Alt-weeklies, other papers struggle with economic fallout

Time will tell the extent to which daily and weekly papers of all sizes see furloughs, pay cuts, layoffs and other fallout in the COVID-19 crisis. Many papers have closed their offices to the public. 

Alt-weeklies are among those hit hard and early by the economic effects of the epidemic. Below are just a few headlines on the fallout.

• The Voice Media Group, which owns Denver Westword, Phoenix New Times, Houston Press, Dallas Observer, Miami New Times and Broward New Times, is instituting a pay drop, HuffPost reported.

• Seattle’s The Stranger paper has stopped printing and laid off 18 staffers. In St. Louis, the Riverfront Times laid off the bulk of its employees and temporarily suspended its print edition. The Portland Mercury laid off 10 employees, HuffPost reported.

• News & Review papers in Sacramento and Chico, California, and Reno, Nevada, are suspending publication and laying off staff. CEO and majority owner Jeff vonKaenel told the Sacramento Business Journal that he hoped this is a temporary setback, “but who knows, frankly,” he said. The paper is seeking donations.

• Michigan-based C&G Newspapers has temporarily suspended publication of its 19 print newspapers, starting with the March 25 issues. The company plans to restart its print editions in two to four weeks, Editorial Director Gregg Demers said in a letter on Twitter.

• The Providence Business News in Rhode Island emailed subscribers to inform them it will suspend its print edition temporarily, the Boston Business Journal reported.  During the outbreak, the paper has lifted its subscriber-only pay wall.

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