In a sudden announcement, the owner of the Medford Mail Tribune, Steven Saslow, said the paper is moving to an online-only format starting in October.
Saslow cited rising printing costs and the growing number of online readers as reasons for the move.
The trend of downsizing local news in southwest Oregon isn’t uncommon. On the Oregon coast, the Bandon Western World closed its doors in 2020. The Ashland Daily Tidings, founded in the late 1800s, was shut down in August, 2021, with local coverage rolled into the larger Medford Mail Tribune.
At the same time, the Mail Tribune went from a daily newspaper to printing four days per week.
In an interview with the paper, Saslow said he hopes to put the money saved on printing back into expanded local coverage.
He added about 15 people involved in printing the newspaper will be laid off, along with an additional 40 contracted delivery drivers.
