The economic struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic have apparently been the final nail for some local community newspapers.
Postmedia, Canada's largest newspaper chain, announced Tuesday that it will permanently shutter 15 community papers across Ontario and Manitoba. Five Windsor-Essex papers are on the list; the Lakeshore News, LaSalle Post, Tecumseh Shoreline Week, Tilbury Times, and the Kingsville Reporter.
Postmedia spokesperson Phyllise Gelfand confirmed that the five papers are on the list of closures. Roughly 30 people will be permanently laid off.
"Shutting down a publication is never our first choice," said Gelfand. "These are low-circulation publications. All but two of them free weeklies and were not profitable."
Matt Weingarden, the editor of the Lakeshore News, confirmed via Facebook to Blackburn News that the closures are taking place, and that he and his staff will be unemployed.
"I'm devastated," said Weingarden. "This leaves a huge void in the coverage of local content. It's a massive hit to all local municipal news."
Gelfand did not go into specifics as to why the papers are being shuttered, but an internal letter obtained by several news organizations, and shown on the Twitter account for Canadaland, said that the pandemic-fueled economic downturn is forcing the company to make painful choices.
"Team, these decisions are the most difficult, and are only taken after all options have been explored," read the memo. "And the measures we are taking today are all focused on putting our company in the best possible position to emerge from the current crisis and move ahead on our strategy."
May 4 has been set as the final date for publication.
In addition to the paper closures, 50 other employees, mostly in sales, are being furloughed, and all employees with at least an annual salary of $60,000 are being asked to take wage cuts.
Postmedia also owns the Windsor Star and the London Free Press.
