The news: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) will publish its final print edition on December 31, 2025, before becoming a digital-only outlet on January 1, 2026.

• Publisher Andrew Morse said the shift will free resources to expand newsletters, podcasts, video, and a new mobile app.
• The 157-year-old paper said it has seen double-digit digital subscriber growth over the past two years, alongside audience gains in areas like newsletters, podcasts, and original video.

Why it matters: The move underscores a broader migration to digital news. Nearly half (48%) of US adults say they never read print newspapers, compared with just 19% who say the same of digital news.

• Ad dollars mirror that shift: Online formats will climb 12.3% in 2025 to $405 billion, while offline spending declines 5.5% to $181 billion. Newspapers will decline farther (-13%) than total offline spending.
• For economic coverage, newspapers (and magazines) are only used by 8% of the population. Younger readers skew toward social media (31% of ages 18-25), while older audiences still rely on TV news (66% of ages 56-75).

Our take: AJC’s print farewell reflects the unavoidable math: Audiences and advertisers are increasingly digital, and publishers that adapt fastest will be positioned to survive.