Press indefinitely suspends Monday print edition

Newspaper management has decided to suspend the Monday print edition of The Press indefinitely.

Publisher Clint Schroeder said Thursday that the problems leading to a digital-only edition on Mondays persist, with no relief in sight.

"We've been working relentlessly to recruit and retain a full newspaper delivery force providing excellent customer service, but frankly, we are struggling to make progress," Schroeder said. "We had hoped that giving carriers one day off a week without the corresponding reduction in pay would help, but recruitment and retention remains an enormous challenge."

Schroeder said The Press currently has 20 routes without carriers, a hefty percentage. The shortage is forcing newspaper employees, rather than contractors, to deliver papers, taking away time from their jobs in production, customer service and other areas.

"During the day, it's not unusual to see Schroeder personally addressing complaint calls between meetings and then spending hours in the North Idaho printing and distribution center in the middle of the night," managing editor Mike Patrick said. "Our entire leadership team is committed to our subscriber base."

Last July, Press managers suspended the Monday print edition, hoping that local labor force shortages would ease. A collective production, distribution, and executive management team extended the temporary change in September. However, the challenges are ongoing.

"The duty of our carrier force is not only a noble part of ensuring the future of the free press, but it's also a critical component of protecting the First Amendment," Schroeder said. "With all of that said, it's a tough job that takes dedication, heart, and hard work. Our carrier force earns anywhere from $500 to $2,600 per month depending on the route. This can be a perfect opportunity for college students, retirees, or those looking for a second income source.

"We continue to refine and sharpen our business model to reward excellent carrier service. We have many dedicated individuals who take great pride in connecting our readership to the community every day by overcoming any obstacle in their path; we need a few more like-minded individuals to join the team before we can add to the current workload."

Schroeder reiterated that the Monday edition of The Press has not gone away.

"Our Editorial Department is still creating content and building the full Monday news product, and it's available to every Press subscriber at cdapress.com"(click on the E-edition button)," he said.

"These are the realities of operating a complicated business today in North Idaho. We appreciate the many thousands of customers who have been understanding, and we aim to reward readers with improved service as we face these unprecedented challenges."

To learn more about being part of the team, please call or email Jeff Crump at 208-664-0218, or jcrump@cdapress.com.