Four Michigan Newspapers Eliminate Daily Editions

Four newspapers in Michigan are cutting out their daily print editions and shifting to less cost-intensive schedules. One is shutting down completely and being replaced with a new online-driven alternative.

The Ann Arbor News, in publication for 174 years, will print its final issue in July. After that time, its owner, Advance Publications, plans to unveil a standalone printing company that will release two issues a week, along with a Web-only publication that will deliver news at AnnArbor.com. All of the paper’s 272 employees will lose their jobs but will be “invited” to apply at the new operations. The number of available positions, however, is expected to be far fewer than the current staff’s size.

The other three papers undergoing transformations are The Flint Journal, The Saginaw News, and The Bay City Times — also all owned by Advance Publications. Each of those publications will begin going to print only on Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The staffs will be cut down by 35 percent as a result, The New York Times reports.

Advance Publications is also instituting two-week unpaid furloughs for its employees as well as pay cuts across most of its newspaper properties.

Advance is the parent company of Wired publisher Conde Nast.