Sunday Challenger To Close Doors Immediately

I was shocked to learn this following this evening about Northern Kentucky's weekly newspaper, The Sunday Challenger:

The Sunday Challenger newspaper has printed its last issue that will be distributed this weekend.  Employees were notified today and the paper is now closed.

Another bad sign for the future of newspapers. This was a good paper and it's shame it has to close down.

Comments

It really wasn't a shock at all to many in NKY. Folks throughout the state needed to understand that the Challenger was being paid for by Bill Butler, CEO of Corporex. It was his personal tool for getting what he wanted printed out to the public.

With the exception of Michael Jennings who worked for the C-J, the rest of the staff were not journalists (in the sense) of the word. Recently, a columnist was exposed in an email scandal involving a University employee for taking information sources had told her & telling other sources what had been said.

Journalistic integrity which is of the greatest importance was absent from the top to the bottom with the exception of Michael Jennings.

[Al Cross]

I am compelled to come to the defense of the Challenger staff. I have met several of these folks (including the columnist to which this writer refers) and am also familiar with the work of others, and have always found them to be professional journalists. There may be exceptions, but I am unaware of them.
Al Cross
President, Society of Professional Journalists, 2001-02

I agree Al - good people but poor leadership. Although it was clear there were not sufficient revenues to put the paper in the black, we all thought Butler would keep it alive until the KY Post closes. The paper gave some NKY communities indepth coverage that is lacking in the dailies. It is a sad state of affairs that the general public gets its news from talk radio and talking head 24 hour news shows instead of the print media.

[Don McNay]

I have to ditto Al Cross. I am from Northern Kentucky and read the online version of the Challenger religiously.

I did not always agree with their editorial positions but I can say that about any newspaper.

I did think highly of the quality of their staff, especially Vicki Pritchard.

Vicki did a tremendous job covering Northern Kentucky politics and was a source for great information.

You'll note that Vicki and several members of the Challenger won a number of top of awards at the recent Kentucky Press Association contest. In fact, I think they were the best paper in their category.

Obviously, their peers in the newspaper business thought their was some integrity there.

Don McNay

[Don McNay]

I have to ditto Al Cross. I am from Northern Kentucky and read the online version of the Challenger religiously.

I did not always agree with their editorial positions but I can say that about any newspaper.

I did think highly of the quality of their staff, especially Vicki Pritchard.

Vicki did a tremendous job covering Northern Kentucky politics and was a source for great information.

You'll note that Vicki and several members of the Challenger won a number of top of awards at the recent Kentucky Press Association contest. In fact, I think they were the best paper in their category.

Obviously, their peers in the newspaper business thought their was some integrity there.

Don McNay

[Amanda Van Benschoten]

I, too, feel compelled to defend the staff, both editorial and advertising. They are extremely talented, hardworking, dedicated people who poured everything into producing the best possible newspaper, week in and week out, during the year I worked there.

[Diane]

It was an extremely expensive venture. Corporex Bill Butler once said that he wanted a "real voice" for Northern KY in the form of a newspaper. There were some staff members who were very committed to his vision.

I believe the hope was advertising would eventually be able to sustain the costs. Remembering that this paper was delivered at no charge in NKY.

Butler is decisive and always has a plan. Corporex has some other very exciting initiatives underway and will continue to have "a voice in NKY"...just in a different form.

-Diane

Didn't Jennings do a stint as a nonmerit under Patton? Spokesman for CHR or one of the two cabinets that Patton divided it up into?

GOOD RIDDANCE. A VERY ONE SIDED PAPER WHO'S REPORTERS WERE ONLY OUT FOR THEMSELVES TO LOOK GOOD AND NOT GET THE OTHER PERSONS STORY. HA HA

Vicki Prichard is an outstanding Journalist. Jennings on the other hand, had and has no credibility or trust with the community in NKY. He's looked at as a CJer who never moved from Louisville to NKY to become a part of the community.

[karen pierce]

It is unfair that you cashed my $30 check in feb when you knew your busines was to close. I would like a refund please.

[karen pierce]

It is unfair that you cashed my $30 check in feb when you knew your busines was to close. I would like a refund please.

[karen pierce]

It is unfair that you cashed my $30 check in feb when you knew your busines was to close. I would like a refund please.