Daily Herald, owned by Paddock Publications, and the Sun-Times, owned by Wrapports LLC, announced the editorial alliance Friday in a newsroom memo. The move was prompted in part by the sale of Sun-Times Media Group’s six suburban dailies and 32 Pioneer Press suburban weeklies to Chicago Tribune Media Group last fall.

John Lampinen

John Lampinen

Noting the Sun-Times’ reputation for city coverage and the Daily Herald’s dominance in the suburbs, Daily Herald senior vice president and editor John Lampinen and senior vice president/director of content and strategic planning Colin O’Donnell wrote: “Both of us are committed to aggressive watchdog reporting, enterprising sports coverage and spirited entertainment advice. There clearly are opportunities where we can supplement each other’s work without detracting from those individual characteristics that makes each publication unique.”

Jim Kirk, publisher and editor-in-chief of Sun-Times Media, said: “We think this is a great first step in a partnership that will make both publications stronger."

Saturday’s print edition of the Sun-Times will include The Daily Herald Suburban Game of the Week, a weekly prep football feature. In exchange for the content, the Sun-Times is expected to direct readers for more to dailyherald.com.

“We expect several other content-sharing initiatives to follow,” Lampinen and O’Donnell wrote. “And we’re excited about this new relationship with the Sun-Times and all the alliance has to offer.”

Here is the text of the memo from Lampinen and O’Donnell to staff: 

We’re excited to announce the first step in a content sharing alliance with the Chicago Sun-Times that will  benefit both news organizations and our audiences. As you know, Sun-Times Media Group sold most of its suburban properties last year, greatly reducing the direct competition between us.
 
That being the case, there are areas where we can work together to improve the journalism each publication offers. The Sun-Times has a reputation in particular for strong coverage of the city of Chicago. The Daily Herald has a reputation for dominant coverage of the suburbs. Both of us are committed to aggressive watchdog reporting, enterprising sports coverage and spirited entertainment advice.  There clearly are opportunities where we can supplement each other’s work without detracting from those individual characteristics that makes each publication unique.
 
The first initiative to arise from this new relationship is a weekly prep football feature we will produce called The Daily Herald Suburban Game of the Week that will debut in Saturday’s print editions of the Sun-Times. In exchange for that feature in print, the Sun-Times will direct traffic to it on dailyherald.com from chicago.suntimes.com and through its social media platforms.
 
We’re intrigued by this first step. We expect several other content-sharing initiatives to follow.  And we’re excited about this new relationship with the Sun-Times and all the alliance has to offer.