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An iconic establishment is being killed off after more than a century and a half.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a renowned and impactful news outlet, revealed on Thursday that it will stop publishing its print edition in December 2025.
It will become a digital-only news organization.
Founded in 1868, the paper has long been considered Georgia’s flagship daily.
Its reputation was cemented in the 1950s and ’60s with its aggressive coverage of the civil rights movement, which earned multiple Pulitzer Prizes.
In 1996, the paper incorrectly cast suspicion on Richard Jewell, the security guard who helped save lives during the Atlanta Olympics bombing.
Even though he was eventually cleared and his story was highlighted in a Clint Eastwood film, the AJC’s journalism became a lesson on the pitfalls to avoid in journalism classes.
The Journal-Constitution also stands as one of the South’s most significant establishments, catering to a state whose political relevance has amplified in recent years.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution announced on Thursday that it will cease printing papers in December 2025
Andrew Morse, the paper’s publisher, said the print option had grown too expensive in a letter to readers about the decision
It combined two publications in 1950 when Cox Enterprises merged the morning Atlanta Constitution with the afternoon Atlanta Journal.
Andrew Morse, the paper’s publisher, told readers in a letter that the decision to shut down the presses was both inevitable and necessary.
‘For many of us, reading the paper with our morning coffee is as ingrained in our routine as brushing our teeth or scrambling eggs,’ he wrote.
‘The fact is, many more people engage with our digital platforms and products today than with our print edition, and that shift is only accelerating.’
The storied paper will continue with newsletters, podcasts, short videos, a new mobile app, and a downloadable e-paper.
AJC’s shift mirrors a broader reckoning for American newspapers in 2025.
With printing costs high, ad dollars shifting online, and subscribers dwindling, many national and local outlets have scaled back or abandoned print altogether.
Earlier this year, New Jersey’s Star-Ledger stopped printing entirely, while Iowa’s Dubuque Telegraph Herald and Cedar Rapids Gazette reduced print days.
The publication cut its teeth as a nationally-recognized paper for its coverage of America’s civil rights movement in the deep south
With printing costs high, ad dollars shifting online, and subscribers dwindling, many national and local outlets have scaled back or abandoned print altogether in recent years
National brands like Dotdash Meredith, the owner of People, Better Homes & Gardens and National Geographic, have seen year-over-year declines in subscriptions.
In fact, the two most-read print publications in 2024 were both owned by AARP — hardly a sign of a thriving future maintained by a young readership.
Still, some outlets have found room to grow in print, albeit in niche markets.
The satirical weekly The Onion revived its print edition last year and remains hopeful about the resurgence.
The Spectator magazine is doubling its US output, too. But for most legacy dailies, print is now a luxury.
For the AJC, the move to end its presses will help save money and invest in more online content.
Premium subscriptions cost $0.99 for 12 weeks before bumping to $2.99 per week.
‘Our community needs a news outlet willing to adapt to a significant moment in history and to write the first draft,’ said Morse.