
The recent announcement by the Cedar Rapids Gazette that it will start delivering print copies of the newspaper only three days a week beginning on Feb. 17 wasn’t a shock to media experts, but it nonetheless illustrates a stark and foreboding change in news delivery.
The Gazette is locally owned by Folience, a diversified employee-owned company based in Cedar Rapids, and has carried on the local ownership tradition from the Joe Hladky family, who had previously owned the media company for generations. This continued local ownership has enabled it to stand out among other daily newspapers that have been degraded by ownership of national media chains like Gannett and Lee Enterprises.
Around the same time, it was announced that the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald daily newspaper will also begin printing only three days per week. Additionally, the Gannett-owned Iowa City Press-Citizen newspaper announced that it will no longer offer traditional print delivery services; rather, subscribers to the print edition will receive it via the U.S. Postal Service, which means that the daily newspaper will typically arrive a day later.
The online version of The Gazette, called the Green Gazette, will continue to be “published” every day, even when there isn’t a print edition, so this change won’t impact online readers.
Regardless of how these changes are being portrayed by Gazette leaders and others, this change to three days of print delivery per week is not good news, and the Press-Citizen newspaper appears to be basically throwing in the towel.
To be clear, we appreciate The Gazette’s commitment to maintaining a dedication to local journalism, which is part of the reason they suggested that eliminating other costs, like delivery, will enable them to maintain high journalism standards.
Unfortunately, one of the strongest components of daily printed and delivered newspapers is the habit they have nurtured in individuals and families over decades.
Changing habits is not easy, and we’re afraid some media consumers who have depended on printed daily newspapers as their primary local media news will not only be less informed with these changes, but will abandon the daily newspaper altogether.
Adapting to the changing media landscape is essential for any media company, and while digital media is enveloping much of traditional media, locally-owned media companies are still incredibly important.
There are vibrant locally-owned media companies like KZIA Radio, Folience, and the Corridor Media Group, which publishes the Corridor Business Journal. They continue to play an important role in the regional economy.
This is a critical juncture for some local media companies. Support them now by becoming a paid subscriber, listener or advertiser. It is important for the future of the region.