Gannett plans to close Cherry Hill printing press, lay off 139 workers

Kimberly Redmond//March 26, 2024//

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION CREATED IN CANVA

Kimberly Redmond//March 26, 2024//

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A new round of layoffs is hitting New Jersey’s media landscape, with Gannett disclosing workforce reductions at The Courier-Post in Cherry Hill.

The move is part of a plan to shut down its printing press on Cuthbert Boulevard. As a result, it will relocate production of several newspapers to other company-owned properties. The Virginia-based media giant will eliminate 139 positions by June 23.

According to Gannett, the impacted employees are a combination of full- and part-time workers in the mailroom and press operations.

Following the closure, production of the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and Vineland Daily Journal will move to Gannett’s plant in Rockaway. The company’s production facility in Wilmington, Del., will print and process other publications.

The local news staff will continue working from their offices adjacent to the printing press. Readers “shouldn’t notice a difference in the delivery of their newspapers,” Audrey Harvin, the Courier-Post’s executive editor said.

“The Courier-Post and our South Jersey papers are committed to delivering local coverage that impacts the communities we serve. While we work in a challenging environment as our industry evolves, our commitment to readers does not change,” she said.

The future of the printing press has not yet been determined, according to Gannett.

Sign of the times

The move comes as more and more media outlets shut down or consolidate printing operations amid the ongoing shift to digital readership.

“Decisions such as these, though challenging, are essential for maintaining our ability to deliver high-quality coverage to our readers, provide effective advertising platforms for our clients, and invest in the future of local journalism,” Karen Guarasi, regional vice president, sales for the Courier-Post and other New Jersey markets, said in a statement.

Since merging with GateHouse Media five years ago, Gannett has slashed its headcount by more than 50%. The workforce shrunk from 21,255 following the acquisition to 11,200 at the end of 2022, according to Axios.

Within New Jersey, Gannett’s assets include several daily newspapers, such as the Asbury Park Press, The Bergen Record, The Daily Record and Home News Tribune.