I spent some time Saturday night and early Sunday morning at The Boston Globe‘s distribution center in Newton, where employees—including many journalists—were assembling papers and getting ready to go out on routes. The Globe covers the story here . What follows is my live-tweeting.
In addition, I’ve posted audio of an interview I conducted with tech columnist Hiawatha Bray and reporter Todd Wallack as they were juggling inserts. (Bray is the first speaker.) After the tweets you’ll find a statement from Peter Doucette, the paper’s vice president for consumer sales and marketing.
By the way: We got our Globe here in West Medford this morning as well as the Sunday New York Times. But they used to be delivered by one carrier, who told us recently she was sticking with the Globe. Now there are two different vendors.
At the Newton distribution center. I see a @WCVB truck, but not much else. @BostonGlobe
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
Now @BostonGlobe people are starting to arrive. @GlobeDougMost says he heard "Takin' Care of Business" while driving over.
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
Also talked briefly with @EmilyProcknal , who's @GlobeMcGrory 's assistant (and a former student of mine).
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
Outside the Newton distribution center. @BostonGlobe pic.twitter.com/gU7v0GHGxc
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
Stan Grossfeld meets the press. My photo standards obviously fall short of his. @BostonGlobe pic.twitter.com/8M7iPXlMJI
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
Talking with reporters are @MiltonValencia and @EvanMAllen . @BostonGlobe pic.twitter.com/xfAMhRtVEQ
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
Patricia Wen: "Many of us have worked for the Globe for a long time and we see the Globe as a family." @BostonGlobe
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
I see papers. @BostonGlobe pic.twitter.com/e7IGu0jp5D
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
Mailer Andy Kovacs came with his own newspaper satchel. @BostonGlobe pic.twitter.com/9UZACmWtDp
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
. @GlobeMCramer : "We just want to get in our cars and start delivering papers." pic.twitter.com/Cv0EfX0gdQ
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
Inside the Newton distribution center where @BostonGlobe employees are assembling papers. pic.twitter.com/gHisVOvXC2
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
. @clemoult of @wgbhnews takes a photo of the @BostonGlobe 's @healybeth . pic.twitter.com/W9GUaCXEnf
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
At the Newton distribution center. @BostonGlobe pic.twitter.com/WVqZ5WZspa
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
. @GlobeTechLab and @TWallack assemble the @BostonGlobe . pic.twitter.com/JGhraPdLLO
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
Reporters say they expect to be out delivering for 4 to 4 1/2 hours. But not me. That's a wrap. Good night. @BostonGlobe
— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 3, 2016
What follows is Doucette’s statement, which I received a little before 2 a.m.
This is a statement from Peter Doucette, Boston Globe Vice President, Consumer Sales & Marketing regarding Boston Globe staff volunteering to deliver newspapers:
Over this last week, The Boston Globe has received thousands of calls from customers reporting they had not received their daily newspaper as the Globe transitions its home delivery service to a new distribution partner ACI Media.
Establishing a new home delivery network with a new partner is a complex and major undertaking. Please know that we launched this transition because we firmly believed, and still do, that it was necessary to assure a higher level of delivery and customer service over the long term. In the short term, frustrating service disruptions have occurred as our new home delivery partner ACI Media deploys a new staff of 600 carriers who must learn new delivery routes and the addresses of the homes and apartments for every Globe home delivery subscribers.
With the Sunday paper about to hit – the Globe is doing everything possible to mitigate these short term delivery issues. More than two hundred Boston Globe journalists, business and operations staff, from general reporters in the newsroom up to the highest levels of leadership, are volunteering their time this holiday weekend to help deliver tomorrow’s Boston Globe or assist fielding phones calls from readers in Globe’s customer service call center.
This weekend’s effort is one small gesture to show our Globe customers that we are working hard with ACI to address these issues. We expect the process to improve not instantly, but steadily with each passing day and thank our customers for their patience.
