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Madison newspaper plans to cease daily print edition

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by Cara Harshman

Friday, February 8, 2008

By late spring, Madison residents will have one fewer daily newspaper to choose from.

The Capital Times announced Thursday it will transition to an Internet-based newsroom, downsizing to twice-weekly print newspapers.

The afternoon newspaper’s circulation — currently just over 17,000 — has been diminishing for the past 40 years, and it risks losing competition from other local newspapers, said Clayton Frink, publisher of The Capital Times.

“We felt like we weren’t doing what we set out to do,” Frink said in an interview Thursday. “Moving to the Internet provides us a way to solve this problem.”

Instead of six papers a week, The Capital Times will publish two weekly tabloid newspapers on Wednesdays and Thursdays, Frink said.

Wednesday’s edition will consist of week-in-review type articles, with interviews, sports and a “vigorous opinion editorial section,” according to Frink.

Thursday’s paper is a replacement for Rhythm, the current entertainment section. The new section, still without a name, will include lifestyle and entertainment content, and it will focus on how people spend their time and money today, Frink added.

Both papers will be delivered with the Wisconsin State Journal and will appear free on newsstands around the city.

With a circulation of about 80,000, the first new paper will be delivered April 26.

The transition means staff cuts for The Capital Times, Frink said. But with the transition to the Internet, reporters will be expected to write and post stories on captimes.com as fast as possible.

“If a basketball game ends at 10 p.m., we should have results up by 10:01,” Frink said.

The newspaper also announced Dave Zweifel, current editor-in-chief, will step down to editor emeritus and be replaced by Paul Fanlund, current executive editor.

The 68-year-old Zweifel, who has been the newspaper’s editor for 25 years, said with such a big transition to the Internet, it is a good time for him to step down.

“This new project is going to require a lot of intense work I don’t think I can do anymore,” Zweifel said. “I’m not going to be as involved in day-to-day stuff, but I’m still going to write my column.”

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