Weekly Standard, anti-Trump conservative journal, folds

WASHINGTON: The Weekly Standard, a conservative news magazine that has been staunchly opposed to US President Donald Trump, announcing Friday it is closing in a sign of an increasingly polarized media sector.

Parent firm Clarity Media, led by billionaire Philip Anschutz, said the last edition would be Dec 17.

Clarity chief executive Ryan McKibben said the news magazine “has been hampered by many of the same challenges that countless other magazines and newspapers across the country have been wrestling with,” and had seen double-digit declines in circulation in recent years.

“For more than 20 years The Weekly Standard has provided a valued and important perspective on political, literary and cultural issues of the day,” said McKibben.

“The magazine has been home to some of the industry’s most dedicated and talented staff and I thank them for their hard work and contributions, not just to the publication, but the field of journalism.”

The magazine was founded by writers Bill Kristol and Fred Barnes, who remain a part of the editorial team. — AFP