Further damage to result from automaker contraction

I had posted about the effect on dealerships here.  I posted shortly on how the loss of dealerships would effect already troubled local and state government balance sheets here.

Yet another area is likely to suffer dramatically with the closing of a large percentage (20%?) of auto dealerships in the coming 13 months (Bloomberg article, found at Naked Capitalism):

“Local television stations get 25 percent or more of their advertising from automakers, dealers, and dealer associations…”

And how about the already-in-decline print media (Sam Zell’s recently-bankrupted Tribune Co. would be one good example of an early casualty perhaps, though Tribune owns local other media outlets beyond print)?  Can we expect smaller papers and even some larger ones, like Tribune’s LA Times, to survive with a major decline in automotive industry advertising?

Will tomorrow’s auto bailout announcement attempt to reconcile the impossible demands of making the Detroit Three self-sufficient as well as saving their employees and affiliated businesses…  and their contribution to the economy?

Regardless, the consequences of this bailout will shape out over the coming year and things will not be anything like the way they are now.  Those in the automotive industry (and I know and have worked with some of you):  You might want to consider taking time to prepare yourself for a painful occupational transition.

… and the cow goes moo