YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Pittsburgh will become one of the largest major cities in America without a daily printed newspaper when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette closes this spring.
Block Communications Inc. and the Block family issued a news release Jan. 8 announcing that the Post Gazette – which published its first edition in July 1786 as the Pittsburgh Gazette – would publish its last edition and cease operations May 8.
The development, almost unthinkable in the not-so-distant past but increasingly commonplace, is part of a troubling trend, as newspapers struggle to cope with the economics of a changing industry landscape. Since 2005, the number of local newspapers is down nearly 40%, according to Northwestern University’s State of Local News 2025.
Newspapers have occupied a unique place in American life since before the nation’s founding. They cover local governments, school boards and other aspects of contemporary life and culture that other media organizations often ignore.
The Post-Gazette’s 1786 ancestor was the first newspaper west of the Allegheny mountains, according to the paper’s website. Its publication predates the conclusion of the Revolutionary War.
In the news release, Block Communications said it had lost more than $350 million in cash operating the Post-Gazette.
The company blamed a court ruling for its decision to close. The ruling found the company had bargained in bad faith with its reporters, who had been on strike.
Block said the ruling would force the newspaper to operate under a 2014 labor agreement that imposed “outdated and inflexible operational practices unsuited for today’s local journalism.” The requirement, Block said, would make continued operation of the newspaper unsustainable.
The news has a familiar sting in the Valley, coming about six and a half years after the Vindicator Printing Co. announced that it would cease publication of The Vindicator.
That announcement prompted a shift in the local media landscape, as new outlets entered the market and existing ones – including The Business Journal – expanded their missions.
But there are limits to what can be replicated.
Even with the best intentions, nothing can replace the legacy of an organization that has operated for more than two centuries. Inevitably, fewer news outlets means less coverage of the issues that matter, leading to a less-informed citizenry.
That should be troubling to everyone.
