Times-Picayune to Only Print Three Times a Week

Times-Picayune, one of the oldest newspapers in the nation, will only print three times a week beginning this fall. By doing so, New Orleans effectively becomes the largest city without a newspaper that runs seven days a week. Additionally, three other papers owned by Advance Publications, The Birmingham News, the Press-Register in Mobile, and The Huntsville Times, will cut down to three days, as well.

After all is said and done, the newspaper will only run print editions on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Although the Times-Picayune won the Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005, the recession, as well as competition from numerous online news outlets, has forced the company’s hand. Lay-offs are expected, though no details surrounding the cutbacks have been announced as of this writing. Currently, the Times-Picayune has one of the highest circulations when compared to other large-market papers.

Anne Milling, a member of the Times-Picayune advisory board, is extremely saddened by the news, so much so that she and other backers are currently considering starting another daily newspaper. “We always do things differently,” Milling stated. “It’s part of our tradition: You wake up with a cup of chicory coffee and read the newspaper.”

Found by Francis Lumsden and George Wilkins Kendall in 1837, the paper was originally called The Picayune, named after a Spanish coin which also served as its price. After her husband died in 1876, Eliza Jane Nicholson inherited the publication, which was facing some financial issues at the time. In order to help reinvigorate the newspaper, writers began to introduce articles devoted to society, children, and women, which effectively tripled its circulation. In 1914, The Picayune merged with its rival Times-Democrat, becoming The Times-Picayune in the process.

People are clearly saddened by the cutbacks, as evidenced by the amount of heavy-hearted posts currently popping up on Twitter. Have a look at some of these reactions below.