Rhode Island's Newport Daily News shifting to morning publication schedule after 150 years of being primarily an afternoon newspaper; change is good for both readers and advertisers, says publisher

Mathew Kearney

NEWPORT, Rhode Island , January 24, 2014 (Associated Press) – The Newport Daily News is shifting to a morning publication schedule on Feb. 3 after more than 150 years of being primarily an afternoon newspaper.

The newspaper, the only daily newspaper based on Aquidneck Island, has published a weekend edition in the mornings for more than 20 years. The change means its weekday editions will also come out in the mornings, being delivered to subscribers or available at newsstands by 6 a.m.

Publisher William F. Lucey III described the change as a good one for both readers and advertisers.

Executive Editor Sheila Mullowney said it will keep the newspaper competitive amid a 24-hour news cycle, and be to more relevant, particularly about topics such as local council meetings and high school sports.

"It's become imperative for us to deliver news on a more timely manner to our readers," she said Friday.

The Daily News has been published since 1846 and became an afternoon newspaper in 1861.

It and The Providence Journal are the only newspapers in the state with their own presses, and the change will allow the company to pursue more commercial print jobs. Mullowney said many of the state's other newspapers are now printing in Massachusetts.

"They want to be printing closer to home if they can," she said. "We have the opportunity to print other newspapers. We can keep the press running and fill it with commercial print jobs."

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