So much for competition

Four newspapers are going to turn into four newspapers. Why is that bad? Because they'll all be part of one company. The Arkansas Democrat Gazette and Stephens Media's northwest Arkansas newspapers are merging. That means the Daily Record, the Northwest Arkansas Times and both editions of the Morning News will be part of one big happy family. Here's what you can expect:

1) The first thing that will happen is layoffs. I know it doesn't seem like it, because there will still be the same number of newspapers. But the Daily Record and Morning News both have a reporter at Rogers meetings, Bentonville meetings, Benton County meetings. They both have a school reporter and a government reporter. They won't need two of everything anymore.

Because all the newspapers are at bare bones minimums, we're not looking at 50% layoffs. Some unfilled positions will be filled again, but there could be 30%, 35% or even 40% layoffs. Not good for an economy on the rebound.

2) There will only be one news story for each event. That means only one voice. Often, the Morning News will print one side of an issue, while the Daily Record prints another, giving readers of both papers a more complete picture. Say goodbye to that.

3) People in suits will put more money in their pockets. Talking to people at the papers' staff meetings revealed one thing — the merger was presented as a victory. That might be true ... at least to the 60% who keep their jobs. Those who are "lucky" enough to stick around may finally start getting the raises they've been promised.

Business owners in northwest Arkansas: Open your hearts, not just your wallets, and take in those public servants who poured their souls into a dying institution in the hopes of creating a better community by informing the public. To be unceremoniously dumped by their newspapers and the communities to which they dedicated themselves would be to call their work irrelevant.