The Greer Citizen announces closing of operations after more than 100 years in publication

WELL IN UPSTATE. NEWSPAPER WILL BE SHUTTING DOWN AFTER MORE THAN A CENTURY IN BUSINESS, THE OWNERS SAYING IT’S DUE TO RECENT TRENDS. SOME NEWSPAPERS ARE SEEING ALL ACROSS THE NATION. REY LLERENA JOINS US LIVE IN GREER WITH MORE THIS EVENING. RAY, THIS ISSUE IN MY HANDS FROM LAST WEEK IS WHEN THE GREER SAYS ANNOUNCED IT IS SHUTTING DOWN. THOUGH THIS CAUGHT SOME PEOPLE BY SURPRISE, OTHERS SAY IT’S NOT A SURPRISE. JULY WILL BE THE FINAL PAGE IN THE LONG, STORIED HISTORY OF THE GREER CITIZEN, THE PAPER ANNOUNCED IT’S SHUTTING ITS DOORS DUE TO A LACK OF REVENUE FROM ADVERTISING. FILL. BUCHHEIT IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY THAT OWNS THE PAPER. WE SURE DIDN’T WANT IT TO END LIKE THIS. AND I KNOW THEY DIDN’T. THEY DESERVE A PAPER. I WISH WE COULD CONTINUE TO GIVE THEM A PAPER. IT’S JUST NO WAY FOR US TO DO IT AT THIS POINT, BUCHHEIT SAYS ADVERTISING HAS MOVED AWAY FROM LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND ENDED UP ONLINE VIA SOCIAL MEDIA OR OTHER WEBSITES. MARK JOHNSTON OVERSEES THE PUBLICATION OF SEVERAL MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS ACROSS THE UPSTATE. I MEAN, IF WE HAD TO TO LIVE ON THE REVENUE GENERATED BY THE GREENVILLE JOURNAL, JUST ON THE COST TO PRODUCE THAT AND GET IT PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED, WE PROBABLY WOULDN’T SURVIVE, JOHNSTON SAYS. DIGITAL SERVICES HAVE OFFERED PUBLICATIONS OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW IN A CHANGING MARKET. GREER MAYOR RICK DANNER ADDS THE PAPER’S CLOSING CAUGHT HIM BY SURPRISE. YOU HATE TO SEE A BUSINESS THAT’S 100 PLUS YEARS OLD GOING OUT OF BUSINESS. UM, AND I DON’T KNOW THAT THERE’S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT’S GOING TO BACKFILL IT, BUCHHEIT SAYS. THE CITIZENS CLOSING MEANS ITS STAFF WILL BE OUT OF WORK, AND ALSO CLOSES ON THREE GENERATIONS OF NEWSPAPER OWNERSHIP IN THE CAROLINAS. THEIR HEART AND SOULS ARE INVESTED IN THIS THING, AND IT MAKES IT REAL TOUGH. BUCHHEIT SAYS THAT THEY ARE OFFERING A SEVERANCE PACKAGE FOR THEIR STAFF, AND THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND NEW JOBS FOR THEM. THE PAPER’S LAST ISSUE WILL BE ON JULY 31ST

An Upstate newspaper that has served its community for more than 100 years says it will be closing its operations at the end of the month. In its July 3 issue, the Greer Citizen announced to its readers it will be shutting down on July 31. "The last couple of years have been extremely tough," said Phil Buchheit, the president of the company that owns the paper. "We shared no expense trying to keep a great product out. This product means a lot to us, and our readers mean everything to us."The Greer Citizen has been in circulation since 1918. Buchheit said there's not enough advertising available in the area to continue publishing the weekly newspaper. "There's no advertising," Buchheit said. "When I say revenue, it's advertising. That's all, you know, you get revenue through subscriptions, but that's not real revenue. That revenue is not going to pay payroll."Buchheit said advertising has moved away from small newspapers like the Citizen and ended up online via social media or other websites.Mark Johnston oversees the publication of several magazines and journals across the Upstate."I mean, if we had to live on revenue generated by the Greenville Journal, just on the cost to produce that and get it to print it and distribute it, we probably wouldn't survive," he said. Johnston added that digital services have offered publications opportunities to grow in a changing market of local news. Greer Mayor Rick Danner said the paper's closing caught him by surprise."You hate to see a business that's 100-plus years old going out of business, and I don't know that there's going to be something that's going to backfill it," he said. Buchheit said the Citizen's closing means its staff will be out of work and also closes on three generations of newspaper ownership in the Carolinas."Their heart and souls are invested in this thing, and it makes it real tough," he said. Buchheit said the company is offering severance packages for the paper's staff and is trying to find them new jobs.

GREER, S.C. —

An Upstate newspaper that has served its community for more than 100 years says it will be closing its operations at the end of the month.

In its July 3 issue, the Greer Citizen announced to its readers it will be shutting down on July 31.

"The last couple of years have been extremely tough," said Phil Buchheit, the president of the company that owns the paper. "We shared no expense trying to keep a great product out. This product means a lot to us, and our readers mean everything to us."

The Greer Citizen has been in circulation since 1918. Buchheit said there's not enough advertising available in the area to continue publishing the weekly newspaper.

"There's no advertising," Buchheit said. "When I say revenue, it's advertising. That's all, you know, you get revenue through subscriptions, but that's not real revenue. That revenue is not going to pay payroll."

Buchheit said advertising has moved away from small newspapers like the Citizen and ended up online via social media or other websites.

Mark Johnston oversees the publication of several magazines and journals across the Upstate.

"I mean, if we had to live on revenue generated by the Greenville Journal, just on the cost to produce that and get it to print it and distribute it, we probably wouldn't survive," he said.

Johnston added that digital services have offered publications opportunities to grow in a changing market of local news.

Greer Mayor Rick Danner said the paper's closing caught him by surprise.

"You hate to see a business that's 100-plus years old going out of business, and I don't know that there's going to be something that's going to backfill it," he said.

Buchheit said the Citizen's closing means its staff will be out of work and also closes on three generations of newspaper ownership in the Carolinas.

"Their heart and souls are invested in this thing, and it makes it real tough," he said.

Buchheit said the company is offering severance packages for the paper's staff and is trying to find them new jobs.

The Greer Citizen announces closing of operations after more than 100 years in publication

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