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AJC ending its print edition
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has announced that it will become a digital-only publication by the end of the year.
ATLANTA - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, one of the South’s most storied newspapers, will stop printing by the end of the year and move entirely online, marking the end of a 157-year era.
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What we know:
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Leroy Chapman Jr. confirmed the decision Thursday, noting that declining readership and a shift toward digital news consumption drove the move. Nearly two-thirds of the AJC’s current subscribers already access the publication online.
"What we're doing now is we're meeting people where they are, and we're stepping into our future," Chapman told FOX 5's Rob Dirienzo. "We don't bank the way we used to. We don't, you know, buy groceries the way we used to. We don't order food the way we used to."
Atlanta will become the largest city in the United States without a daily printed newspaper once the transition is complete. The final print edition will be published Dec. 31.
What they're saying:
For longtime readers, the change is bittersweet.
Dan Curl of Hampton, who worked for 15 years as a printer mechanic, said he grew up reading the newspaper. "I’ll be 64 years old, so I love reading the newspaper," Curl said. "I was kind of bummed for the factory workers, but I just said, you know what? I’m coming in with the times."
Dig deeper:
The AJC spokesperson said about 30 workers — half of them part-time — will lose their jobs at the Gainesville facility where the paper is printed.
Journalism leaders say the move reflects broader industry trends.
"Personally, I find it incredibly sad, and my old-school print reporter’s heart is bleeding … but I believe the decision was inevitable, and it reflects the digital transformation that’s been shaping the news media for several decades," Katja Ridderbusch, president of SPJ Georgia, said.
"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has long invested in transforming its newsroom and reporting, and we look forward to working with our colleagues at the AJC as they come full circle in turning from a newspaper into a news organization – and hopefully, applying the SPJ Code of Ethics to the new era of journalism."
What's next:
Founded shortly after the Civil War, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has printed newspapers for 157 years. The final edition will be published December 31.
The AJC joins other legacy newspapers, including New Jersey’s Star-Ledger, in phasing out their print editions.