You may have noticed a painful erosion of your local newspaper as the print media industry grapples with issues like soaring newsprint prices, slumping ad sales, and circulation declines.
College papers aren’t immune to those issues, but The Chronicle’s switch to a four-day-a-week schedule isn’t the bad sign it may seem. The decision, made after months of deliberation by staff members and the Duke Student Publishing Company board of directors, was described as a chance to move toward the seemingly inevitable digital future on the caretakers’ own terms.
The paper has managed to maintain significant reserve funds that could allow for a continued daily print schedule, but “the process was about taking the best next step for The Chronicle, regardless of funds—it’s not about cutting, but investing in the future,” says general manager Chrissy Beck.
To that end, The Chronicle staff is aiming to use the time no longer spent on the details of print production to provide more around-the-clock coverage on the Duke community and, in its print editions, present more analytical pieces and feature stories.
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