Pueblo Chieftain to Shutter Printing Facility, Lay Off 51 Employees


The Pueblo Chieftain, Colorado's oldest continuously published newspaper, announced that it will be shutting down its printing facility in August. The decision will result in the layoff of 51 employees, who are responsible for printing the Chieftain and other Gannett properties currently printed in Pueblo.

The closure of the printing facility is part of a larger cost-cutting effort by Gannett, the parent company of the Chieftain. Gannett has been facing declining revenue in recent years, as more and more people have shifted to reading news online. The company has said that it needs to make changes in order to remain profitable.

The decision to close the Pueblo printing facility has been met with mixed reactions. Some people have expressed concern about the loss of jobs, while others have said that it is a necessary step in the newspaper's transition to a digital future.

The Chieftain's printing operation has been in operation since 1902. The facility is located in downtown Pueblo and employs 51 people, including 25 full-time and 26 part-time employees. The employees who are laid off will receive severance packages and outplacement assistance.

The Chieftain will continue to publish its print edition, but it will be printed at a facility in Denver. The final issue of the Chieftain to be printed in Pueblo will be on Sunday, August 13, for the Monday, August 14 newspaper. The Denver Post will begin printing the Chieftain on August 14.

The closure of the Pueblo printing facility is a significant change for the Chieftain, but it is not the only change that the newspaper has undergone in recent years. The Chieftain has also made significant investments in its digital operations, and it now has a strong online presence.

The Chieftain's decision to close its printing facility is a sign of the changing times for the newspaper industry. As more and more people read news online, newspapers are facing increasing financial challenges. The Chieftain is not the only newspaper that has been forced to make changes in order to remain profitable. In recent years, many newspapers have closed their printing facilities and moved to digital-only publishing.

The closure of the Pueblo printing facility is a loss for the city of Pueblo. The facility was a major employer in the downtown area, and it will be missed by many people. However, the Chieftain is committed to continuing to serve its readers, and it will continue to publish its print edition, albeit from a different location.

The future of the newspaper industry is uncertain, but the Chieftain is determined to remain a vital part of the Pueblo community. The newspaper has a long history of providing quality journalism, and it is committed to continuing to do so in the years to come.  

Editorial Comment 

Yet, as a larger issue, will print newspapers survive the digital world?  That is a question that only the patrons of print newspapers can answer.  Reading an article online is a great way to stay informed about issues that we face as a community, but it will eventually kill the newspaper industry.   My family and I have been working in the print media for more than 50 years and it is easy to see the writing on the wall.  Routes cover a larger area, take more time to drive and have less subscribers.  To add insult to injury, gas prices are considerably higher coupled with the maintenance cost of the vehicles.  People do not read the articles in the paper like they did twenty years ago.  It seems to be the sad long goodbye.  

©️ Rocky Mountain Dispatch 2023

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NASA's X-59: Paving the Way for Quieter Supersonic Flight

Image
For decades, the piercing sonic boom has kept commercial supersonic aircraft from traveling over land. NASA's revolutionary X-59 QueSST (Quiet SuperSonic Technology) aircraft aims to change that. This experimental plane is meticulously designed to break the sound barrier with a gentle 'thump' rather than an ear-splitting boom, potentially opening the door to a new era of faster-than-sound air travel. The Need for Quieter Flight Since the Concorde's retirement in 2003, commercial supersonic flight has been largely absent. The primary reason lies in the sonic boom – a shockwave created when an aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound. Traditional supersonic aircraft generate booms that are disruptive and can even cause damage on the ground, leading to restrictions on supersonic travel over land. The X-59 Solution The X-59's unique design is the key to its quiet flight. Its elongated nose, carefully sculpted fuselage, and specially positioned wings w...
Read more

James Webb Space Telescope Detects Carbon Molecules in Early Universe

Image
The James Webb Space Telescope Reveals the Orion Bar in Stunning Detail A team of astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected carbon molecules in a galaxy that is 13.4 billion light-years away. This means that the molecules were present just 300 million years after the Big Bang. The molecules, called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are a type of organic molecule that is thought to be a precursor to life. They are made up of carbon atoms that are bonded together in rings. The discovery of PAHs in the early universe is a significant finding. It provides new evidence that the building blocks of life may have been present very early on in the history of the universe. This could mean that life could have arisen more easily than previously thought. The PAHs were detected by the JWST's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). MIRI is designed to detect infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye. Infrared light can penetrate dust and gas, which...
Read more

Wyoming Game and Fish Department Releases Draft Elk Feedgrounds Management Plan for Public Review

Image
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) has released a draft elk feedgrounds management plan for public review. The plan is designed to guide the department's overall, long-term approach to elk management as it pertains to the 22 Game and Fish-operated elk feedgrounds in western Wyoming. The plan has three main goals: Reduce elk's reliance on feedgrounds: The plan aims to reduce the number of elk that rely on feedgrounds by increasing the availability of natural winter forage. This will help to reduce the spread of disease and improve the overall health of the elk herd. Increase opportunities for elk to winter away from feedgrounds: The plan also aims to increase the number of elk that winter away from feedgrounds by providing more winter range habitat. This will help to reduce conflict between elk and livestock, as well as the risk of elk-vehicle collisions. Maintain current elk population objectives and associated hunting opportunity: The plan is designed to e...
Read more