Black closes King County Journal

The King County (WA) Journal, purchased by Black Papers Ltd. in November, will put out its last issue on Jan. 21, the newspaper's new owners told employees at a meeting Thursday.

Black Press bought the Journal and its nine sister publications in November from Kent-based Horvitz Newspapers Inc. Circulation of the Journal, which has been losing money since 1994, has fallen to 39,100. It is the region's fifth-largest daily paper.

Don Kendall, general manager of Black's newly created King County Publications Ltd. division, made the announcement in the newsroom in Kent, reading from a prepared statement. Forty full-time employees will be laid off.

Kendall, vice president of Sound Publishing, said in a report published on this blog November 28 that he sees "virtually unlimited potential" in seven local non-daily sister publications of the Journal, and plans to expand them next year. They include; two weeklies, the Mercer Island Reporter and Snoqualmie ValleyRecord; and seven papers published twice monthly and distributed by mail: the Auburn Reporter, Bellevue Reporter, Bothell/Kenmore Reporter, Covington/Maple Valley Reporter, Kent Reporter, Redmond Reporter and Renton Reporter.

Employees were encouraged in December to apply for about a dozen jobs at the Journal's weekly sister publications. The Journal Newspapers employ about 330 people.

"I am saddened by the closure of the King County Journal and by the loss of valuable employees," Kendall wrote in a letter that was handed to staff. "I wish you the very best in your pursuit of other job opportunities."

Doug Margeson, a 24-year veteran reporter at the paper, said before the announcement that he hopes to become a reporter at one of the sister publications. He will take a more than 11 percent pay cut.

"On the other hand it's either that or unemployment, take your pick," he said. "What can you say about the death of a newspaper? It's never good."

Click on the headline to read a story by Andrea James in the Seattle Post Intelligencer.