Postmedia says it will close its North Bay printing facility on Oct. 31, a move expected to affect 11 employees in printing and distribution as the company shifts several northern Ontario publications to digital-first formats
In an internal email obtained by BayToday, Postmedia says the North Bay Nugget will stop its print edition and instead become all digital.
The same action will be taken for The Sault Star, The Sudbury Star, The Timmins Daily Press, The Elliot Lake Standard and Espanola’s Mid-North Monitor.
“The North Bay printing facility that serviced these publications will close on October 31. These changes will impact 11 employees in printing and distribution,” explains the email.
In addition to these changes, the Cochrane Times-Post will cease publication at the end of October.
“No editorial roles are impacted by these changes,” says Postmedia. The Nugget presently has two local reporters.
“As we continue to position Postmedia for long-term success, we are investing in our digital future and making thoughtful decisions about our print offerings to strengthen our publications, deepen our relationship with readers and advertisers, and promote the growth of our business.”
Instead, the company says it will implement “Project Polaris,” which creates a “next-generation experience for readers to access and engage with our journalism. It also supports our editorial strategy by strengthening connections between local and regional reporting, while providing advertisers with greater visibility and reach.”
As part of this evolution, six local northern Ontario publications will soon transition to the Polaris platform and move to digital-first formats, ending their standalone print editions at the end of October.
The move continues the decline in the number of days that a print edition was available, starting back in 2018.
See: Nugget drops Monday print edition
Postmedia says it is introducing a new weekly print publication, “Northern News This Week,” featuring a curated selection of reporting from various markets.
“Trusted local journalism is at the heart of our brands, and we remain committed to serving the Northern Ontario market,” it says.
“While decisions that impact our people are difficult, they’re made with a clear focus on the journalism our communities rely on and the long-term success of our publications.”
The email concludes by thanking its employees for their ongoing support.