The New York Observer to Cease Print Edition, Drop 'New York'

NEW YORK CITY — Another newspaper is ditching New York. The New York Observer, owned by Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, has printed its last paper.

The New York Observer will cease publishing its weekly print edition in favor of establishing a more national-focused presence online, the paper's chief executive Joseph Meyer announced Friday. In doing so, the publication will focus on expanding national content, and will drop "New York" from its name, according to the announcement.

The decision to cut its print edition comes at a tough time for newspapers, as print advertising becomes an increasingly less lucrative source of income. Big publishers are cutting back on local New York coverage, as evident by the Wall Street Journal's decision to cut its Greater New York section, and the New York Times' decision to dedicate less resources to its Metro section.

"We've all been reading the dismal news about the business of print," editor-in-chief Ken Kurson wrote in a staff memo, as reported by CNN Money. "We have worked so hard to transition to a digital-first posture."

The cancellation of the paper's print edition did not surprise former editor-in-chief Elizabeth Spiers, who helmed the paper from 2011 to 2012. The print edition of the paper had been a financial loss, and Kushner seemed determined to cut its losses.

The paper, which in its heydey was circulated among the New York City elite, also may have simply been a status-symbol for Kushner, Spiers told Patch in an email.

"I wish Jared would have sold it to an owner who cared about developing it, but owning the Observer was never about owning a great newspaper—or even a great business—in the first place," Spiers told Patch in an email. "So now that he doesn't need it to elevate his social profile—the White House will do that just fine—he's probably happy to throw it away."

But despite the rising national profile of its owner, when all is said and done, the New York Observer will be known for more than being bought by a 25-year-old using his family fortune.

While Peter Kaplan served as editor-in-chief of the paper it became a must-read for New Yorkers in the know. The paper launched the careers of young journalists, and Candace Bushnell's column "Sex and the City," provided the inspiration for the long-running TV show of the same name.

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