YAKIMA — The Yakima Herald-Republic will reduce its print publication schedule to three days a week starting April 1, managers of the central Washington newspaper announced Tuesday.
The Herald-Republic will publish print editions only on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, although it will publish electronically every day of the week.
“Some will undoubtedly point to this as proof the Yakima Herald-Republic is dying, but they’re wrong. Our digital audiences are growing and we’re changing to meet their needs,” Executive Editor Greg Halling wrote to readers.
“Our newsgathering capacity won’t be reduced, and neither will the size of our newsroom staff. In fact, we’re positioned to grow,” Halling wrote.
The Kitsap Sun in Bremerton, owned by Gannett, announced earlier this month that it would stop printing a Saturday edition of the daily newspaper beginning March 26.
The Yakima newspaper, owned by The Seattle Times Co., blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for exacerbating the years-long decline in advertising revenues that newspapers across the country have suffered.
“When the COVID-19 pandemic slammed into Central Washington, it hit local businesses hard, causing them to cut back even more on advertising,” Halling wrote. “That forced us to reduce our spending as well, but we committed to keeping our newsroom intact. “
In addition to the three print editions, subscribers will continue to receive unlimited access to yakimaherald.com and the YHR app, Halling wrote.
