New Jersey’s largest daily newspaper ending print editions, but will continue online

(AP) The owner of New Jersey’s largest newspaper says it will stop publishing a daily print version of the paper early next year, but its online version will continue.

The Newark Morning Ledger Co. said the decision announced Wednesday was due to rising costs, decreasing circulation and reduced demand for print copies of the Star-Ledger. The company also said it will close its Montville production facility in February 2025, the same time the newspaper’s print version will cease.

The closing of that facility means another daily newspaper, The Jersey Journal, will cease publication on Feb. 1 after operating for 157 years.

The Jersey City-based newspaper, which is owned by the Evening Journal Association, outsourced its printing several years ago to The Star-Ledger. Journal officials said Wednesday the paper could not remain in business following the production facility’s closure, noting it would likely face increased costs with a new printer and its circulation is small and dependent on newsstand sales.

“We fought as hard as we can for as long as we could,” said David Blomquist, The Journal’s editor and publisher. “An online-only publication simply would not have enough scale to support the strong, politically independent journalism that has distinguished The Journal.”

In another related matter, Advance Local — which owns NJ Advance Media and NJ.com, the home of the Star-Ledger’s online version — announced Wednesday it’s ending print publication of two daily newspapers — The Times of Trenton and the South Jersey Times — and the weekly Hunterdon County Democrat. The two daily newspapers will continue to be published online each day.

The final print editions of the Star-Ledger, Times of Trenton and South Jersey Times will be published on Feb. 2. The final weekly print edition of the Hunterdon County Democrat will be published on Jan. 30, and its subscribers will have access to the Star-Ledger online newspaper.

“Today’s announcement represents the next step into the digital future of journalism in New Jersey,” said Steve Alessi, President of NJ Advance Media. “It’s important to emphasize that this is a forward-looking decision that allows us to invest more deeply than ever in our journalism and in serving our communities.”

Alessi said that that ceasing print publication will allow NJ Advance Media to reallocate resources to strengthen its core newsroom. He said that the newsroom has more reporters than it did a year ago and has plans to continue to grow in 2025 as the organization looks to bolster reporting in previously under-covered areas of the state.