Hearst CT Media Group shifts printing operations to Albany

Hearst Connecticut Media Group announced Tuesday it plans to shutter its presses in Bridgeport, consolidating its printing press operations with Hearst’s Albany Times Union publication in New York.

Closing the print presses will impact 28 jobs. However, affected employees were “strongly encouraged” to apply for other production or distribution positions within the company, including in Connecticut and Albany, HCMG President and Publisher Mike DeLuca wrote Tuesdayin an email to staff.

The decision to shift print operations was influenced in part by the “age and rising maintenance of the 40-year-old printing equipment” in Bridgeport, DeLuca said in the email. Albany Times Union has newer and more advanced printing presses that will deliver a quality product, he added.

“I have no doubt this modernization will extend the life of our physical print product and result in a better experience for our print readers,” DeLuca wrote in the email to staff.

The shift, which will take effect in July, will mean earlier print deadlines for HCMG’s eight daily newspapers: the Connecticut Post, New Haven Register, The NewsTimes in Danbury, Stamford Advocate, Greenwich Time, Norwalk Hour, The Middletown Press and the Register Citizen in Torrington.

DeLuca said the sales and support teams will also adjust their deadlines to better serve advertisers.

“As I am sure you can imagine, this was a very difficult decision to make. We have a team of 28 production employees, all who are very well respected, that will unfortunately be impacted by this change, many of them who have had a longstanding career with us,” DeLuca wrote in the email.

“Though we are saddened to part ways with this team, we are proud to keep our printing production within Hearst and that there are production positions available both in Albany and across Hearst Newspapers.”

While some HCMG jobs will be impacted and exit packages provided, DeLuca said shifting the printing press operations to Albany allows the company to continue investing in the growing newsroom and “expansion of highquality, meaningful journalism.”