Shocking. Devastating. Seismic change.
Those words came in reaction to Wednesday’s news that the Post-Gazette will cease operations in early May.
Why?
Block Communications says it has lost more than $350 million over the last 20 years. The company also says court decisions requiring the PG to honor a labor contract more than 10 years old means the newspaper is facing continued losses that are unsustainable.
When contract talks with the Newspaper Guild broke down more than five years ago, Block imposed terms and conditions of employment leading to a three-year strike.
The Post-Gazette was later found to have bargained in bad faith. The loss of a paper with roots in the late 1700’s cannot be estimated.
Subscribers are losing a primary source of journalism. In addition, around 500 employees will be without jobs this spring.
Worse, Pittsburgh will no longer have a newspaper of record.
Perhaps this story will have a different ending and the PG will continue in some form. Regardless, we vow to step up our game as the city's only full-service radio station, delivering timely and unbiased news and information and holding those in power accountable.