Satirical publication The Onion will end its weekly print presence in the remaining three cities where they are still printed. Starting December 12, the publication will be available online-only.
The remaining printed editions, located in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Providence, are what remain from a network of free weekly newspapers that once spanned 17 cities. The property also reached north of the border in 2011 with a publication in Toronto produced by the Torstar Group; it lasted only 10 months before succumbing to the lack of advertising revenue.
Tim Keck and Christopher Johnson, two students at the University of Wisconsin, founded the parody newspaper in 1988. It became an early adopter of the online medium in 1996, which gave it international appeal. According to its media kit, The Onion’s online properties reach more than 11 million unique visitors per month, an increase of almost 30 percent year-over year.
“Of course, you’ll still be able to find The Onion and the national A.V. Club online,” writes The Onion and A.V. Club Milwaukee Editor Matt Wild in announcing the print closure. “You just won’t be able to hold them, caress them, and swat centipedes with them. Try doing that with your iPad, Susie.”
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