Zell gets Fine advice ...

but not so fine from a labor perspective.

We're sure Tribune drivers and pressmen wouldn't be happy at all if Zell takes Businessweek's Jon Fine's suggestion to "outsource all printing in as many markets as soon as possible. Ditto distribution."

I know, I know, there are union complications in some of your markets. But this is the least attractive part of what you've bought. You've got better, money-making things to think about these days.

Outsourcing is introduced to save time and money on human resources. It does not make more or better media products.

Rather than view organized departments of the workforce as unattractive union complications, some of our employers recognize the value in working with the unions whose members are eager to help their companies streamline and improve production, find solutions that cut costs but not quality and work together to develop new ways to address the enormous challenges facing the industry.

Some of our employers view us as the company assets we are, not unattractive parts of a recent purchase.