Product Code Database
The Star-Ledger was the largest circulation newspaper in New Jersey. It is based in Newark, New Jersey. The newspaper ceased print publication on February 2, 2025, but continues to publish a digital edition.
In 2007, The Star-Ledgers daily circulation was reportedly more than the next two largest New Jersey newspapers combined, and its Sunday circulation was larger than the next three papers combined. Member Newspapers - Dailies, New Jersey Press Association; Star-Ledger data from Editor & Publisher April 2007 article. It suffered great declines in print circulation in recent years, to 180,000 daily in 2013, then to 114,000 "individually paid print circulation," which is the number of copies being bought by subscription or at newsstands, in 2015.
In July 2013, the paper announced that it would sell its headquarters building in Newark. In the same year, Advance Publications announced it was exploring cost-saving changes among its New Jersey properties, but was not considering mergers or changes in publication frequency at any of the newspapers, nor the elimination of home delivery. On February 2, 2025, daily print operation ceased, but online coverage continued.
The Star-Ledger is a sister paper to The Times of Trenton and the South Jersey Times, both of which are owned by Advance Publications, headquartered in One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan.
During the 1960s The Star-Ledgers chief competitor was the Newark Evening News, once the most popular newspaper in New Jersey. In March 1971, the Star-Ledger surpassed the Evening News in daily circulation, because the Newark News was on strike. The Evening News shut down in 1972.
After the Newark Evening News moved to a high-traffic area (with the potential of trapping its delivery trucks in inner-city traffic) the Star-Ledger opened a satellite plant in Piscataway. The Piscataway location offered quick access to Union, Monmouth, Somerset, and Middlesex counties.
The Star-Ledger was the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting in 2005 for its comprehensive coverage of the resignation of New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey, after he confessed to adultery with a male lover.
The paper awards the Star-Ledger Trophy each year to the number one high school teams in their respective sport in New Jersey.
Due to financial losses, the paper's parent company Advance Publications announced on July 31, 2008 that it would sell the Star-Ledger unless 200 non-union staff voluntarily left under a buyout offer, and its unionized truck drivers and mailers agreed to concessions. On September 16, publisher George Arwady sent employees an email saying that management felt progress had been made on the buyout and concessions from the mailers, but that management is "far from an agreement with the Drivers' union." The email continued:
On October 24, 2008, the newspaper announced that 168 newsroom employees had offered to take the company's buyout offer, and that the company had accepted 151 of them, which resulted in a 40% reduction in newsroom staff.
On January 16, 2013, the newspaper announced the layoffs of 34 employees including 18 newsroom staff.
In July 2014, their Newark headquarters was sold to a New York developer, according to a news article released by the paper.
The Star-Ledger continued to publish seven days a week, and retained a presence in Newark in leased office space located within the downtown Gateway Center complex, where the publisher, the newspaper's editorial board, its columnists, its magazine staff and a handful of other jobs were based. Advance Publications, the owner of the newspaper, launched a new media company — NJ Advance Media — in 2014 to provide content, advertising and marketing services for its online presence at NJ.com, and many of its New Jersey newspapers out of the offices in Woodbridge. The sales and marketing staffs moved to Woodbridge in June 2014.
On September 14, 2023, the paper announced it would cease publication of its Saturday print edition, moving to an all-digital delivery of the Saturday edition beginning in 2024.
On October 30, 2024, the company announced it would cease daily print publication of the Star-Ledger on February 2, 2025, along with sister publications the Times of Trenton and South Jersey Times, due to rising costs, decreasing circulation and reduced demand for print. Online versions of the newspapers will continue to be offered, and newsroom coverage is not affected.
Prior to Whitmer, James Willse ran the newspaper from 1995. He was appointed following the retirement of 32-year veteran editor Mort Pye. Willse was the former editor and publisher of the New York Daily News. Prior to accepting the Ledgers editorship, Willse headed the review of electronic information options for all Newhouse newspapers. He also expanded the Ledger use of color and encouraged a more aggressive editorial team. The National Press Foundation named Willse its 1999 recipient of the George Beveridge Editor of the Year Award in recognition of Ledgers coverage of racial profiling by the New Jersey State Police.
|
|
