LACROSSE, Wis. – Lee Enterprises cutbacks in its newspaper publication schedule affect not only Winona but also the mothership of the company’s River Valley Group, the LaCrosse Tribune, and also the daily Chippewa Falls Herald. The LaCrosse Tribine, like the Winona Daily News, will go to five days a week. The Chippewa Falls Herald will go to four days. The company’s weeklies already have undergone consolidation and shrinkage. River Valley chief Sean Burks made the announcement in a front-page letter to readers of the dailies. Burke promised that the papers’ core mission will remain unchanged. “As more and more of our readers are enjoying our journalism across both print and digital formats, this change enables us to reach our readers where they are, and increasingly, in the manner in which they prefer to receive their multimedia news.” Burke did not say whether print subscribers would receive a prorated refund.
Earlier: Daily News drops Monday, Tuesday editions
Almanac: Lee Enterprises
Lee’s River Valley
Lee Enterprises is a national chain whose River Valley Group publications include the ,La Crosse Tribune, Winona Daily News, Chippewa Falls Herald, Onalaska-Holmen Courier Life News, Tomah Journal & Monitor Herald, West Salem Coulee News, Foxxy Shoppers, Jackson County Chronicle, Vernon County Broadcaster, Westby Times and Houston County News. Lee has had financial difficulties since aggressive and costly acquisitions in 2005, just before newspaper circulations entered a steep decline.