Wave of newspapers outsourcing printing

As the new year gets underway, a host of newspaper companies are moving to outsource their printing operations. A number of the papers making the change are owned by Gannett. 

These recent changes come on the heels of printing moves or planned moves at the Miami Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer, Hartford Courant and elsewhere.

• The printing facility of the Gannett-owned Courier-Journal in Louisville will be shuttered in March, the paper reported. Printing of the paper will take place at the Gannett-owned Indianapolis Star and Knoxville News Sentinel, the paper said. The change will mean 102 jobs lost, the paper said. 

• The Gannett-owned Jackson Sun (Tennessee) and sister paper the Memphis Commercial Appeal are moving printing to the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi, starting Feb. 1, the Jackson Sun reported. Around 23 workers will be affected in the move. With the addition of these two papers, the Jackson, Mississippi, plant will handle seven dailies. 

• The Gannett-owned Register-Guard (Eugene, Oregon) is moving its printing to the Columbian Publishing Company in Vancouver, Washington, and is shuttering its production facilities in Eugene, the paper reported. The change is happening in March and will affect 49 full-time and part-time workers. 

• Times Publishing, publisher of the Tampa Bay Times, is outsourcing printing of its papers beginning in March, the paper reported. The company will shutter its production facility in St. Petersburg. 
Times Publishing has a deal with Gannett to print the Tampa Bay Times at Gannett’s plant in Lakeland, Florida.
Some 90 full-time and 60 part-time employees will lose their jobs in the move, according to the paper. Gannett said it plans to add jobs in Lakeland, which could go to some of the Times workers, the paper said.

• Forum Communications is moving printing of The Forum, The Jamestown Sun, Grand Forks Herald and Agweek from The Forum building in Fargo to the Forum Communications plant in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, the Jamestown Sun reported. The shuttering of The Forum’s press will affect 21 full-time and 14 part-time workers, the paper said. 

More news
• Alden Global Capital is angling toward total ownership of Tribune Publishing, The New York Times and others reported. Not everyone is welcoming the effort, the New York Post and others reported. 

• Wisconsin-based Quad/Graphics is closing three printing plants, in Oklahoma City; Nashville, and Fernley, Nevada, Milwaukee Business Journal reported Dec. 18. The closings will affect 650 employees. In 2020, Quad closed plants in Taunton, Massachusetts; Charlotte, North Carolina; Portland, Oregon; and Riverside, California. Those closures resulted in 1,100 job cuts.

• The Chesterton Tribune (Indiana) has ended its print run. A note from co-publisher David Canwright offered perspective and thanks. The paper’s website future was under discussion as of mid-December, CBS Chicago said. 

• More happenings were reported in the ongoing legal battle between the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Las Vegas Sun.

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