Philly's Metro to be managed from NYC

[eldondre]

Eric Mayberry is out as publisher of the daily newspaper Metro Philadelphia, a free handout that litters Septa stops across the Delaware Valley, after he tried and failed to buy the paper from its parent company, Metro International. He won't be replaced, and the paper will be run from New York in the future, Mayberry tells me.

Mayberry says he's started a new firm, SmartBoy Enterprises LLC, "a media entertainment managing consulting company," which will lobby to help his old employer win a cut of state and city legal ads now reserved for paid papers like the Inquirer. He says he'll also write a column in the company's New York and Philadelphia dailies, subject "to be determined."

PhillyDeals

[Dean]

I pick up the Metro at the Sunoco station every morning at Front and Oregon. I mainly get it for the crossword and sudoku puzzles, which I suppose won't change. The news is a little thin, but still OK. I miss the guest columns that the Metro used to have with newer writers. It's really not bad for the price.

[hammersklavier]

I would say it's quite good for the price, considering what the price is .

[desolate]

I used to enjoy using it to protect me from moist/gum/stained MFL and bus seats.

[eldondre]

I used to enjoy using it to protect me from moist/gum/stained MFL and bus seats.

you don't ride SEPTA much do you? they got rid of those seats a few years ago.

[desolate]

you don't ride SEPTA much do you? they got rid of those seats a few years ago.

Eldondre,

I rode the El right up to when they swapped the cloth ones out.

THen I switched to the R7.

After being stranded by that dozens of times I broke down and bought a car.

I tried to be "mr transit"

[eldondre]

I guess not every line is created equal. Only once did I get stranded on the R5. Once on the R6 as well (driving wasnt much better that day, it was the flash flood...I got home but service was out the next day). Just saying, the seats aren't as disgusting as they used to be. You don't need to be Mr. Transit, just less inaccurate SEPTA bashing would be nice.

[MarketStEl]

Actually, I'd say that the Philly Metro had come into its own of late -- great tabloid headlines on the front page, a lot of attitude in its bite-sized stories -- and even attempts to go deeper on some stories within the constraints of Metro's format by doing multi-story packages.

I thought that the parent company wanted to sell all their North American (or at least US) properties. Does this signal a change of heart on their part?

OTOH, I don't like the idea of Philly Metro being run by remote control. Even though they have done things like have chain-wide "Guest Editors" in the past, those spots were basically cameo appearances -- and Philly still ain't New York.