.svg) | |
 The May 24, 2012 front page ofThe Star-Ledger | |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner | Advance Publications |
| Publisher | Richard Vezza |
| Editor | Kevin Whitmer |
| Founded | 1832 |
| Language | American English |
| Headquarters | 1Gateway Center Suite 1100 Newark, New Jersey, U.S.[1] |
| OCLC number | 10944976 |
| Website | www |
The Star-Ledger was the largest circulationnewspaper inNew Jersey. It is based inNewark, New Jersey. The newspaper ceased print publication on February 2, 2025, but continues to publish a digital edition.
In 2007,The Star-Ledger's daily circulation was reportedly more than the next two largest New Jersey newspapers combined, and its Sunday circulation was larger than the next three papers combined.[2] It suffered great declines in print circulation in recent years, to 180,000 daily in 2013, then to 114,000 "individually paid print circulation," which is the number of copies being bought by subscription or at newsstands, in 2015.[3]
In July 2013, the paper announced that it would sell its headquarters building in Newark.[4] In the same year, Advance Publications announced it was exploring cost-saving changes among its New Jersey properties, but was not considering mergers or changes in publication frequency at any of the newspapers, nor the elimination of home delivery.[5] On February 2, 2025, daily print operation ceased, but online coverage continued.[6]
The Star-Ledger is a sister paper toThe Times ofTrenton and theSouth Jersey Times, both of which are owned byAdvance Publications, headquartered inOne World Trade Center inLower Manhattan.
TheNewark Daily Advertiser, founded in 1832, wasNewark's first daily newspaper. It subsequently evolved into theNewark Star-Eagle, owned by what eventually becameBlock Communications.
In 1939,S. I. Newhouse bought theStar-Eagle from Block and merged it with theNewark Ledger to become theNewark Star-Ledger. The paper dropped Newark from its masthead sometime in the 1970s, but is still popularly called theNewark Star-Ledger by many residents ofNew Jersey.[7][8]
During the 1960s,The Star-Ledger's chief competitor was theNewark Evening News, once the most popular newspaper in New Jersey. In March 1971, theStar-Ledger surpassed theEvening News in daily circulation, because the Newark News was on strike. TheEvening News shut down in 1972.[9]
After theNewark Evening News moved to a high-traffic area (with the potential of trapping its delivery trucks in inner-city traffic) theStar-Ledger opened a satellite plant inPiscataway. The Piscataway location offered quick access toUnion,Monmouth,Somerset, andMiddlesex counties.[10]
TheStar-Ledger was the recipient of thePulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting in 2005 for its comprehensive coverage of the resignation ofNew Jersey GovernorJim McGreevey, after he confessed to adultery with a male lover.[11]
The paper awards the Star-Ledger Trophy each year to the number one high school teams in their respective sport in New Jersey.[12]
In 2005, George Arwady became the publisher ofThe Star-Ledger. A graduate ofColumbia University, Arwady was previously the publisher of theKalamazoo Gazette inKalamazoo, Michigan. Having worked closely with the Newhouse family for years, Arwady was asked to move toNewark to oversee a financial revamping of the newspaper.[13]
Due to financial losses, the paper's parent companyAdvance Publications announced on July 31, 2008 that it would sell theStar-Ledger unless 200 non-union staff voluntarily left under abuyout offer, and its unionized truck drivers and mailers agreed to concessions.[14] On September 16, publisher George Arwady sent employees an email saying that management felt progress had been made on the buyout and concessions from the mailers, but that management is "far from an agreement with the Drivers' union."[15] The email continued:[15]
On October 24, 2008, the newspaper announced that 168 newsroom employees had offered to take the company's buyout offer, and that the company had accepted 151 of them, which resulted in a 40% reduction in newsroom staff.[16]
On January 16, 2013, the newspaper announced the layoffs of 34 employees including 18 newsroom staff.[17]
In July 2014, their Newark headquarters was sold to a New York developer, according to a news article released by the paper.[18]
The Star-Ledger continued to publish seven days a week, and retained a presence in Newark in leased office space located within the downtown Gateway Center complex, where the publisher, the newspaper's editorial board, its columnists, its magazine staff and a handful of other jobs were based. Advance Publications, the owner of the newspaper, launched a new media company — NJ Advance Media — in 2014 to provide content, advertising and marketing services for its online presence at NJ.com, and many of its New Jersey newspapers out of the offices in Woodbridge.[19] The sales and marketing staffs moved to Woodbridge in June 2014.[citation needed]
On September 14, 2023, the paper announced it would cease publication of its Saturday print edition, moving to an all-digital delivery of the Saturday edition beginning in 2024.[20]
On October 30, 2024, the company announced it would cease daily print publication of theStar-Ledger on February 2, 2025, along with sister publications theTimes of Trenton andSouth Jersey Times, due to rising costs, decreasing circulation and reduced demand for print.[21] Online versions of the newspapers will continue to be offered, and newsroom coverage is not affected.[6]
In October 2009, managing editor Kevin Whitmer took over as editor.[24] After Whitmer left in September 2015, Richard Vezza assumed the position as editor.[25][26]
Prior to Whitmer,James Willse ran the newspaper from 1995. He was appointed following the retirement of 32-year veteran editor Mort Pye. Willse was the former editor and publisher of theNew York Daily News. Prior to accepting theLedger's editorship, Willse headed the review of electronic information options for all Newhouse newspapers. He also expanded theLedger' use of color and encouraged a more aggressive editorial team. TheNational Press Foundation named Willse its 1999 recipient of theGeorge Beveridge Editor of the Year Award in recognition ofLedger's coverage ofracial profiling by theNew Jersey State Police.[27]
The Star-Ledger, New Jersey's longtime paper of record, will publish its final edition on Sunday and become an online-only news outlet.
40°43′53″N74°10′42″W / 40.731512°N 74.178410°W /40.731512; -74.178410 (The Star-Ledger)
