In Bastion of Evening Papers, Another Mass. Daily Goes A.M.

By: Mark Fitzgerald In Massachusetts, evening dailies still outnumber morning papers by nearly 2-1. Come July 12, though, another long-time afternoon paper will switch completely to morning publication.

Since last April, the Sentinel & Enterprise (Click for QuikCap) in Fitchburg has published an early morning single-copy edition that hits stores and newsracks by 5 a.m. In a note to readers in today's paper, Publisher Asa Cole and Editor Jeff McMenemy said the early edition has been so successful, they've decided to convert the paper entirely to morning publication. The Sentinel & Enterprise is owned by Dean Singleton's MediaNews Group.

Starting July 12, the paper will be delivered to homes by 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday and by 7 a.m. on Sunday. "We want you to be able to read the paper when you have the time to read it," the executives said in the readers' note. "If that's in the morning, you now have that choice. If you still want to wait until the afternoon to read us, you can. Our deadlines won't change at all. You'll just get your news earlier."

According to the Editor & Publisher International Year Book, 20 papers in Massachusetts, including the Sentinel & Enterprise, are published on an evening cycle; 11 are published mornings; and one, the Taunton Daily Gazette, is officially all-day.