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MINNEAPOLIS (KFGO/WCCO) – The Minnesota Star Tribune’s publisher calls it a business decision as they announce a closing of the paper’s Minneapolis printing plant. The company will also be laying off around 125 employees.
Company officials say printing will be outsourced to a facility in Iowa, and print subscribers will not have any disruptions in their service. The printing facility in Minneapolis has printed the daily newspaper for nearly four decades.
Publisher Steve Grove says the move will save the paper several million dollars and allow them to better invest in digital operations.
“This is a difficult, but necessary decision to position the Minnesota Star Tribune for future growth,” says Grove. “Our industry continues to evolve rapidly, and this change will help us preserve resources, invest in our digital transformation, and continue delivering high-quality journalism Minnesotans count on.”
Other major newspapers in the country have stopped printing altogether as more readers choose to consume their news online.
There’s no word on if that would be the case with the Star Tribune. Leaders said Monday they are committed to the daily printed newspaper for customers who still value that medium.
They point to declining print circulations as a reason for the closure. They also add they’re one of the last major nationwide newspapers to consolidate their print operations.
“We still have a strong print readership,” Grove said. “This isn’t going to change the fact you get a daily newspaper.”
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