Dear Readers,
Local journalism is at the heart of a strong community. For more than a century, The Durango Herald has been committed to keeping Southwest Colorado informed, connected and engaged. Today, we are taking an important step to ensure we can continue serving our region with strong, independent local journalism for generations to come.
Over the past decade, measurable shifts have occurred in the news consumption habits of the Herald’s readers. Historically, the Sunday Edition had the greatest circulation and was the largest newspaper. In the past eight years, the Friday edition overtook Sunday as the most-read newspaper, with readers using the paper to plan their weekend events and clip coupons for shopping.
Beginning Wednesday, April 1, The Durango Herald will publish print editions Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
This new schedule allows us to focus our resources on producing timelier, impactful print editions while continuing to expand the digital coverage readers rely on every day.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Monday will feature a comprehensive weekend recap, local sports coverage, government updates and the stories shaping the week ahead.
- Wednesday will continue to deliver strong midweek reporting, community news and local perspectives.
- Friday will become our expanded Weekend Edition, your guide to the days ahead with features, events, entertainment, local businesses and community stories.
Subscribers will continue to have 24/7 access to our journalism. In addition to our website’s daily reporting and continuous updates, subscribers can also access our e-Edition, a digital replica of the printed newspaper, available online at 6 a.m. on each publication day. The e-Edition allows readers to experience the full newspaper layout and stories in the same format as the printed paper.
While there will no longer be Sunday print edition, news on Sunday is not going away. Instead, we are introducing a new, magazine-style Sunday newsletter featuring the week’s most important stories, local events, photo highlights and thoughtful storytelling from our newsroom. The launch date will be announced soon.
As online subscriptions continue to grow substantially, we are launching a newly rebuilt DurangoHerald.com, designed to deliver a faster, more modern and easier-to-navigate experience. With full digital access, readers can follow local news online every day with continuous updates as stories develop across our community.
We are also transitioning to mail delivery Wednesday, April 1, for print subscribers, which provides more consistent and reliable service while helping streamline operations and reinvest resources directly into reporting and local coverage.
These updates reflect our commitment to:
- Strong, sustainable local journalism.
- Greater accessibility across print and digital platforms.
- Continued investment in the stories that matter most to our community.
Subscribers will continue to receive three robust print editions each week, along with full digital access to our reporting every day.
The Durango Herald remains locally owned and deeply rooted in this region. Your support makes independent journalism possible, and we are grateful to serve you.
As we turn the page to a stronger Herald, our mission remains the same: to inform our community, provide accountability and tell the stories that define life in Southwest Colorado.
Thank you for being part of it.
Sincerely,
John D. Blais
CEO and Publisher, The Durango Herald
∎ ∎ ∎
To readers and advertisers,
The content and timing of The Durango Herald has been adjusted at times to meet readers’ desires and organizational needs, from an afternoon to a morning newspaper, from six days to seven and then three, and in the recent decade to the significant use of the internet for more timely delivery.
Now comes what we believe will be a stronger weekend newspaper that begins with Friday, and a Monday paper to fill the gap to an unchanged Wednesday. Sunday will also see a lengthy digital newsletter. A more complete, more intuitive website redesign will follow.
There is a lot of news generated in La Plata County and in broader Southwest Colorado, and with its reporting continued opportunities for retailers’ and service providers’ advertising to piggyback on the various forms of Herald delivery.
That the content of the three newspapers is available page-by-page via the digital e-Edition format prior to 6 a.m. compliments the print newspaper to arrive later the same day via the U.S. Postal Service. And, no, newspapers will not be routed through Albuquerque.
Habits will change a bit with the above modifications, but we hope they’ll quickly fit and for the better. A successful match between readers and advertisers and a local newspaper is critical, so let us know your reactions.
Richard G. Ballantine and Ballantine family members
