Chattanooga newspaper plans transition to digital format

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The publisher of the Chattanooga Times Free Press — as well as the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette — is investing millions of dollars in a plan to move the newspaper’s print edition subscribers to a mostly digital format.

The plan will involve ceasing delivery of the print edition of the newspaper by mid-2022 except for on Sundays.

The Chattanooga paper’s publisher, Walter E. Hussman Jr., has purchased thousands of Apple iPads to give to subscribers.

The newspaper said that starting Monday, it will begin converting print subscribers to an online version of the paper available on the tablet. The replica edition looks like the print paper but has some additional features and functionality, the newspaper said.

Hussman said the digital conversion is necessary for the paper to remain profitable and continue to serve the Chattanooga area with quality local journalism. Hussman is chairman of WEHCO Media, Inc., which has 10 other daily newspapers as well as weekly papers.

“If we didn’t do this, we wouldn’t be able to continue to publish the kind of paper we publish in Chattanooga,” Hussman said. “For us to do this, we can keep our newsroom basically intact. It’s the way for us to maintain good, quality journalism and fulfill our function.”

Hussman started converting other papers to the digital replica format in 2018, starting with the Little Rockbased Democrat-Gazette.

Hussman said the digital plan requires a $6.1 million investment from the company.