BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Buffalo News announced its downtown print production facility will soon close and move it to Cleveland while approximately 160 positions to be impacted.
The Dean of Jandoli School of Communication at St. Bonaventure University, Aaron Chimbel, says this is part of a larger trend that’s also happening nationally.
“That says it does limit the ability to get the print product out in a timely fashion and to have the latest updates in the newspaper,” Dean Chimbel says. “Obviously Cleveland is several hours away from Buffalo so getting the papers there and making all of that happen will certainly put some barriers in getting the latest news out.”
An article published Monday by The Buffalo News said:
“This change will allow us to sustain investments in the journalism that is at the core of our mission."
Chimbel tells 7 News reporter Yoselin Person this change may impact the older generations.
“So that tends to be some of the larger base of a newspapers customer base. So that’s always a challenge,” he says. “How do you get away from the print product which is expensive and hard to distribute versus the digital product where you have some customers where they prefer the print edition.”
At least 160 positions involved in the printing and distribution of The Buffalo News would be affected by this proposed move.
The newsroom operations and staff will remain unchanged.
“You hate to see a newspaper particularly like The Buffalo News make a decision like this,” Chimbel says. “But I would rather see this than decrease the editorial staff.”
Changes in printing and distribution expect to take effect later this year.
