Where I Stand — Brian Greenspun: Back where we belong

Saturday, Oct. 1, 2005 | 10:50 a.m.

What's new?

BEGINNING TODAY, THE LAS VEGAS SUN

How much? How often?

EVERY DAY, THE SUN WILL HAVE:

What hasn't changed?

THE R-J AND SUN:

Good morning, Las Vegas!

It has been a long time since the Las Vegas Sun has been able to say that to Las Vegans. For the past 15 years, as part of a Joint Operating Agreement between the Sun and the Review-Journal, we have been a weekday afternoon publication and a combined paper on the weekend. All that has changed as of today.

It has been a long time coming but from now on, at least for the next 35 years, the Las Vegas Sun will be a morning newspaper -- as it was for the first 40 years of its life -- which will be delivered with the other morning newspaper, the R-J. Some people may think that strange. I think it is fantastic.

Let me tell you why.

Friday was the last day that the Sun published in the afternoon. Our circulation was somewhere around 23,000 copies. This morning we have been delivered, as part of the morning newspaper package, to almost 225,000 homes. That is nearly a tenfold increase in circulation!

If the purpose of a daily newspaper is to inform the citizens of a community about events and issues that affect them (which it is), and if that newspaper performs that function in a way that provides award-winning journalism and responsible, thought-provoking editorial writing (which we do), then it follows that the more people who read that newspaper the more people in this community there will be who are better informed and, therefore, better able to make the decisions necessary to enhance their quality of life.

That is the long and logical way of saying that from now on everyone who takes the morning paper will get two morning newspapers. And that also means that the Las Vegas Sun, for the first time since 1963 or perhaps for the first time ever, will be the largest-circulation newspaper in the state of Nevada.

OK, OK, so will the Review-Journal, but that can only be good for the people of this state. It is no secret that the Sun and the R-J don't usually see the world in the same way. In fact, it is safe to say that our two newspapers are hard-pressed to agree on anything. And if we ever do agree, then it is a safe bet that either the world has come to an end or that we are both absolutely right!

That kind of editorial competition is good for any city, but especially Las Vegas. As the fastest-growing city in America there is a pressing need for everyone who has been here a while, or who just got here, to engage immediately in the process of citizenship. And there is no better or more thorough way to do that than by reading the daily newspapers. We are just making that process easier. Instead of having to subscribe to two different newspapers, all you have to do is make one call, order one package and, voila, two very different newspapers will arrive at your door.

So the real question that our loyal Sun subscribers and even so many of our new readers are asking is, Why? Why did the Sun agree to give up its afternoon publishing position and why did the R-J agree to make room for us in the morning?

From our side the answer was simple: Just like a bank robber robs banks because that is where the money is, moving to the morning makes sense because that is where the circulation is. If you ask the people at the R-J they would probably have a different answer. They would talk about the economics of publishing an afternoon newspaper and the drain those losses would impose on their own ability to publish a good newspaper in the morning. Both good reasons for finding the common ground that we did and both good ways of fulfilling our responsibility to the public that is rooted in the First Amendment to the Constitution.

You will notice a few changes, I hope, from the look and feel of the Sun to the obviously fewer pages that we publish. We may look small, but we are very big on writing, on ideas, and on substance. And as we evolve you will come to appreciate how important the Las Vegas Sun is to your daily lives.

I know that is a tall order, especially for those cynics among you who don't want to and don't expect to ever like anything about us. But give us a try. I promise we will try to give you good reason every day to check us out.

And for our longtime and very loyal Sun subscribers, thank you for that loyalty and thank you for now allowing us into your homes with the Review-Journal. I know that is a change for you as well. But that is the beauty of this arrangement. Just as in life, there is always going to be time for change, and this is one of those times.

As for me, look at where I am. Back on the front page of the Las Vegas Sun. And back in the morning where we belong.