Block Communications, Inc. and the Block family are saddened to announce that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette plans to publish its final edition and cease operations on May 3.
Over the past 20 years, Block Communications has lost more than $350 million in cash operating the Post-Gazette. Despite those efforts, the realities facing local journalism make continued cash losses at this scale no longer sustainable.
Recent court decisions would require the Post-Gazette to operate under a 2014 labor contract that imposes on the Post-Gazette outdated and inflexible operational practices unsuited for today’s local journalism.
We deeply regret the impact this decision will have on Pittsburgh and the surrounding region. The Block family is proud of the service the Post-Gazette has provided to Pittsburgh for nearly a century and will exit with their dignity intact.
Neil Brown | President
Poynter
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will shut down on May 3 after nearly 240 years of operation, the company announced Wednesday. This is tragic for those who live in the communities of Pittsburgh and who should be able to have numerous independent, useful sources of local information, news and opinions.
It’s a tragedy for the journalists who, amid an almost unthinkable labor feud, have been thwarted from providing service to the people of Pittsburgh. Be it strong editorial writing, coverage of the Steelers and the Pirates or the incredible Pulitzer-winning coverage of the horrible mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue, the Post-Gazette has been an essential part of the fabric of Pittsburgh.
The journalists and the Block family can and should take enormous pride in their service to Pittsburgh. As the owners of an independent news organization, we at Poynter deeply appreciate what that takes. We are also heartbroken to see local, family ownership be unable to continue in providing local news. Nelson Poynter used to say that every community deserves a newspaper that loves it best.
Lastly, I don’t believe this announcement should be so easily conflated with the narrative of loss that too often defines the local news business environment. Yes, metro papers face particular and at times steep climbs in gaining the audience and revenue needed to pay for journalism. But the situation in Pittsburgh has been a tumultuous hot mess for years and the erratic nature of the ownership family in grappling with its labor issues has been well documented. So like with most good journalism stories, the reality isn’t easily pegged, and we shouldn’t buy into tropes or convenient conclusions.
For many years now, local TV, public media and digital news sites have innovated or pushed through difficult business pressures to continue to find ways to serve audiences. And most communities the size of Pittsburgh still have credible independent sources of news and advertising. I’m hopeful that other publishers and media entities and some newcomers will emerge to provide more good and trusted local information in Pittsburgh.
Dean Ridings | President and CEO
America's Newspapers
As we face the closing of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, we are reminded of the vital role local journalism plays in our communities. This loss is not just a setback for the industry, but an even bigger blow to the citizens of Pittsburgh who rely on trusted reporting to stay informed. It also underscores the need for ongoing innovation as the news media model continues to evolve.
Jeff Jarvis | Director (emeritus)
Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism
Losing a storied paper of long history is a damned shame, all the more so because it could have been avoided if Block had followed the example from other companies in other markets — for example, in Alabama, New Jersey, and most recently Atlanta — to recognize that there is life and profit after the internet and after print. Political ideology and a lack of strategic foresight and vision got in the way and now another great city is one paper poorer.
Nancy Lane | CEO Emeritus
Local Media Association | Local Media Foundation
This is devastating news and should sound alarm bells all over the country. There must be a digital strategy to replace print. We’re seeing that play out in Atlanta with a well thought out plan that the AJC likely worked on for many years. We need resources in Pittsburgh to quickly fill this void. It’s a sad day.
Tim Franklin | Professor and John M. Mutz Chair in Local News
Medill
Even during these challenging times for local news, the closure of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is an earthquake for the industry.
First, the closure of a major regional newspaper is still quite rare. This may be the first time in a decade that a major metro newspaper has shuttered, after The Tampa Tribune ceased publication in 2016. That alone makes this an eye-popping development.
Unfortunately, this also continues the trend we saw emerge in a big way last year of independent, family-owned newspapers throwing in the towel. This is troubling because those local, independent owners are exactly the ones we want to keep. They have deep ties to the community — the Blocks have owned the PG for almost a century — and they know the residents, the culture, the history and the institutions there. That makes this development both sad and worrisome.
I understand the protracted labor dispute played a role in this situation. So, some may say the PG’s closure is an anomaly, and I hope it is. But the fact that the family assessed its own situation and the broader economics of the industry and then saw closure as the only option is absolutely jarring.
Dan Kennedy | Professor
School of Journalism, Northeastern University
I’m not aware of any major city in the country that has lost its only daily paper. I realize that the Tribune-Review will still be around, but I understand that it’s focused mainly on the suburbs and is digital-only. The Post-Gazette was always regarded as one of our great dailies. David Shribman, a distinguished Boston Globe alumnus, served with distinction as the Post-Gazette’s editor before his retirement. Given that Block Communications announced that the paper will continue to be published until May, I hope that means there’s time for someone to step forward and acquire this vital civic institution. If that doesn’t happen, maybe someone will launch a large nonprofit along the lines of The Baltimore Banner. These are tough times for the newspaper business, but this goes way beyond what we’ve seen elsewhere.
William Cotter | President & CEO
PA NewsMedia Association/MANSI Media
The announced closure of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is undeniably significant, and it will be felt by the communities the paper has long served. At the same time, it does not signal the collapse of news in Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth’s news ecosystem remains broad and resilient, supported by hundreds of independent print and digital outlets that continue to report aggressively on local and statewide issues every day.
Pennsylvania’s news organizations are covering courts, schools, local and state government, business, public safety, and the daily realities of life in our communities. They innovate, launch new products, and expand reach even in a challenging economic climate. Competition among local outlets remains active, and new entrants continue to emerge to fill gaps when they appear.
The loss of any newsroom is serious, and the structural pressures facing the industry are real. But across the state, news organizations and journalists are still doing the work, holding institutions and officials accountable, informing the public, and sustaining the democratic function of a free press. That core mission in Pennsylvania remains, and PNA will continue to assist and advocate for news organizations across the commonwealth as they fulfill their critical constitutional role.
Joshua Benton | Nieman Lab
One of the country’s oldest newspapers, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, says it’s shutting down in May. Not going digital-only — just closing. But the delayed closure could also spur some long-delayed action.
READ this article in Nieman Lab:
Will Pittsburgh become America’s most important city without a newspaper?
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