Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - The fallout continues in Central New York
one day after The Post-Standard announced that it was shifting its focus to its online product.
As part of the shift, the region’s flagship newspaper says it will only deliver to homes three days a week. On the other four days, a smaller publication will be available, but only in Onondaga County.
The men and women who distribute the paper to people’s doors daily are leery about the future.
For the past year, seven days a week, Mustafa Dede has risen in the middle of the night to deliver the paper, as do all independent newspaper contractors.
“We don’t have any day off where we can get sleep or anything like that,” Dede said. “You have to show up every day…which is, like, not possible. My wife gave birth and I had a son…I have to show up [to work].”
People like Dede will be impacted when the delivery goes from seven to three days per week next year.
Mike Burman has been delivering The Post-Standard since he was 7. He wasn’t surprised by the news that the paper was changing its distribution model.
“As the prices kept going up and up and the sizes of the paper kept getting decreased and decreased, it seemed like it might go to out of business or to a minimal delivery kind of approach,” Burman said.
While some worried about the decrease in income, Dede said it might be a sign.
“I’m not going to worry about doing this job forever so…it’s a good temporary job, but I don’t know,” Dede said.
Many who distribute the paper pay a fee and make a small amount of money per paper, plus whatever tip a customer gives them.
