We knew it was coming, but it is still a sad day for local journalism. Hearst announced today that tomorrow will mark the final printed edition of the 146 year-old Seattle Post-Intelligencer, according to a short article on the P-I web site by reporters Dan Richman and Andrea James.
As expected, the P-I will not disappear entirely: seattlepi.com will live on as an online-only news venture with a sharply reduced staff. In a notably upbeat statement on the P-I site, Executive Producer Michelle Nicolosi, who will run the new site, promises to “break a lot of rules that newspaper web sites stick to” and says the new online P-I will “resist the urge to be sentimental about the things we’ve always done.” Nicolosi says the new site will have columns from “dozens of prominent local leaders” in tandem with a focus on local and breaking news. She also implies that the site will rely heavily on wire service content, at least initially.
The Seattle Times publisher Frank Blethen just issued a statement on the new move, which describes Hearst’s move to close the P-I as “unfortunate, but understandable” and indicates that the Times will not attempt to contest Hearst’s move to end the joint operating agreement between the two papers. The full Times statement is below.
Statement from Frank Blethen,
Publisher and CEO of The Seattle Times Company
On the announcement by Hearst Corporation that it will close the Seattle P-I
The Hearst Corporation’s announcement that it is closing the Seattle P-I is unfortunate, but understandable, given the significant losses that both newspapers have experienced as a result of the Joint Operating Agreement.
Though The Seattle Times and the Seattle P-I have been fiercely competitive, we find no joy in the loss of any journalistic voice. Today’s announcement is an acknowledgement that in the current economy it is a struggle for even a single newspaper to be profitable and impossible for multiple papers in a single market.
An end to the JOA gives The Seattle Times the best opportunity to be viable long term, but, short term, weathering this recession will still be a significant challenge. Even without the JOA, The Seattle Times must continue to achieve additional efficiencies and cost savings in order to weather this very difficult time and emerge with a sustainable business model for the future.
We know that there is – and will continue to be – a strong demand for the journalism and community service that newspapers provide. As the largest daily newspaper in Washington state and the Web site with the largest local audience, we remain hopeful that The Seattle Times will be able to serve the community with journalism of distinction for many generations to come whether in print, online, or in new platforms not yet imagined.
