The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a harsh toll on news media in the Pittsburgh region including layoffs, suspension of print editions and, in at least one case, permanent closure.
All of the moves are tied to a significant loss of advertising revenues for publishing outlets in the last couple weeks as businesses were shuttered, and sports and cultural events came to a grinding halt.
Trib Total Media on Monday combined its two print editions — the Westmoreland edition based in Greensburg, and the Valley News Dispatch based in Tarentum — into one edition saying it is “confronting serious losses during the coronavirus pandemic.”
The publishing company also laid off staff on Friday.
In a statement to readers published in Monday’s edition, Jennifer Bertetto, president and chief executive, said the combination of its editions “is a temporary adjustment in reaction to extraordinary circumstances.”
Newspapers across the U.S. — which in recent years have experienced dramatic downsizing as readers flock to digital news — have seen ad revenues plummet by 20 to 30% in the last two weeks compared with a year ago, according to a report from the International News Media Association.
While news about the global crisis surrounding the coronavirus has driven more readers to media websites, “Print advertising will likely see a more detrimental impact from reduced advertising spend in the next 18 months,” Ken Harding, a senior managing director and publishing expert at FTI Consulting in Denver, Colo., wrote in a post for the news media association’s website.
Many news publications, including the Post-Gazette, are offering free access to their digital coverage of the COVID-19 crisis.
Ms. Bertetto did not mention layoffs at Trib Total Media in her message to readers and could not be reached for comment.
Some reporters from the Trib’s news, sports and lifestyle sections announced in social media postings they had lost their jobs.
The layoffs included some people who provided content for the company’s digital marketing agency, 535media.
Among those laid off was Seth Rorabaugh, who covered the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Trib’s newspapers.
Mr. Rorabaugh said he was not surprised by the move given the precarious state of the publishing industry and the fact that so many sporting events, including National Hockey League games, have been canceled in recent weeks.
“I just kind of figured that with the industry right now, anyone covering sports could be facing something like that,” he said.
Mr. Rorabaugh said he did not know the total number of Trib staffers laid off but said many covered sports, including high-school teams whose seasons have been placed on hiatus as schools remain closed.
Two alternative news publications, Pittsburgh Current and Pittsburgh City Paper, are appealing to readers to make donations to fund their operations.
“We’re just trying to strategize how to get through this,” said Charlie Deitch, publisher and editor of Pittsburgh Current, which has suspended its bi-weekly print edition indefinitely.
Its next edition, set to publish Tuesday, will appear in digital format only, said Mr. Deitch, who is also the majority owner of the publication based in Beechview.
The bulk of its revenue is generated by ads for entertainment events and it typically distributes between 15,000 and 20,000 free papers throughout the city.
Besides losing advertising dollars, Mr. Deitch said circulation of the print edition was likely to fall dramatically because it is placed in coffee shops and other retail venues that have been closed in an effort to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
“We don’t see the point of putting papers out that no one will see,” he said.
For now, no cutbacks are planned for the Current staff, which includes three editorial employees and two advertising sales representatives, said Mr. Deitch. It also has a pool of freelancers who contribute content.
In a fundraising pitch on its website last week, Mr. Deitch said 80% of all donations would go toward staff costs and “20% will keep the lights on.”
“Alternative [papers] are dying like crazy,” he said in a phone interview. “We’re looking for the kindness of folks.”
Mr. Deitch, who is working from home, said with the lack of cultural events to cover, the Current will produce more stories about “what’s going on in our isolation … and how to deal with it.”
The publication also maintains a news partnership with the Pennsylvania Capital-Star to share breaking news about COVID-19, political news and other reports.
In a letter published on its website last week, City Paper’s editor Lisa Cunningham said that publication was launching a membership campaign to stem the weekly paper’s losses.
While alt-publications are shuttering print editions nationwide, she wrote, “We’re going to keep ours going as long as we’re able.”
City Paper, which like the Current relies mainly on advertising from events, downsized its Downtown office space recently to save money and it hopes to avoid layoffs, said Ms. Cunningham. Its full-time staff includes 20 writers, editors, artists and salespeople.
On Friday, the Pittsburgh Catholic terminated 10 employees and said the 175-year-old weekly newspaper will cease publication.
The paper had a circulation of roughly 83,000 and relied heavily on revenue from individual parishes that distributed it at churches. About half its budget was generated by advertising.
With all public Masses in the Diocese of Pittsburgh suspended indefinitely since last week, the paper’s readership would have dropped by 60%.
Joyce Gannon: jgannon@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1580.
First Published: March 23, 2020, 7:03 p.m.
