Newspaper to Shut Down 41-Year-Old Press, Outsource
ERIE, PA—The Erie Times-News has decided to obtain its printing and packaging services from a third-party vendor and will shut down its in-house print shop as opposed to updating its presses, which are more than 40 years old. Rosanne Cheeseman, president and publisher of the family-owned daily newspaper, said the move was in the best long-term interests of the company.
Cheeseman stressed it would take millions of dollars to maintain or replace its printing and packaging equipment. The company has had printing capabilities for 90 years, but Cheeseman pointed out that more than 50 newspapers nationwide had closed their printing plants since the beginning of 2009.
The newspaper expects to switch over to a still-undetermined third-party printing and packaging provider sometime during the third quarter of 2011.