Salina to close printing operation; move to Hutchinson

GateHouse Media, owner of The Salina Journal, announced Monday that The Journal will no longer print in Salina and all of its print production will be outsourced to its sister newspaper, The Hutchinson News.

The Tuesday, Aug. 13, edition will be the final one printed locally.

Print consolidation is a growing trend throughout the newspaper industry because of technological advancements, and Stephen Wade, senior group publisher for GateHouse, noted that customers won’t be affected by the change. Hays, McPherson and Newton have been outsourced for years.

“We faced a tough choice — either make a significant investment to replace our antiquated printing press or outsource to a facility with plenty of capacity to handle Salina’s needs,” Wade said. “The Hutchinson press offers more color and has improved quality.”

He stressed that the company’s commitment to the Salina area is unchanged. “We have proudly served this community since 1871 and will continue to do so. The Journal is strong!”

The change will directly affect 17 employees, all of whom have been offered other jobs or severance packages.

No positions in the newsroom or advertising departments will be affected by the change.

Wade said he expects the transition of moving The Journal’s printing to Hutchinson will be seamless to readers.