Detroit Stations Eye Opportunity As Papers Pull Back

As a pair of venerable daily newspapers prepares to scale back distribution, broadcast stations in Detroit wonder what sort of opportunity the papers' decreased visibility spells for them. With its auto giants reeling, the economic climate in the #11 DMA is grim. While station managers say they're saddened to see their print brethren take such drastic steps, they're happy to reach out to the papers' advertisers. "We're doing a thorough analysis of who advertises in the paper on the days it won't be delivered," says WDIV VP/General Manager Marla Drutz. WDIV, owned by Post-Newsweek, has a partnership with Free Press that sees both parties' reporters pop up in the other's outlets. Drutz says the station will meet with Free Press executives to see how the downsizing affects their "co-marketing" agreement.