Novato weekly newspaper to close after 86 years

The Novato Advance, a weekly newspaper in Marin County, Novato, California, will cease publication after 86 years, citing declining advertising revenues and higher expenses, the Associated Press (AP) has reported.

The newspaper announced Wednesday that it would publish its last issue on September 24. The paper, which has a circulation of about 10,500 and employs 18 people, has not been profitable since 1999.

Publisher Paul Hutcheson called the newspaper's demise a sign of the economic times and said the community would suffer as a result. The newspaper is owned by Scripps Enterprises Inc., a privately held company in Charlottesville, Virginia. The company tried to find a buyer, but no one has expressed interest.

 
 
Date Posted: 12 September 2008 Last Modified: 12 September 2008