The ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ in January will stop using its current presses to print the daily newspaper and will outsource printing to a facility in Columbia, Missouri.
This will, of course, represent a big change for the newspaper, which has been printed in St. Louis throughout its 146-year history. It’s not a decision our company made lightly but comes at a time when reading habits continue to shift to digital platforms.
The move, to take effect in early January, means the presses at our Maryland Heights building will be shuttered. In all, 72 employees — 48 full-timers and 24-part-timers — will no longer be employed at the newspaper. Printing will shift to the Columbia facility, owned by another newspaper company, Gannett, with the papers trucked to St. Louis for local delivery.
What does it mean for subscribers? The Post-Dispatch will still publish seven days a week, and you will not see a change in your delivery times. The print edition is not going away.
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The move will result in earlier deadlines for news coverage, which will affect late-breaking coverage in print, especially sports. Our coverage of Cardinals NIGHT games, for example, will not appear in the next day’s sports section.
But the print edition will still feature our array of columns, analysis, features and enterprise journalism. We remain committed to producing a strong print edition, with the same range of comics and puzzles you now enjoy.
And for the latest breaking news and sports coverage, of course, you can turn to our website, , and our mobile app. Our digital products and social media channels will continue to provide the latest coverage, in real time, so you don’t miss any news.
Most print subscribers get full digital access, including our E-edition, an electronic replica of the newspaper, and extra comics. You just need to activate a digital account. You can do so by going to or calling 866-735-5631.
The decision to move printing is not a unique one. Newspapers across the country have made similar decisions over the past several years as the industry looks to operate more efficiently and continue transitioning to digital platforms. Newspapers in major cities near St. Louis — including Kansas City, Memphis and Louisville — are all printed in other areas.
While outsourcing our printing will result in cost savings, it will also allow us to keep delivering on our mission: to provide you with enlightening, hard-hitting news coverage and great storytelling. We’re still committed to first-rate journalism and the standards set by our founder, Joseph Pulitzer. We’re still committed to the St. Louis region, to serving this community and to telling your stories.
We’ll share more information as we get closer to January. For now, thank you for reading, and thank you for your support.
Alan Achkar is the executive editor of the Post-Dispatch.