A buck essentially represents a gentleman's
agreement. In exchange for taking a headache and distraction off the hands of parent New York Times Co., the buyer gets the great potential of the Globe brand, a top news site and new
contracts and cost reductions. With so much incalculable risk and reward in the deal, only a token payment can even it out for both sides.
The new owner will start out behind, having to
sink in millions within the next year. But this is the bottom of a recession and in 2010, ad numbers will likely improve. Here's the rub. The new business models of the start-ups -- small and
editor-heavy, with legions of part-time reporters, columnists and bloggers -- are distant from the Globe's structure. If Boston needs a vibrant, public service-oriented news source, is
assuming Globe ownership the place to start?
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