Charlotte Observer replacing Saturday print edition with expanded Friday, Sunday papers

To our readers:

The Charlotte Observer is changing to meet the needs of our readers and the communities we serve long into the future. Providing the news that’s essential to your life — be it breaking news, coverage of our local governments and schools, sports or watchdog journalism that holds public officials accountable — remains our mission.

While that mission hasn’t changed, we are seeing shifts in how our readers are engaging with this valued content. More of our customers are engaging with our local journalism online. This is not only a trend in the Charlotte area, it is a media industry trend.

To support these shifts, starting on March 7, we will no longer produce a printed newspaper on Saturday and will launch a Weekend Edition that includes expanded newspapers on Fridays and Sundays. Many of the features that you enjoy on Saturday such as comics, puzzles, real estate, Home Design and local sports coverage will now appear in expanded editions in print on Friday and Sunday. On Saturdays, we will continue to publish breaking local news to our website and social media platforms and we invite you to visit our website or eEdition, which replicates the experience of a printed newspaper online.

While a printed newspaper once was the sole means of accessing news and information, we now offer many different ways to connect with The Charlotte Observer beyond print – on our charlotteobserver.com website, on mobile apps, on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and through video, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and newsletters. These digital platforms are accessible wherever you go and whenever you want.

As we make this transition together we want to thank you again for your loyalty and investment in The Charlotte Observer. We are dedicated to providing this community, which we care deeply about, with independent, fact-based news and solutions for local businesses that help us all thrive and grow for many years to come. This is another step toward this goal.

Thank you.

— Rodney Mahone, Publisher, The Charlotte Observer