The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a newspaper with roots dating back to 1786, was set to close next month. The planned shutdown would have marked a major blow to Pittsburgh and added to concerns about the fragile state of local news.
That closure is no longer on the table. On Tuesday, the Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, the parent company of the Baltimore Banner non-profit news website in Maryland, announced that it had acquired the Post-Gazette for an undisclosed sum.
The deal offers a lifeline to one of the country’s older newspapers at a time when many local news organizations continue to face financial pressure. The announcement did not include further details about the transaction, including the price paid or any immediate changes to newsroom operations.
The Post-Gazette’s long history has made it a prominent part of Pittsburgh’s media landscape. Its near-closure had been seen as another sign of the difficult conditions confronting local journalism, especially for legacy papers trying to adapt to a changing business environment.
By stepping in, the Maryland-based non-profit appears to have prevented an abrupt end to the paper’s run. The acquisition also extends the reach of the Baltimore Banner’s parent organization beyond Maryland, placing it at the center of another major local news operation.
Further details about the future of the Post-Gazette were not provided in the announcement. For now, the paper has been spared from shutting down next month, easing fears about the loss of another longstanding local news institution.
