Will community newspapers survive amid soaring costs of newsprint?

Every month, since 2006, SweSwe Aye and her team at the Myanmar Gazette have produced a print newspaper free of cost to their subscribers.

“Our core readership, particularly those aged 50 and above, strongly prefers reading hard copies over soft copies,” said Aye in an interview with American Community Media. “Our Burman readers believe that the printed newspaper is an indispensable source of historical evidence.”

“They trust that once something is published in print, it is solidified as a strong, permanent record. We even have instances where Burman people have successfully submitted translated newspaper articles as evidence in court proceedings. This validates their historical significance,” said Aye, who serves as both editor and reporter for the Myanmar Gazette. “We view the printed edition as an essential cultural and historical service. We are dedicated to maintaining it,” she added.

The Pandemic’s Impact

But the rising costs of newsprint — which represents about 70% of overall printing costs — has dramatically risen since the pandemic. During the pandemic, many community newspapers moved to digital-only models. Print personnel were not considered “essential workers,” and therefore were subject to pandemic lockdown restrictions.

The price of newsprint in 2020 ranged from $300 to $540 per metric ton, according to data from Indexbox, which tracks the price of common commodities. Many paper mills shut down during the pandemic, diminishing supply of finished paper. Costs leaped in 2022, post-pandemic, as demand increased, while supply diminished.

By 2025, the cost of newsprint rose to a range of $580-$670 per metric ton, almost double the costs from 5 years ago. The US gets almost 100% of its supply of newsprint from Canada. The Trump Administration has slapped tariffs of 25 to 35% on many exports from its neighbor. However, under the guidelines of the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, newsprint is exempt from these tariffs.

No Tariffs on Newsprint

The National Newspaper Association issued a statement July 11 confirming that President Donald Trump’s tariffs plan would not impact newsprint. “At this time, newsprint from Canadian mills will not be subject to tariffs when the new rate takes effect. But the action is in the context of negotiations between the U.S. and Canada and the relationship remains strained due to the aggressive posture taken by the administration,” noted NNA. It stressed that the trade relationship remains “volatile.”

Community newspapers are also contending with the high cost of aluminum, which is used to create plates for offset lithography. The US imports roughly 60% of its aluminum supply from Canada. Last February, Trump slapped a 25% tariff on aluminum and steel from Canada. Prices for aluminum subsequently jumped by 40% to about $5400 per metric ton, according to Bloomberg News.

Reduced Print Runs

The costs have hit hard for Aye and her team. In its heyday, the Myanmar Gazette printed 10,000 copies every month; the print run has been reduced to 4,000 copies. Being able to sustain its print edition is critical to the longevity of the publication. “Advertisers in the Myanmar Gazette, including non-Burmese business owners, highly value the print edition because it reliably delivers paying customers.”

”They consistently report that they do not achieve the same return on investment from digital or social media advertising as they do from the printed paper,” said Aye. “If we were to transition to a digital-only format, the impact on our community would be profound and immediate as thousands of elderly community members cherish the experience of physically holding and reading the newspaper.”

Essential Resource for Oaxacan Community

Rising print costs are also a concern for Mireya Olivera, founder of Impulso Newspaper, a Spanish language publication that serves 250,000 Oaxacan residents in Los Angeles County. Established in 2004, the publication puts out an annual glossy magazine. Five years ago, the cost for the annual magazine was $5,000 for 10,000 copies, said Olivera, in an interview with ACoM. “This year I had to pay more than $4,000 for 2,000 copies,” she said.

Impulso Newspaper is considering moving to a digital-only format. But Olivera said her readership still wants a print edition. “They complain if they don’t see it in the usual places. Impulso is part of our community. Our readers’ stories are reflected on paper. They can keep them and even cut out and frame them.”

“Our readers see their photos published in the stories and show them to their families and friends. And they feel proud,” said Olivera. “Switching to a digital format would be devastating for the editorial staff. The designer would lose his job, and the printer would also lose a vital customer at this critical time.” 

Community Archive

“We would not maintain a close relationship with our few customers who want to see their ads in print, and our community would not share the joy of seeing themselves in their printed photos with their families, nor would they lovingly keep that story that impacted them or their own story in their archives.”

“For the Oaxacan community residing in Los Angeles County, it is vital to have the print version, and now for those far from the county, the digital version,” said Olivera.

Indo American News

Jay Malhotra has published a print edition of Indo American News every week from Houston, Texas for the past 45 years. It is the oldest South Asian American publication in the US, with a readership of over 200,000. Indo American News has a weekly print publication, alongside its e-paper and radio channel.

”Our value to the community is in spreading the word of events as well as people, as they move into a stronger economic environment, with more critical clout, Malhotra told ACoM. “The local media does not cover this,” he said, giving as example a local Diwali event that brought out 10,000 people, but was not covered by The Houston Chronicle. “So we become the only source for vast dissemination of this information.”

IAN covers obituaries, local events and festivals aimed at the South Asian American diaspora, visiting dignitaries and much more.

Advertising Revenue

After a round of tariffs hit in 2018, during Trump’s first term, printing costs rose from $740 to $987 per week. They have steadily increased to $1387 per week. Malhotra used to print 10,000 copies with 36 tabloid pages, but has reduced his print run to 7,000 copies with 12 pages.

”We anticipate another cost increase this month and will have to pass along some of the costs to advertisers,” said Malhotra. He is considering a bi-monthly print run. “We already have a digital format, but it doesn’t produce much revenue.”

”A large portion of our community depends on print media to spread the word of community activities and events. They appreciate the kind of coverage we can only do in print,” said Malhotra.

Almost 3/4 of revenue for weekly newspapers is derived from advertising, according to a Pew Research survey. By contrast, small digital only publications derive less than 20% of their revenue from advertisers. Paywalls and subscription-based models have been largely unsuccessful, as readers expect online news to be free, according to the survey.