By: Joe Strupp The Capital Times in Madison, Wis., took the plunge that many in the industry have been anticipating would occur somewhere: becoming the first paper to drop its daily print edition and place all breaking news on the Web.
Although the afternoon paper will continue to provide print news in two weekly publications, the vast majority of its daily news will be posted online. "It is hard to be an afternoon daily newspaper in the world of 24/7 television and the Internet," Associate Editor John Nichols tells E&P. "It is hard to keep fresh and current."
The 90-year-old daily, which had competed with the morning Wisconsin State Journal, published its last daily print edition on April 26. In a new agreement, the Journal will distribute a Capital Times weekly entertainment guide and a separate weekly news and opinion product. But the Times' future is clearly on the Web, marked initially by some recent staff changes. Some 24 news people lost jobs through buyouts and layoffs, while about seven new hires were completed in Web and art-related areas. Editors did not let the departing newsies go without being recognized, devoting significant space both in the final print edition and on the Web site to profiles and photos of all 24 former employees.
"Some of these people's work at the paper stretches across 30 and 40 years. Others arrived more recently," the tribute stated. "They represent every corner of our newsroom and the place will be quite a bit emptier without them."
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