As far as days of the week go, let’s face it, Monday just isn’t beloved. It’s the beginning of the workweek, back to school, and comes on the heels of a leisurely Sunday. Mondays have been fodder for mournful songs, humorous posters and sardonic comic strips — even Garfield holds Mondays in contempt.
So the Chronicle has made a business decision to eliminate our Monday print edition, effective Oct. 7. You’ve likely read of other papers making similar moves, from the Idaho Falls Post-Register to the Portland Oregonian. The Oregonian now only provides home delivery four days per week (NOT something the Chronicle is considering).
This doesn’t mean that we won’t continue to provide the news, features and advertising that readers have come to expect. We’ll do it through a combination of digital updates and shifting print content to other days of the week. Here’s how it will work:
Beginning Sunday, Oct. 6, the Chronicle will add a section to the paper called “Monday on Sunday.” This will contain reader favorites such as Monday’s comics, crosswords and other puzzles, Monday’s TV listings and columns such as Dear Abby — readers will now get them a day early. Denise Malloy’s popular column will run on Sunday’s Opinion page.
Newspaper readers have long enjoyed relaxing with a robust Sunday paper, and now they’ll have even more to savor. The Sunday/Monday edition will now be available in racks and in stores through Monday evening.
Other Monday features such as “Everyday People” and “What’s Up With That” will move to other days of the week.
As for breaking news, state and national news, the Chronicle’s website will be updated as usual. Reporting staff will still work on Sunday and Monday to provide timely local news. Print subscribers have full, free access to the site. If you’re not registered yet, just go to bozemandailychronicle.com/subscriptions, to sign up for free.
Subscribers may be wondering how this will affect delivery rates. We don’t plan to reduce rates because of the change, but we will not implement a rate increase as we usually do this time of year. In fact, the last published rate increase was in November 2011, so those rates will hold.
And, no, we won’t change our name from the “Daily Chronicle.” We’ll still provide news and information seven days a week; the Monday edition is now digital. Our online and mobile audience has grown dramatically over the last few years, so this move is in sync with those readership trends.
The Chronicle was actually a six-day a week paper for most of the 20th century, only adding a Saturday edition in the late 1990s. The Saturday paper is now a more popular edition than Monday for both readers and advertisers.
So does this mean the beginning of the end for the Chronicle? Not even close. A combination of digital and print delivery meets the demands of the current marketplace. Pioneer News Group, the Chronicle’s family-owned parent company, is committed to community journalism. And best of all, they’re on strong financial ground and debt-free, unlike other newspaper groups for which debt drove them into bankruptcy.
Lastly, newspaper carriers will benefit from a well-deserved day off. Currently our contractors are required to deliver the paper seven days per week, 365 days per year. For them, a welcome day off may reveal Mondays’ charm after all.
