The death of print?: Georgia's largest newspaper signals a warning

By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press

For the record, I have been in printing and publishing for 46 consecutive years; and in each and every one of those years, at least someone has said to me, "Print is dead."

Somehow, I've made it for almost five decades. But today, in 2026, I almost – almost – believe print really is dead. OK. Close the casket, already. Let's make it a happy wake.

Otherwise, prove me wrong.

An immediate case in point is the recent announcement by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) that it is ending its print edition on Dec. 31, 2025 after 157 years. The final printed newspaper will be published on Wednesday, Dec. 31, after which, the publication will become digital only. Happy New Year, indeed.

This was Georgia's largest newspaper in total circulation. It served the Atlanta metropolitan area, which ranks as the sixth- or seventh-largest U.S. metro region with over 6 million people and growing rapidly past cities like Philadelphia and Miami. 

Yet, it couldn't support its so-called newspaper of record for the last 157 years. The AJC was known as the South's prominent newspaper for 157 years – since 1868. No longer.

In making the announcement of the death of the print edition, AJC President and Publisher Andrew Morse said the company will continue to "publish distinctive journalism every day and with urgency on its website, AJC.com, on the AJC mobile app, as well as through video, podcasts and across other digital platforms."

I'm sure it will – or at least do its best to. But the message is loud and clear: Communities who do not support their local newspapers soon lose them. It certainly has happened on a local level. When I started in this business, there were five printed newspapers in Highland County. Those print editions are all long gone.

Earlier this year, I was contacted by a very successful professional businessman in southeast Ohio about starting a local newspaper. His county is in a "news desert," and he feels the community will support its own newspaper. Time will tell on that front. 

I provided him with lots of background information and a game plan to move forward, which is all well and good. But what I could not provide was a practical survey on how many citizens actually care about a newspaper – or accurate news, for that matter, in 2026.

When newspapers that employed me while they were converting locally written news, sports and other items to their websites, I often cautioned against it. I spoke out against it in many of those boring – and often pointless – staff meetings, and I publicly criticized the thought process. Nonetheless, the majority of newspapers rushed to place their news on the internet. The thinking was basic, but flawed: "If we add a website to our print editions, we can generate more advertising revenue."

Just one problem, there, Hoss. You're killing the geese that laid the golden eggs, thus deeming your own print edition as less than relevant.

Granted, The Highland County Press has become the local leader in online journalism over the past 17 years. We devote a lot of time and energy to our website (obviously), and it is updated 365 days a year (366 days in 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024 and hopefully, 2028).

But we still strongly emphasize The HCP print edition. Our print edition is enjoyed by many rural readers who may not have reliable and cost-effective internet service and by many readers who simply enjoy a real newspaper and do not want to read it online. 

Another group in our area also enjoys the print edition: The many Mennonites in Highland and the surrounding counties we serve tell me they enjoy the newspaper – and to their credit, they support it through advertising and their voluntary subscriptions. We greatly appreciate it.

Like most newspapers in the last decade or so, the AJC's decision to end its print edition will result in even more job losses. The change is expected to result in the elimination of about 30 full- and part-time jobs involved in designing and distributing the newspaper. Expect that number to increase, of course.

Newspaper readership has fallen, primarily because technology changed how and when people get their news. We get that. But for someone who has actually placed thousands of newspapers either in readers' hands, on their front porches and in their places of business for the last four decades, I also know that many people do, in fact, enjoy their local newspaper. Again, we greatly appreciate it. A lot of time and effort goes into producing it every week.

While reading about the demise of AJC's print edition, I came across this perspective by former AJC Obituaries Editor Kay Powell.

"Obituaries in print are available to everyone, especially readers who do not have access to modern technology. Families buried their dead with a copy of their AJC obituary. They blew up copies of the obituary to display at funerals. Funeral preachers who didn’t know the deceased well quoted AJC obits to bring the dead back to life. 

"AJC obits are cut out and preserved in family Bibles. Readers bought extra copies of the Journal-Constitution to share near and far. Newspapers throughout the country used the AJC’s obits coverage as a model to develop their own distinctive obituary section. There is no substitute for holding a friend’s or family member’s obituary in print preserved for all time."

Having learned a great deal about the importance of publishing accurate and respectful obituaries from longtime Cincinnati Enquirer metro editor and columnist Jim Rohrer, I appreciate Powell's perspective. And yes, I am old enough to remember when newspaper obituaries were laminated and used as bookmarks. I found some comfort in knowing some families cared enough to do that. 

And on the topic of obituaries, it's good that the late great Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnists like Pulitzer Prize-winner Ralph McGill, sportswriter Furman Bisher and humor writer, native Georgian Lewis McDonald Grizzard Jr. (author of "Elvis Is Dead and I Don't Feel So Good Myself") and my former column page mate on Saturdays at The Portsmouth Daily Times are not around to see the AJC's obit. They would not like that the South's prominent newspaper for 157 years is no more.

Let us hope its terminal affliction is not contagious. 

On a personal note, I'd like to make 50 years of putting ink on dead trees. Lord willing and the creeks don't rise, we'll be here for our readers and advertisers. We appreciate you. Happy New Year.

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press, founded in 1999 and Highland County's only locally owned and operated newspaper.