April 15, 2025 (Columbus Dispatch) –
The Columbus Messenger newspaper chain closed Friday, after more than half a century of covering central Ohio suburbs.
Founded in 1974, the chain operated five newspapers covering the outer ring of Columbus: Grove City Messenger, Groveport Messenger, Madison (County) Messenger, South/Canal Winchester Messenger, and the Westside Messenger.
"After 50 years of providing solid local journalism providing news stories, features, and photographs to our readers and communities, as well as being a strong and beneficial source of advertising for local businesses, the Columbus Messenger Newspapers will close on April 11 and no longer publish its five newspapers," owner and publisher Phil Daubel announced to readers.
Daubel said the final print edition of the paper published April 6 in anticipation of the closure.
The Messenger is the third chain of suburban Columbus newspapers to close, following the demise of ThisWeek News and Suburban News.
“The current economic climate and the changing nature of the newspaper industry, including how people get their news and how advertisers reach their customers, has adversely impacted our ability to continue publishing,” said Daubel. “The decreasing advertising revenue and our accompanying rising expenses make it no longer economically feasible for our newspapers to continue.”
Daubel could not be reached for additional comment Friday morning.
Real estate and Development Reporter Jim Weiker can be reached at jweiker@dispatch.com and at 614-284-3697. Follow him @JimWeiker
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Messenger suburban newspaper chain closes after half a century
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