The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a new owner. The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism and the Post-Gazette’s soon-to-be former owner, Block Communications, Inc., announced that an agreement has been reached. “The intention with the purchase is to make sure that a great newspaper that’s 240 years old didn’t go out of business,” Venetoulis Institute of Local Journalism CEO Bob Cohn said. “It is such a storied newspaper. We wouldn’t be making this acquisition if we weren’t impressed with the work of the newsroom. Especially in recent years over fairly trying circumstances.”Venetoulis, a Maryland-based nonprofit, is expected to take over the paper on May 4. In January, before the deal was reached, Block Communications announced the last edition was slated for May 3. “For nearly a century, the Block family has been dedicated to public service in Pittsburgh,” Stewart Bainum Jr., founder of the Venetoulis Institute, said. “We are honored that they trust us to continue this work.”“The Block family deserves a lot of credit,” Wischnowski said. “They took their time and was deliberate in finding a caretaker. This is a new lease on life. We carried a heavy burden for nearly 100 days.”“The Block family has worked to find the best possible source for responsible local journalism for the Pittsburgh region and we believe we have succeeded,” Chairperson of Block Communications Karen Johnese said.Venetoulis operates The Baltimore Banner, which was founded in 2022. Under Venetoulis’ ownership, the Post-Gazette’s newsroom and local business leadership will remain in Pittsburgh.“It seems like they have the same kind of standards,” Post-Gazette columnist and sports enterprise reporter Noah Hiles said. “It seems like they know how to do journalism in the modern age. I think this is going to be a net positive long-term for the Post-Gazette.”Technology and business operations will be combined with Venetoulis Institute teams. “Local journalism is essential to a strong community, but across the country the business model has been under severe strain,” Bainum said. “We believe there is a path forward — one that combines great journalism with a diversified business model built on scale and exceptional talent.”“Engage constructively, we want to listen carefully, and we believe in treating all employees with respect and dignity,” Cohn said. “If the employees inside the newsroom want to be represented by a union, we will absolutely work with that. We have no intention of walking away from print so long as it’s something that readers want.”After Block Communications cited $350 million in losses as the reason for the PG’s closing, Venetoulis officials will spend the next few weeks figuring out what staffing will look like. “I think it’s pretty clear that the revenues of the Post-Gazette don’t support the size of the operation,” Cohn said. “That’s something we’ll need to thoughtfully consider. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be putting together that plan. We will come back in and seek to hire many of them to build the new Post-Gazette.”David Shribman, an editor for the Post-Gazette from 2003 to 2019, will join the Venetoulis Board of Directors. The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism is named for Ted Venetoulis, a Maryland civic leader and former Baltimore County executive.“Stability is tough to find in this field,” Hiles said. “The relief to not only know that might be on the way but also that people care about you is awesome. I think a lot of us are at least happy to have a chance to have a job and that the city will have a paper of record to cover the news.”“We’ve got big challenges ahead, but the fact of the matter is that the Post-Gazette lives on,” Wischnowski said.

PITTSBURGH —

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a new owner.

The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism and the Post-Gazette’s soon-to-be former owner, Block Communications, Inc., announced that an agreement has been reached.

“The intention with the purchase is to make sure that a great newspaper that’s 240 years old didn’t go out of business,” Venetoulis Institute of Local Journalism CEO Bob Cohn said. “It is such a storied newspaper. We wouldn’t be making this acquisition if we weren’t impressed with the work of the newsroom. Especially in recent years over fairly trying circumstances.”

Venetoulis, a Maryland-based nonprofit, is expected to take over the paper on May 4. In January, before the deal was reached, Block Communications announced the last edition was slated for May 3.

“For nearly a century, the Block family has been dedicated to public service in Pittsburgh,” Stewart Bainum Jr., founder of the Venetoulis Institute, said. “We are honored that they trust us to continue this work.”

“The Block family deserves a lot of credit,” Wischnowski said. “They took their time and was deliberate in finding a caretaker. This is a new lease on life. We carried a heavy burden for nearly 100 days.”

“The Block family has worked to find the best possible source for responsible local journalism for the Pittsburgh region and we believe we have succeeded,” Chairperson of Block Communications Karen Johnese said.

Venetoulis operates The Baltimore Banner, which was founded in 2022. Under Venetoulis’ ownership, the Post-Gazette’s newsroom and local business leadership will remain in Pittsburgh.

“It seems like they have the same kind of standards,” Post-Gazette columnist and sports enterprise reporter Noah Hiles said. “It seems like they know how to do journalism in the modern age. I think this is going to be a net positive long-term for the Post-Gazette.”

Technology and business operations will be combined with Venetoulis Institute teams.

“Local journalism is essential to a strong community, but across the country the business model has been under severe strain,” Bainum said. “We believe there is a path forward — one that combines great journalism with a diversified business model built on scale and exceptional talent.”

“Engage constructively, we want to listen carefully, and we believe in treating all employees with respect and dignity,” Cohn said. “If the employees inside the newsroom want to be represented by a union, we will absolutely work with that. We have no intention of walking away from print so long as it’s something that readers want.”

After Block Communications cited $350 million in losses as the reason for the PG’s closing, Venetoulis officials will spend the next few weeks figuring out what staffing will look like.

“I think it’s pretty clear that the revenues of the Post-Gazette don’t support the size of the operation,” Cohn said. “That’s something we’ll need to thoughtfully consider. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be putting together that plan. We will come back in and seek to hire many of them to build the new Post-Gazette.”

David Shribman, an editor for the Post-Gazette from 2003 to 2019, will join the Venetoulis Board of Directors.

The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism is named for Ted Venetoulis, a Maryland civic leader and former Baltimore County executive.

“Stability is tough to find in this field,” Hiles said. “The relief to not only know that might be on the way but also that people care about you is awesome. I think a lot of us are at least happy to have a chance to have a job and that the city will have a paper of record to cover the news.”

“We’ve got big challenges ahead, but the fact of the matter is that the Post-Gazette lives on,” Wischnowski said.