Globe's Troubles Disquiet Few Harvard Students

Friday’s announcement that The Boston Globe will be shut down in early May if unions don’t agree to cost-cutting measures hasn’t fazed many members of the Harvard community.

Talk about the shutdown began after executives at The New York Times Co.—The Globe’s parent company—threatened to close the Boston newspaper if The Globe’s unions did not agree to a decrease in pay and the end of company contributions to pensions, which would total $20 million.

The announcement comes as newspapers across the country have announced cutbacks, buyout programs, and closures in response to plummeting print advertising revenue.

But many students said they did not think they would be affected if The Globe were shuttered.

“I don’t read The Boston Globe at all,” said Tara Tai ’10. “If I read the news, it’s online, and it’s from The New York Times or CNN.”

“I think it would be sad,” said Alexandra N. Alves ’11, “but I don’t think it would affect me personally.”

Other students said they do rely on The Globe for their daily news.

Benjamin L. Brinkopf ’11 toured The Boston Globe facilities as part of the Through The Gates program freshman year. Now, he says he gets his news through The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and The Globe.

But Harvard students, many of whom hail from outside the Boston area, largely expressed apathy at the prospect of losing the paper.

Anthony C. Speare ’10 said he reads The Salt Lake Tribune when at home in Utah but doesn’t read The Globe.

“I don’t identify with Boston in any sense,” he said.

Several Cambridge residents affiliated with Harvard also said the newspaper’s passing would affect them little.

Maria I. Paiva, a HUDS employee who lives in Somerville, said that while she sympathizes with the workers whose jobs are on the line, The Globe is not on her daily reading list.

Workers at local newsstands and convenience stores said they would not expect a large impact on sales were The Globe to close.

Radwan Kheireddine of C’est Bon Convenience said he expects any loss in business to be temporary.

“In the beginning, we’ll hurt a little bit,” he said. “But we’ll adjust.”