Minnesota Paper Drops to 2x Week

Red Wing paper cuts publishing to twice weekly

The Republican Eagle will switch to all-local news coverage, publish Wednesday, Saturday, and lower its subscription price.

By STEVE ALEXANDER, Star Tribune

The Red Wing (MN) Republican Eagle, citing a drop in advertising revenue, said Wednesday the newspaper will publish two days a week instead of five, and it will drop its wire-service national coverage in favor of all local news.

Beginning Sept. 2, the Republican Eagle will publish Wednesday and Saturday rather than Tuesday through Saturday, publisher Steve Messick said. The paper will post breaking news stories on its free website, www.republican-eagle.com, every day.

The Red Wing paper, which has a circulation of 6,100 and is profitable, will continue to employ 18 people in its offices, including nine in the newsroom, Messick said. But another 24 employees in the paper's Red Wing printing plant, which handles commercial printing jobs in addition to the newspaper, could face job cuts, he said.

The paper's owner said the decision was necessary for the Republican Eagle's survival.

"A decision of this magnitude is centered on maintaining the economic viability of the Red Wing paper," said Steve McLister, vice president of newspapers for Forum Communications, the Fargo, N.D., company that owns the Republican Eagle among other newspapers, TV stations, websites and commercial printing operations.

The root of the paper's problem is a decline in advertising, a situation seen at most newspapers nationwide, McLister said. Traditionally, advertising has generated 75 percent of a newspaper's revenue, compared with 25 percent from subscriptions, he said.

The Red Wing paper has seen declines in employment, auto and real estate advertising, Messick said.

The Red Wing newspaper is the second paper owned by Forum to make the switch to twice-weekly publication, McLister said. Last year, the Superior Telegram in Superior, Wis., cut publication from five days a week to two, but no other Forum-owned newspapers are contemplating such as change, he said.