Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News announce end of joint print and delivery operations

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For 68 years Utah's citizens have enjoyed the benefits created by a joint operating agreement (JOA) between the Deseret News and The Salt Lake Tribune. While both newspapers have always had independent ownership and independent newsrooms, this agreement, which was permitted under the Newspaper Preservation Act, allowed the two organizations to collaborate on advertising and subscription pricing and to share the huge operating costs of printing and delivering their respective papers.

With the rise of digital distribution of news, and with an increasing number of readers now getting their news primarily online, the two newspapers independently determined to let the JOA expire at the end of its term, on December 31 of this year. Each newspaper has developed its own strategy for independent operations outside the JOA, including meeting its print needs and moving forward independently in today's new environment.

"In the era of large printing presses, the benefits of these joint operating agreements were significant. But today's situation is different," says Brent Low, President and CEO of Utah Media Group, which manages the printing facility. "Demand for a printed newspaper is a fraction of what it was historically, while digital content and distribution is everywhere, and our clients can get their papers printed in a cost-effective way without owning their own presses."

"The Deseret News has been an outstanding and constructive partner in the JOA in this financially tumultuous industry. As The Tribune moves forward, our commitment to our readers is unchanged: to provide reliable and informative news, analysis, and commentary to our readers," says The Salt Lake Tribune Chairman, Paul Huntsman. "In 2019, The Tribune became the first legacy newspaper to become a nonprofit organization. It is now a community asset managed by a board of directors drawn from the community. As a nonprofit organization, in addition to reader subscriptions, it will be able to accept donations from supporting subscribers and gifts from philanthropic organizations."

"The Salt Lake Tribune has been a great partner over the years and the partnership has benefited the community in many ways. We love our thousands of print subscribers along with the millions who read us online every month," says Jeff Simpson, publisher of the Deseret News. "With this change we can continue our focus on great journalism, serving our readers and growing our digital audiences across Utah and beyond."

Newspaper subscribers will continue to receive their newspapers, which now will be printed and delivered by The Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News independently. With the expiration of the JOA, the two newspapers also will no longer share solicitation of advertising or subscriptions, shared administrative services, or any other administrative functions.

About The Salt Lake Tribune

For nearly 150 years, The Tribune has reported on stories that are important to and that have shaped our community.  The Tribune is now a news organization funded "by the people, for the people," and we are pioneering the way for newspapers everywhere. We are committed to offering unmatched reporting on state and local government, politics, the environment, education, religion, criminal justice, local sports, and the great variety of such stories about the people and places that make Utah special.

About the Deseret News

The Deseret News was founded in 1850 at the edge of the American frontier by pioneers with the motto, "Liberty & Truth." It is Utah's oldest continuously operating business and is part of the portfolio of media entities of Deseret Management Corporation, which are dedicated to being voices of light and truth. The Deseret News retains and reaffirms its commitment to being a standard-bearer of journalistic integrity and principled reporting. We aim to elevate understanding, challenge assumptions and illuminate context from our long-standing heritage of faith, family and wholesome values.

Note: Deseret Management Corporation is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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SOURCE Utah Media Group