News
Local Journalism · Media Acquisition · Nonprofit Model · Pittsburgh News
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, facing imminent closure, secured a last-minute acquisition by the Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, publisher of the Baltimore Banner, ensuring the struggling newspaper's continued operation and preventing Pittsburgh from becoming the largest U.S. city without a local paper.
This acquisition, whose financial terms were not disclosed, resolves months of uncertainty for the 1786-founded Post-Gazette, which was scheduled to shut down on May 3. This development offers a lifeline to local journalism, a sector severely impacted by the internet's disruption of traditional revenue models.
The Venetoulis Institute, a nonprofit that launched the successful Baltimore Banner in 2022, plans to continue printing the Post-Gazette twice weekly and operate its website daily. Bob Cohn, CEO of the Venetoulis Institute, stated a commitment to investing in local journalism in Western Pennsylvania.
While employees like Steve Mellon express hope, questions persist regarding staffing levels and the extent of future investment in the loss-making paper. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review confirmed its plans to expand into Pittsburgh remain unchanged.
