Journal Times Circulation Hits New Low

RACINE, WI — It's no secret that newspapers across the country, and the media companies that own them, have been struggling for quite some time.

According to the data collected by The Pew Research Center, the estimated total U.S. daily newspaper circulation in 2017 was 31 million for weekday and 34 million for Sunday, which was down 11 percent and 10 percent from the previous year.

Circulation figures posted yearly by Lee Enterprises, the company that owns the Racine Journal Times, indicate that the local Racine paper is no exception.

According to data compiled in yearly company filings with the U.S. Security And Exchange Commission, the Racine paper has seen a roughly 33 percent drop in both daily and Sunday circulation numbers in a span of five years.

In 2013, Journal Times daily circulation came in at 22,562. In 2018, that number has dwindled to 14,949. Sunday circulation in 2013 was reported at 25,582. Five years later, it reportedly shrank to 17,041.

Shrinking Circulation By Year

Journal Times Circulation By The Numbers

2018

Daily 14,949

Sunday 17,041

2017

Daily 16,518

Sunday 18,927

2016

Daily 18,396

Sunday 20,758

2015

Daily 19,343

Sunday 22,154

2014

Daily 21,575

Sunday 24,350

2013

Daily 22,562

Sunday 25,582

A Transformational Start To 2019

The Journal Times has already seen substantial change this year, including an acquisition and merger of sorts, and the eventual closing of their printing press.

Corporate media consolidation in Wisconsin took another big step forward in January when Lee Enterprises, the Davenport, Iowa-based media corporation that owns and operates the Racine Journal Times, agreed to buy both the Kenosha News and Lake Geneva Regional News.

According to a Racine County Eye report, the news was announced to staff at both newspapers Monday morning. According to the report, a source at one of the papers told the Racine County Eye that current employees, including unionized members in the Kenosha News newsroom, had to re-apply for their jobs.

"These two markets fit very nicely into our already strong footprint in Wisconsin," said Lee President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Mowbray in a Kenosha News report. "Their proximity to existing Lee properties creates opportunity for synergies while greatly strengthening our audiences in southeast Wisconsin."

According to the Journal Times, Racine publisher Mark Lewis assumed a role as the president and publisher of the new media group.

The Kenosha News publishes seven days a week and has an average daily print circulation of about 20,000. The Lake Geneva Regional News publishes weekly.

The Kenosha News, then the Kenosha Evening News, was purchased in 1961 by United Communications Corporation founders Howard and Elizabeth Brown.

"The Brown Family is very grateful for the hard work and dedication of all Kenosha News and Lake Geneva Regional News employees, both past and present," United Communications Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Lucy Brown said in a statement. "Making the decision to sell is extraordinarily difficult, but we welcome Lee Enterprises and know the future looks bright under their leadership."

Then Came The Layoffs

Following the news that the Journal Times would be outsourcing the printing of the newspaper's daily edition to a printing plant in Munster, Indiana came news of layoffs.

According to a mass-layoff noticed published by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, the Journal Times will be laying off a total of 39 employees.

The layoffs affect packaging associates, press operators, maintenance workers and other personnel that were needed to maintain the newspaper's on-premise printing press. You can read more about exactly who's being laid off on the Department of Workforce Development website.

According to the notice, the expected date of the layoffs is July 14, 2019.

On May 7, the newspaper said they're moving printing production to a printing plant a little more than two hours away in Munster, Indiana that's owned by Lee Enterprises - the company that owns the Journal Times.

In a statement, the paper said "this move will allow the papers to focus resources on generating local content, while ensuring long-term viability of the print product."
A query to Journal Times officials asking what the above statement meant was not returned to Patch at the time of this publication.