The reasoning and peril behind the Atlanta Journal-Constitution going digital only - Poynter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will discontinue its print edition at year-end, making it the largest U.S. metro to do so. Many outlets have cut printing to fewer days or Sunday-only, but full cessation remains uncommon because Sunday editions remain profitable and attract advertisers and subscribers. Print still supplies a meaningful share of revenue for many papers despite steep declines through 2025. The AJC is pursuing a rapid print-to-digital transition, enabled by parent Cox Enterprises' committed five-year, $150 million reinvestment plan. Major cost drivers include newsprint, printing plants, and increasingly dispersed, hard-to-staff delivery routes.

I wouldn't look for a stampede. Cutbacks to just a few days a week or Sunday-only have become common in the industry, but quitting print altogether is not. That's because Sunday papers typically remain profitable, popular with advertisers and a segment of readers. Despite steep declines that show no signs of moderating in 2025, print still contributes a meaningful share of revenue (half or more at many outlets) since it commands much higher rates among both subscribers and advertisers.

While the industry's consensus strategy has been to make the print-digital transition gradual, his organization has decided instead to take a quick and giant step forward. It's a high-wire exercise without a net, but certainly dawdling hasn't worked much. The AJC is also well-positioned to take the risk. Its parent, Cox Enterprises, is a rich, family-controlled conglomerate with roots in cable, committed to a five-year reinvestment plan estimated, NPR reported, to cost $150 million.

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