Politics & Government

Spat Between Borough Newspaper Publishers Continues

"What's On" publisher asks borough commissioners if its rival, "Haddonfield Sun," will publish Haddonfield's newsletter for free.

The very public scrum between What's On Haddonfield and the Haddonfield Sun, two weekly newspapers distributed in the borough, continues to rage on.

Borough commissioners will likely get an update today on one last-gasp effort by What's On Publisher, David Hunter to one-up the Sun. The Sun beat out What's On with a low bid of $7,800 in August to publish the borough newsletter in a paid advertisements 26 times over a year, $1,300 less than Hunter.

It was a coup for the Sun because Hunter came up with an unsolicited redesign concept for the newsletter, Municipal Matters, and pitched it to the commissioners after he lost a bid over the summer to write the newsletter. Suasion Communications Group won that bid for $3,900 to write 26 newsletters. Suasion also has a contract with the borough's tax-funded business improvement district, the Partnership for Haddonfield, which pays it $2,400 a month for media services.

Find out what's happening in Haddonfield-Haddon Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Last month, Hunter asked the borough commissioners, Haddonfield's highest elected officials, to reopen the bidding. He thought published reports about what he was going to charge hurt the competitiveness of his final bid, officials said. The commissioners refused to reopen the process, but agreed to ask the Sun if it would publish the newsletter for free, because both publications agreed to do so if the other did.

News on the final outcome may come this evening at a commissioner's work session. Commissioners discuss policy at work sessions but do not vote on resolutions or ordinances. The meeting is at 5 p.m. at the Municipal Hall.

Find out what's happening in Haddonfield-Haddon Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Commissioners Tish Colombi and Ed Borden were previously in favor of awarding Hunter a contract to publish Municipal Matters in 26 issues of his paper over the next year. But Commissioner, Jeff Kasko convinced Colombi and Borden to seek a bid from the Sun. Hunter's price was $9,100 to publish the newsletter twice a month for 26 weeks, $1,300 more than the Sun.

Hunter had previously said the Sun is only interested in wresting away business he has with the borough. The Sun's publishers have responded to the criticisms with columns noting it gave away the money it earned writing Municipal Matters over the last year to local charities. Borden previously called the Sun's performance over the last year a "colossal failure."

Hunter had written and published the newsletter for nearly two decades before the Sun won the contract last year.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here