
The Gazette has announced plans to move to a new print publication schedule, under which the newspaper will produce a print edition only on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The change will take effect Monday, Feb. 17, according to an email sent to Gazette subscribers Tuesday and a story posted to the newspaper’s website.
“Publishing a newspaper every day has long been a point of pride throughout our 142-year history,” said the email, signed by Gazette president Kelly Homewood and executive editor Zack Kucharski. “But significant changes in user habits and financial realities have been evolving in Iowa – and across the country. The costs of producing and delivering the print edition continues to increase while the number of readers consuming or advertising in print have been declining. While we’ve been able to weather these changes longer than hundreds of other newspapers across the country, we’re not immune from needing to make bold adjustments to remain financially sustainable and being able [to] provide the level of trusted journalism that helps Eastern Iowa thrive.”
The change will impact both home-delivery newspapers and single-copy newspapers sold at retail locations, according to the announcement.
Ms. Homewood said the decision was made as part of the company’s evaluation of its long-term financial outlook.
“When we looked at the strategic plan for sustainability, we looked at the next three- to five-year window, so we made sure that when we made these adjustments, it was to sustain our business model over the next three to five years,” Ms. Homewood said. “Of course, we understand that there are some of our subscribers that don’t like to read digitally, so that’s why we have held off on this decision for as long as we have. We want to protect all of our subscribers, but it’s just to a point where we have to make this decision.”
The Gazette will continue providing daily news updates through “a curated edition of the Green Gazette Daily Digital Edition – the digital version of a newspaper – and online at TheGazette.com,” and the company’s e-newsletters and digital app will also continue, the announcement indicates.
Of note, Mr. Kucharski said the Green Gazette will continue to be produced daily in a print-oriented format, meaning that daily e-edition readers may not notice a significant change under the new production model.
Subscription rates under the new publication model will not change. “We are continuing to cover and produce news stories every day – and the real costs of this work will continue,” the announcement said. “Additionally, providing home delivery three days per week still includes significant expense.”
Some subscription models will change under the new model, as detailed in the announcement:
- Current Sunday-only, Weekend (Saturday-Sunday) subscribers and digital-only subscribers will not see a change to their subscription package.
- Current 7-day print subscribers will automatically be converted to receive a print paper on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays and will have full access to the Green Gazette Daily Digital Edition seven days per week.
- Current 6-day print subscribers (Monday-Saturday) will automatically be converted to receive Wednesday and Saturday print with Green Gazette daily digital access.
Some current Gazette features will also be moved to new days under the new print publication schedule, such as moving the Hoopla entertainment section to Wednesdays, “a move that also gives you more time to plan weekend activities,” according to the announcement.
“We’ll continue to publish obituaries every day, and you’ll be able to print off games and crossword puzzles on days when there isn’t a print newspaper produced,” the announcement says.
Mr. Kucharski also said the newspaper doesn’t plan to significantly add or subtract newspaper features as part of the transition.
Ms. Homewood noted that company leaders are aware of the potential impact of the decision on longtime print subscribers, but that initial feedback on the change was generally positive as subscribers understand the need for the newspaper to remain financially viable.
She also said that while some employees may be cut in the newspaper’s distribution channels, the move was designed to prioritize the newspaper’s journalistic mission.
“We aren’t losing audience,” she said. “We’re actually gaining audience (through digital platforms).”
In the announcement, Mr. Kucharski and Ms. Homewood said further updates would be provided as the transition nears, and pointed readers to thegazette.com/digitaledition for more information and instructions on the changes.
“We thank you for your commitment to supporting local news and your continued subscription to The Gazette,” the announcement says. “Supporting a local news source like ours helps our region thrive. Studies have shown communities with strong local media outlets have higher levels of voting and civic engagement than those who don’t. The studies also show strong local media outlets reduce misinformation and polarization, while also reducing public and private corruption. Your continued subscription makes this work possible … As employee owners, we value our relationship as a trusted source of community news and the role we play in your daily routine. While we may be modifying how we’re delivering the news, our commitment to providing unparalleled coverage of Eastern Iowa is as strong as ever. We ask for your patience and support as we roll out these changes.”
Similar changes have been made, or are in the process of being made, at general-circulation newspapers across the country, many of which have reduced the frequency of print publication or, in some cases, have stopped producing a print edition altogether.
The Dubuque Telegraph-Herald recently announced that they would also be reducing print publication to three days a week – on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays – beginning Feb. 15.