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Regular Session, 2012
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 198
BY SENATOR MORRELL
MUNICIPALITIES. Requests that the owners of The Times Picayune continue to publish
a daily print edition, commends the newspaper's staff, and recognizes the singular place the
newspaper holds in New Orleans history and in citizens' daily lives.
A RESOLUTION1
To urge and request the owners of The Times-Picayune to continue to publish a daily print2
edition of the newspaper, to commend the staff of the newspaper for steadfast3
dedication to excellence in journalism, and to recognize the singular place the4
newspaper holds in the history of New Orleans and in the lives of the citizens who5
rely on its daily print edition for news and information.6
WHEREAS, the daily print edition of The Times-Picayune has long been a fixture7
in the lives of the citizens of New Orleans; and8
WHEREAS, the newspaper is owned by Advance Publications, which is owned by9
the Newhouse family; and10
WHEREAS, on Thursday, May 24th, 2012, Advance Publications announced that11
beginning in the fall of 2012, the print edition of The Times-Picayune will be published on12
a reduced schedule of only three days a week, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday; and 13
WHEREAS, it was also announced that there will be a reduction in the size of the14
newspaper's workforce, which is composed of extremely talented and loyal employees; and15
WHEREAS, the news that The Times-Picayune will no longer be printed on a daily16
basis has been met with widespread shock and profound sorrow, and many citizens consider17
the idea of the city of New Orleans without a daily newspaper simply unfathomable; and18 SR NO. 198
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WHEREAS, many people who rely on the print edition of The Times-Picayune for1
daily news do not have access to the Internet and will be without a source for critical news2
and information four days a week; and3
WHEREAS, for its staff's consistently exceptional work, The Times-Picayune has4
been the deserving recipient of numerous awards, including several Pulitzer Prizes, such as5
those in 2006 in the category of Public Service "for its heroic, multi-faceted coverage of6
Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, making exceptional use of the newspaper's resources7
to serve an inundated city even after evacuation of the newspaper plant" and in the category8
of Breaking News "for its courageous and aggressive coverage of Hurricane Katrina,9
overcoming desperate conditions facing the city and the newspaper"; and10
WHEREAS, The Times-Picayune, with origins dating back to 1837, is not merely11
a newspaper but a true institution with a passionately devoted readership spanning multiple12
centuries and generations; and13
WHEREAS, daily delivery of The Times-Picayune is a tradition woven into the very14
fabric of New Orleans, and removing it from doorsteps four days a week will have a15
significant impact not only on the news consumption but also on the culture of the Crescent16
City.17
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana18
does hereby urge and request the owners of The Times-Picayune to continue to publish a19
daily print edition of the newspaper.20
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate does hereby commend the staff of21
The Times-Picayune for steadfast dedication to excellence in journalism.22
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate does hereby recognize and record for23
posterity the singular place The Times-Picayune holds not only in the annals of the history24
of the city of New Orleans but in the lives of the citizens who rely on its daily print edition25
for vital news and information.26
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted27
to Steven Newhouse, Donald Newhouse, Ashton Phelps, Jr., and Ricky Mathews.28 SR NO. 198
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The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot.
DIGEST
Morrell SR No. 198
Requests that the owners of The Times-Picayune continue to publish a daily print edition of
the newspaper, commends the paper's staff for excellence in journalism, and recognizes the
singular place the newspaper holds in the history of New Orleans and citizens' daily lives.