Northpinellas: Times to begin charging for obituaries

Starting July 9, families will write their own obituaries and will be able to purchase an online guest book.

In the paper, the first seven lines of the death notice will be free; readers may choose to write longer obituaries, but they will now be charged for those additional lines.

The new format means most obituaries will become a function of the paper's advertising department, rather than its newsroom. Families will have full control of the content, including survivors and funeral arrangements. Currently, families must buy a paid notice to announce funeral arrangements.

"We see this as a win-win model, " managing editor Stephen Buckley said. "Readers will now be able to say whatever they want, within the bounds of good taste, and we'll have a new stream of revenue during these challenging economic times."

The Times is among the last major metropolitan newspapers to move in this direction.

- All obituaries will now run in the B section. Obituary pages will no longer appear in local regional sections.

- An online guest book powered by Legacy.com, which houses obituaries from 350 newspapers in the United States. Times obituaries will be available free online for 30 days.

- A new daily obituary feature, produced by one of our staff writers. The story will typically chronicle a particularly unusual or noteworthy life.

Once the new format is launched, the Times will publish an e-mail address and phone number for readers to provide feedback.

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Comments on this article

by Jim	07/02/07 08:47 AM
For years the STP used to have this conceit that could be summed up as follows: We don't run a newspaper to make money; we make money so we can run a newspaper. Looks like that's being abandoned. How sad.

by Ken	07/02/07 08:04 AM
How many of you reading this on-line FOR FREE also subscribe to the Times? That's why they are instituting new policies like this one, to help offset the loss of paying subscribers. Seems fair to me.

by Ann	07/01/07 10:58 PM
Since I am a old lady and used to live in St. Pete -- the obits keep me posted on my friends who have passed away. I thought it a wonderful service to readers and free to families

by T	07/01/07 10:56 PM
WHAT SHAME MORE MANY THAT PEOPLE CANT AFFORD FOR AN OBIT, THIS SHOULD REMAIN FREE TO FAMILIES, AND THEY SHOULD BRING DOWN THE COSTS OF IN MEMORIAMS AS WELL, MOST OF THE TIME THEY CANT GET THEM RIGHT EITHER....ITS NOT LIKE THEY DONT CHARGE ENOUGH

by Robert of Dunedin	07/01/07 10:50 PM
My Brother in law passed last Feb. in Branford Fl. The local resturant supplied the family a nice table spread FREE. A few years ago that could have happened here. Not now the area has lost it's soul of humanitdy and compassion. Now your lose yours !

by Robert of Dunedin	07/01/07 10:39 PM
Quote story: "The Times is among the last major metropolitan newspapers to move in this direction." So, instead of holding you paper up above the rest...You choose to sink to their depths. Perhaps you may "Improve" youselves out of our lives. SAD

by Liz	07/01/07 09:52 PM
Now thats America. St. Petersburg Times you have gone too far. Shame on you.

by mike	07/01/07 06:54 PM
so what if it cost a few bucks,the cost of everything keeps rising...I am sure less and less people are reading the paper all the time because of news on the internet...so the Times needs to make money to stay in business or there wont be any newspap

by Rob	07/01/07 06:21 PM
They give 7 lines free...and if you want to add something more personal you can pay to have that done. Sounds fair.

by Ken	07/01/07 06:14 PM
Criminy you are greedy people! Maybe a fee for anything over the first few lines, but to gouge your readers yet again at a time of grief - disgusting.

by anon	07/01/07 05:53 PM
People have been dying to get a new obit policy.

by Ray	07/01/07 05:34 PM
Just a thought, why not have both formats...the free obit, written by the paper, or the new type where a guest book is available and the actual obit can be written by the family.

by Chuck	07/01/07 03:48 PM
Appalling. Nelson Poynter must be spinning in his grave.

by Wade	07/01/07 02:18 PM
I don't understand all the complaining. They give 7 lines for free. Those who want to write long notices should pay for them. I don't see greed here.

by Kari	07/01/07 12:52 PM
Another CLEAR indication that the liberal newsprint media is failing miserably to sustain itself.

by John	07/01/07 12:24 PM
Our newspapers started this practice a few years ago. For just a very short one column obituary about 6" long for my father-in-law, it cost the family $250.00.

by Pat	07/01/07 12:05 PM
Since obituaries are an important source of information for genealogists, please leave them available for free for at least a year like other newspapers.

by M	07/01/07 11:44 AM
In case you missed it, the first 7 lines are still free. Honestly, much can be said in that space. Everyone wants everything free, but increasingly that is difficult to offer. But I love how all of a sudden the Times is evil and greedy. Grow up.

by BARBARA	07/01/07 11:27 AM
IF YOU NEED TO CHARGE FOR THE OBITS ...THEN YOU BEST GET THEM CORRECT. THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT DIE IN CITRUS COUNTY SEEM TO BE INFANTS.......I THINK NOT.

by Lisa	07/01/07 10:16 AM
In a word: Disgusting. The Times spends umpteen miilions on a "new and improved" design that stinks and a web site that is too convoluted to navigate half the time and now money for obits??? You are SO out of touch with your commumity!!!!!!!!!

by cheryl	07/01/07 10:10 AM
GREEEEEEDDDDYYYY St.Pete Times should be ashamed! The ONE thing you could do a grieving family, yet there has to be more money made. There isnt enough generated with all the popup ads and all the other adversments? Sad. Sad. Sad.

by Jim	07/01/07 09:59 AM
Wow. This accomplishes a few things: 1) The Times doesn't have to devote any employees to obits anymore 2) They make money off other people's deaths 3) You can write your own obituary (maybe before you die?) Win-win for everyone? Hmmm....

by Beth	07/01/07 09:39 AM
I think this is horrible. The one less worry a grieving family had has been taken away! I think I will switch newspapers for sure now!

by Mad	07/01/07 09:33 AM
"The new format means most obituaries will become a function of the paper's advertising department" YOU GUYS ARE INSANE!!!! THAT IS NOT ADVERTISING!!! I WILL NEVER BUY AN AD FROM YOU!

by jeane	07/01/07 09:29 AM
another reason I no longer pay for this rag. I can't read the print, i turned into the National Enquirer hurting people things about Crist and Sembler. Usual greed of this paper. Hope they go down the tubes. Making money off peoples heart ache.

by liz	07/01/07 09:16 AM
one step forward, two steps backward that is the Times

by Dave	07/01/07 09:13 AM
Shame on you St. Pete Times.

by Nee	07/01/07 09:00 AM
Wow! I just put a free one in last week, including a picture, but had to pay for my beloved relative's obit to run in our hometown's newspaper, which is out of town, over $100. I was glad that the Times was free at that point...

by geezer	07/01/07 08:53 AM
The first 7 lines ARE free and can now include funeral details which had to be paid for previously. Not greed. You, like me, read this paper for free online rather than buy the print edition so quit complaining. All newspapers are having problems.

by MALS	07/01/07 08:48 AM
First it was wedding and engagement announcements that you started charging for noe its obits what will be next birth announcements. OOPS didn't mean to put that idea in greedy little minds. I already HATE your new on line layout now this whats next

by Bill	07/01/07 08:30 AM
Wake up folks, but mostly every big paper in the country charges the dead for a write up in the paper. You pay when you are born, marry and have a child, so why not when you die!

by Moustache Peet	07/01/07 08:22 AM
MY Obit: I am dead have a nice day. Please send the bill to me c/o Forest Lawn plot 666...

by E	07/01/07 07:43 AM
UNBELIEVABLE GREED! The St Pete Times is vulturing fee income from grieving widows and orphans now. This is disgusting. Obituaries are a public service, not a profit center. Leave obituaries the way they are now - FREE!

by rick	07/01/07 07:22 AM
it may be a revenue produced, but i have used this service and it is great, well worth the minimal expense to families. the record of online postings inresponse to the obit is a treasure! and the Times cant edit and screw up your obit anymore.

by John	07/01/07 02:42 AM
Just one more way to pull every last dollar from a grieving family.I always admired The Times for not charging for obits, but I guess greed has gotten to them as well.They will pass it off as rising printing costs,but we all know where it really goes