Idaho Statesman to change print days, delivery method as digital transition evolves

Chadd Cripe
·4 min read

The Idaho Statesman’s journey toward a more digitally focused, sustainable future takes its biggest step yet later this year.

We will transition to a 24/7 digital product with three days of high-quality print editions beginning Oct. 9.

The print editions will publish Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and be delivered by mail, arriving on the same day as publication, in most cases, alongside your regular mail delivery. The Sunday newspaper will arrive on Saturday because of the U.S. Postal Service’s delivery schedule. Single copies also will be available at select retail locations.

The eEdition will continue to publish seven days a week at IdahoStatesman.com and in our digital app. And we’ll continue to publish news digitally throughout the day, every day.

We’re also expanding our digital offerings and improving your digital experience. Over the next few months, we’re excited to launch a tablet program, new community calendar and portal for submissions, better eEdition navigation, a refreshed homepage that will provide unique experiences for our readers, and much more.

We are also launching an insider’s guide to the Boise area with a new website section and newsletter. The Explore Boise City Guide captures the very best in our service journalism and gives tips to residents on how to live their best lives in Boise and the Treasure Valley.

This is another key move for us within the digital transition of the news industry — and a vital step toward the sustainability of one of Idaho’s iconic businesses.

The Idaho Statesman was launched July 26, 1864, as the Idaho Tri-Weekly Statesman.

Last month, we marked our 159th birthday. The Statesman has been around so long that we’re one of just three remaining founding members of the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce.

And we plan to be here for decades to come.

Increasingly, Treasure Valley residents get their news from their phones, tablets and computers.

With that trend in mind, we’ve become much more digitally focused and have intensified that approach to where readers of IdahoStatesman.com or our eEdition often see our best work before our print readers. Since last year, our eEdition has included a section of stories that were published after our print deadline or are scheduled to run in print at a later date.

For the Statesman to continue to provide you with essential coverage of our community and unsparing investigative reporting, we must transform our business to thrive in 2023 and beyond.

Just as the 1996 Idaho Statesman I walked into as a 20-year-old intern looked nothing like that 1864 version, the same is true of the 2023 version I lead.

Our award-winning journalists’ commitment to the Boise community isn’t changing, and that continues next week with the addition of growth and development reporter Nick Rosenberger. They will continue to deliver in-depth reporting, investigative work and captivating stories.

We have rebuilt and stabilized our newsroom over the past two and a half years, and it’s now the largest newsgathering operation at an Idaho publication.

We’re also the best.

This year alone, we’ve:

  • Won a prestigious McClatchy President’s Award for Becca Savransky’s education coverage, highlighted by her investigation into the unregulated use of restraint and seclusion in schools. Her project prompted a change in Idaho law.

  • Won 22 first-place awards and 70 total awards in the Idaho Press Club contest, far more than any other publication (the second-most first places was seven). Those wins included Reporter of the Year Kevin Fixler, Photographer of the Year Sarah Miller, Sports Reporter of the Year Michael Lycklama and Rookie of the Year Shaun Goodwin.

  • Won seven awards, including a first place for Rachel Roberts, in the national Associated Press Sports Editors contest.

  • And won four first-place awards and two seconds in the regional SPJ Northwest awards, including one for our dive into the history of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area at its 50th anniversary.

And we’ve continued to produce standout journalism in 2023, including Alex Brizee’s details of how we often aren’t told why police officers are decertified; Kevin’s ongoing coverage of the Moscow quadruple homicide; Ryan Suppe’s watchdog coverage of our state government, including a controversial start for the attorney general; and Scott McIntosh producing a series of columns highlighting the human toll of the opioid crisis.

If you’re already a subscriber, thank you for supporting the work we do and investing in local journalism (be sure to activate your digital access at idahostatesman.com/activate).

If you aren’t a subscriber, please consider being a part of the solution. A growing community deserves a strong, independent local news source. The future of our community depends on it.

In the coming days, subscribers will receive correspondence from our customer service team regarding next steps. That team can be reached at 208-377-6370 or customerservice@idahostatesman.com.

Chadd Cripe is in his third year as editor of the Idaho Statesman and has been on staff for 27 years. Contact him at ccripe@idahostatesman.com.