The newspaper industry still buys ink by the barrel but over time the industry has made an effort to save money where it can. Much of the savings has come primarily through the amount of paper used to produce the printed edition.
Newspapers have decreased in size over the past several decades, thus saving money on the lower tonnage needed for publication. This is something that has occurred about every 10 years for the last 50 years. The Journal-Tribune is no exception.
Although we used to print the newspaper in house, we now outsource that part of our operation. Recently we received notice that the plant where it is printed is consolidating its operation, so its customers have to conform to a new size beginning Aug. 1. It will now be 10.5 x 22 inches as shown in the photo above.
We shared the news with our reader advisory board to obtain their reaction. Some comments were that it was easier to open and read for those with shorter arms. Other input was that when a paper dramatically changes size like the Dispatch did a few years ago, it can be a shock at first, but after a week or so it becomes the norm. The bottom line was that readers wanted to make sure they could still fold the paper to have the entire crossword puzzle there to work, and that still happens with the new size.
The newspaper was established here in 1849 with a local focus. Our family has continued that tradition since 1904. Overall, the size itself doesn’t change the focus here at the Journal-Tribune. We will still continue to compile compelling local articles that record the happenings and history of the community. We will continue to be here as an advocate for the Marysville and Union County taxpayers.