• by John Gaffney , October 29, 2002

Hitting Singles: I usually don’t trust high falutin’ speeches from guys who have three names. But I must admit I like what Newspaper Association of America CEO William Dean Singleton had to say over the weekend. Singleton, who runs The Salt Lake Tribune among other newspapers, told the Associated Press lunch that the future of his business – like politics – is local. “We just don’t report the community, we are the community,” he said. “Growth can only be achieved at the local level.” It’s refreshing to hear this attitude from Singleton, who has to be challenged by the internet and cable news on a daily basis. He has put forth a formula that gives newspapers accountability. It’s no longer about surviving the new media onslaught. It’s about convincing media planners and buyers that newspapers are the driveway to every consumer in the neighborhood. And maybe you don’t need big national accounts to get that done. You might need to take care of the local Chevy dealer more than you take care of GM Mediaworks. I always say the bat is in your hands when you step to the plate. Here’s to Singleton’s last at bat.

That’s Ms. To You: I have no idea why Ms. Magazine is in its current turmoil. But I can guess that a women’s magazine that wants to be taken for irreverent comment and brainy subject matter might suffer some newsstand problems in today’s hairdo-obsessed world. Like SI For Women, and a slew of other books out there today, Ms. keeps the issue of mid-tier consumer circ mags in the forefront. I suggest the industry needs to find some common ideas to keep them alive.

Case Closed: All due respect to Steve Case, who made noise yesterday about running a spun-off AOL, but the company best suited to salvage AOL is TimeWarner. AOL needs access to clients, shared content and free promotion. Got a better idea?