University of Virginia Library

New Establishment
Challenges Paper

By PHIL KIMBALL

Rey Barry, a former reporter for the
Daily Progress, stated Friday that he
plans to establish a competitive newspaper
in Charlottesville with the first edition
expected sometime in March.

"We are hoping to produce a locally
owned afternoon daily newspaper
sometime this Spring, hopefully in
March," he stated.

Mr. Barry commented that, although
the 39,000 city residents and the 38,000
residents of Albemarle County seem to be a
small population base from which to support
two afternoon dailies, he was confident that in
several years his paper would be the only one in
Charlottesville.

Referring to the new publishers of The
Daily Progress, Mr. Barry said, "We intend to be
around here long enough to keep them from
meeting their financial obligations. Then we'll
buy back the paper for the community and the
newly created paper will merge."

Accuses Newspaper

He accused Worrell Newspapers, the firm
that recently purchased The Daily Progress of
"attempting to remold a local paper according
to a chain paper balance sheet."

Financing the newspaper will be "no
problem" according to Mr. Barry because
several wealthy county residents have made
offers to help. He continued to say that the
paper will issue stock to give it local ownership
with as broad a base as possible.

He stated that he decided to establish a
second daily newspaper as soon as the Progress
was purchased by its new owners.

Low Quality Material

"Worrell Newspapers has a reputation in the
business for producing low quality material.
They have an enormous debt service each
year," he continued. "In order to pay for it
they increase advertising and decrease overhead.
These are steps designed to raise the paper's
income at the cost of better newspaper
service."

He said the new owners have fired veteran
editors and reporters, replacing them with
teen-agers and wives of University students.

Daniel J. Rooker, co-publisher of The Daily
Progress, said however, that he feels his news
staff is "top notch" and that some of the
departing newsmen left because of "our
grapes" at being passed over.

"Those who leave always maintain they are
more experienced than anybody else," Mr.
Rooker said.

Mr. Barry referred to Mr. Rooker's
comments as printed in Saturday's Daily
Progress "corporate bullshit, nothing unusual."