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Bulletin owner The buyer of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and MidWeek has found an answer to the problem of securing enough newsprint for both publications: he's ordering it from the Philippines.
secures Philippine
newsprint
David Black also completes the
printing press expansion with the
arrival of parts from AustraliaBy Tim Ruel
Star-BulletinDavid Black said yesterday he has arranged an annual contract with Philippines-based Trust International Paper Co. -- in addition to sources on West Coast -- to supply newsprint to print both papers. Since a regular shipping service was not available from the Philippines, Black said he also arranged for a freighter to deliver some 20 containers of the print every three weeks to Honolulu.
Black announced the deals yesterday at RFD Publications in Kaneohe, where he unveiled new printing press units that arrived Friday from Melbourne, Australia. The newsprint and press additions complete all of Black's requirements to begin printing both papers.
At the noon press briefing, Black noted only a few rolls of print were actually in place at RFD, about enough to print one day's run of the paper. However, about 10,000 more tons of print wait at a pier in Honolulu, enough for three months, he said.The announcements come about a week before Black takes over the Star-Bulletin and starts printing morning and afternoon editions on March 15.
Black, president of Victoria, British Columbia-based Black Press Ltd., last year agreed to buy the Star-Bulletin under court supervision from Florida-based Liberty Newspapers Limited Partnership. Liberty had announced in September 1999 that it was shutting down the paper, but lawsuits kept the paper open until Black agreed to buy the Star-Bulletin in November.
In December, Black announced his purchase of RFD, which immediately provided the presses and business operations of MidWeek, a 280,000-circulation weekly mailed to homes on Oahu.
Black said his company has since invested "a couple million" to make room for both papers at RFD. His goal is to boost the Star-Bulletin's daily circulation to 100,000 and add a Sunday edition with a circulation of 130,000 to compete with the Honolulu Advertiser.
Earlier yesterday, the Advertiser unveiled plans to build a $70 million printing plant and distribution center in Kapolei, scheduled for completion in 2004.
Black said the move by the Advertiser marks a solid investment for Hawaii as a state. "And that's the great thing about competition," he added.
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