The always-progressive Capital Times of Madison, Wisconsin, has once again offered a worthy — and green — lesson to its print media counterparts across the U.S.
That’s because, as of this week, the daily newspaper is being distributed exclusively online. The Capital Times’ last daily print edition went out on Saturday, April 26.
A Monday article in The Washington Post notes the Madison newspaper, like almost every traditional print paper across the country, has seen a steep drop in circulation over past decades. The switch to an exclusively online edition (outside of a free weekly insert in The Wisconsin State Journal) also comes with a deep cut in employees — from about 60 to 40, but the paper promises to continue delivering local and breaking news seven days a week.
An editorial in the last print issue tells readers “The Capital Times will be a daily newspaper of the sort Americans will know in the 21st century … What would (Capital Times founder William T.) Evjue — who was not just a newspaperman but a pioneer when it came to embracing radio and television as vehicles for communicating progressive ideas — say about this change?
“He would caution us not to worry about the form The Capital Times takes, but rather to be concerned with the content and character of our message. And, as always, Evjue would be right. We will keep on giving the people the truth and the freedom to discuss it, and all will be well.”
Only now, fewer trees and fewer newspaper delivery miles will be needed to give that truth and freedom. Way to go, Cap Times!
