Here we are ... the last Sunday and Monday editions – we’re sad, but relieved

This is the last Sunday print edition of the Appeal you’re likely to ever see.

We announced to readers and advertisers our intentions in last Sunday’s edition. To recap:

– Starting this coming week, the Appeal will become a fiveday print publication. Tomorrow will be the last Monday edition. From then on, the Appeal will publish print editions TuesdaySaturday.

– We understand this is a radical move, but we must reorganize to some degree to remain financially fit. We will be spending less on daily production of the print product – pagination, platemaking, press operations – but will still be producing the same amount of local content.

– The Saturday paper will be a “Weekender” edition and will include features that up to now would have been included in the Sunday paper – color comics, Family & Friends pages, trade inserts, etc.

– A staff member will continue working weekend hours to cover news and sports as necessary. We’ll be posting new stories over the weekend online.

– Our subscription rates will not change, but all print subscribers will be given full access to our website and e-editions. Instructions on how to register for an online login will be printed Tuesday.

– A new design will be unveiled with the Tuesday edition. Hope you like it.

We believe the changes will enable us to zoom through our upcoming 170th anniversary and continue on well into the future, serving our community and readership.

Now’s the time to cut back, in order to grow back. That’s our intent. But that doesn’t mean the Sunday edition will come back ... it’s almost positively not returning. By the time the economy could recover enough and circulation grow enough to warrant the expense of a Sunday and Monday edition, we’ll be slipping beyond the print days and be solidly into the virtual print days.

Still ... here we are. We’ve got to tell you the truth, from two angles:

– We’re sad that the Sunday and Monday print editions are going away.

– We’re relieved that the Sunday and Monday print editions are going away. We’re looking forward to a healthy future.

Our View editorials represent the opinion of the Appeal–democrat and its editorial board and are edited by the publisher and/or editor. Members of the editorial board include: Publisher Glenn Stifflemire and Editor Steve Miller.