Herald may outsource printing

But change could tighten deadlines

Boston Herald publisher Patrick Purcell has held talks to print his newspaper elsewhere, which could free up his 6 acres of South End land for development but lead to layoffs and pose geographic challenges for the paper.

Purcell had previously disclosed his discussions with Dow Jones & Co. to use its plant in Chicopee, at least 90 miles west of Boston, though a Dow Jones manager there, Leo Leone, said those talks are still at an early stage.

Yesterday, The Boston Globe confirmed it also had met with Purcell but ultimately decided not to complete a deal similar to ones it already has to print newspapers including The Patriot Ledger of Quincy and The Enterprise of Brockton.

"We appreciated the opportunity to consider printing the Herald but, in the end, determined that making that commitment was not in our best interests at this time," said Globe publisher P. Steven Ainsley.

Purcell referred questions to a Herald spokeswoman, Gwen Gage, who would say only, "We are having discussions with several vendors about outsourcing production" but declined to go into detail. "Pat Purcell's goal is to keep The Herald alive and make sure there are two voices in Boston," she said.

This week's edition of the Boston Business Journal reported that Purcell is close to moving to print the paper in Chicopee and, according to an unnamed union official, is eliminating the jobs of 150 printers, electricians, and other workers.

At least a half-dozen unions represent various workers at the Herald, and yesterday leaders of the largest union said they didn't have more information except that Purcell has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday. "The subject is 'the future of the Herald,' " said Tom Hiltz, administrative officer of the union that represents about 185 editorial and advertising employees.

A deal to use the Chicopee plant would put Purcell back in business with Rupert Murdoch, the press baron who bought Dow Jones from the Bancroft family last year and also owned the Herald before selling it to Purcell in 1994 to clear the way for a television station deal.

It also would add expensive trucking and fuel costs to bring the papers to the Boston area, and raise tricky logistical issues since editors would have less time to squeeze in late-breaking election results or sports scores because truck drivers would need more time to deliver papers from Chicopee to Boston.

"The real issue will be the deadlines," said Stephen Burgard, director of Northeastern University's school of journalism. "I think you'd have to factor in that one of the remaining strengths of the Herald is its sports pages, so you have to ask, will this affect their ability to deliver late scores and stories?"

Ross Kerber can be reached at kerber@globe.com.