Rival Local Tabloids Discuss Partnership

The New York Times

Representatives from Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, owners of The New York Post, and Mortimer Zuckerman's Daily News have been meeting to discuss a possible partnership.  The talks began informally following Cablevision's successful takeover of Newsday.

The long-time rivals are looking at ways to combine their business operations, printing, distribution and other back-office functions, while maintaining separate companies and news staffs, in an effort to cut millions in annual costs.

The Times notes that how to best combine the papers' printing operations will be a stumbling block as both The Post and The Daily News have invested heavily in new printing plants.  The Post has a $300 million printing plant in the South Bronx and The News' allows it to print in color on every page.

Related: Cablevision Defends Newsday Purchase