The economic shutdown is drying up ad revenues for local news publications, thus accelerating their decline. Morgan Phillips at Fox:
In Pittsburgh, Tribune Total Media combined its two print editions into one and laid off much of its staff. Other Pittsburgh papers implored readers to give donations, while the 175-year-old daily newspaper the Pittsburgh Catholic on Friday ceased publication and terminated all employees. “Coronavirus is a jagoff,” Pittsburgh City Newspaper said, referring to the pandemic with a local insult, as it launched a membership campaign to keep its newsroom open.
In D.C., Washingtonian magazine laid off all of its fellows, mostly recent journalism graduates, and instituted a 10 percent pay cut for staffers making above $40,000.
The Portland Mercury in Oregon and The Stranger in Seattle both suspended their print editions and laid off dozens of staffers.
“Ninety percent of The Stranger’s revenue comes from people being able to gather in public — in rock clubs, theaters, museums, restaurants, bars, etc. — and many of our advertisers are shutting down operations,” The Stranger said in a release.
In the southwest, three sister papers — Sacramento News & Review, Chico News & Review, and the Reno News & Review — laid off nearly all staff and suspended print publishing.