AM I NEXT? IS THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL AT FORBES

WARNING

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WARNING 〰️

Jersey City, New Jersey-based Forbes Magazine, an iconic financial publication covering finance, technology, communications, science, politics, and law., appears to be close to acquisition by Magnum Opus Acquisition Limited, which is "controlled by the Chinese Communist Party,"

An April 8 proxy statement filed by Magnum Opus, the acquisition company, says that if the deal proceeds, Forbes "could be subject to oversight and discretion of [Chinese] governmental authorities, which could seek to intervene or influence its business operations at any time that the government deems appropriate to further their regulatory, political, and societal goals.”

This normally portends a replacement of top executives, senior staff, and trusted personnel with Chinese nationals or Chinese-Americans with loyalties to the Chinese Communist Party.

There is little or no doubt that the credibility of the publication will be affected by censorship and selective editing. Finances would not be a problem given the deep pockets of the CCP.

Forewarned is forearmed.

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT BALTIMORE SUN MEDIA

Baltimore, Maryland-based Baltimore Sun Media, the publisher of the iconic Baltimore Sun newspaper and various other newspaper and digital products, has announced that the company is considering an agreement to shutter its South Baltimore printing plant and transfer printing operations to a Gannett-owned printing facility in Wilmington, Deleware that currently prints The News Journal.

.The decision is said to be driven by a declining print circulation and plant overcapacity. If the decision is ratified, the move will impact approximately 100+ workers and occur by the end of January 2022.

Baltimore Sun Media’s publisher and editor-in-chief Trif Alatzas noted, “This preliminary agreement would reduce expenses related to the print operation and help continue the investment in our digital growth.”

The Sun’s parent company, Chicago, Illinois-based Tribune Publishing, was acquired by Alden Global Capital, a hedge fund specializing in revitalizing newspaper operations using consolidation and cost-cutting to remain profitable.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT THE KANSAS CITY STAR

Kansas City, Missouri-based Kansas City Star, an iconic regional newspaper owned by McClatchy, has announced that it will be closing its newspaper printing facility and laying off 68 full-time and 56 part-time production workers.

The decision to outsource the paper's printing operations to the Des Moines Register Star, a Gannett paper, was driven by economic considerations, including the parent company's financial difficulties, including bankruptcy. It is believed that the impact of digital editions over print editions is becoming problematical as the number of unofficial social media news sources increases.

The transfer of operations will become effective during the first quarter of 2021. The building housing the printing operations has been sold.

According to a company spokesperson, "Leaving a huge office space that is way beyond our current needs allows us to realize savings that will sustain other operations as we continue to align expenses with our digital transformation."

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?