Darkbeer
11-10-2002, 10:54 PM
CNN's Parent May Postpone News Merger With ABC (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/11/business/media/11TUBE.html?ex=1037682000&en=02c31aa2632b9c2c&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE) - New York Times, 11/11/02
QuikQuote: Mr. Wolzien said that trimming costs at a news division was much more difficult than simply combining costs of coverage because individual programs, like "Nightline" and "Prime Time Live," had their own separate costs, which are far harder to cut without affecting the content. "The coverage business is a smaller portion of the costs than dealing with the costs of the shows," Mr. Wolzien said. Cutting too deeply, he added, "means you could start to disrupt the organization."
"One unintended cost is the morale cost," he said. "How much is that worth?"
QuikQuote: Mr. Wolzien said that trimming costs at a news division was much more difficult than simply combining costs of coverage because individual programs, like "Nightline" and "Prime Time Live," had their own separate costs, which are far harder to cut without affecting the content. "The coverage business is a smaller portion of the costs than dealing with the costs of the shows," Mr. Wolzien said. Cutting too deeply, he added, "means you could start to disrupt the organization."
"One unintended cost is the morale cost," he said. "How much is that worth?"