The Ellettsville Journal will print its final edition on August 4. The weekly paper’s parent company, Gannett, says it is shifting coverage and resources to The Herald-Times in Bloomington.
Former editor of The Ellettsville Journal, Emily Ernsberger, stepped away from The Herald-Times in May. She did not participate in conversations about the paper closing but said most of the content is reprinted from The Herald-Times.
“I still think the people of Ellettsville will be served incredibly well if you take away the editing responsibility and put strictly reporting responsibilities of Ellettsville onto a reporter,” she said.
Ernsberger said media consolidation can result in communities losing small print publications. In theory, consolidation works when papers can do things like share breaking news across the state, but she says it also can result in a lack of local resources and thinly spread reporters.
Schurz Communications acquired The Ellettsville Journal in 2017. Schurz sold The Herald-Times, The Ellettsville Journal and its other properties, including those in Bedford and Martinsville, to Gatehouse Media in 2019. Gatehouse merged with Gannett later that year.
The Herald-Times did not immediately respond for comment.
