NEWARK, N.J. — Left-wing propagandist Tom Moran has been moonlighting as a member of the Star-Ledger editorial board. Today, it was announced by Politico that he and the entire board are going to be cut as the failing newspaper shifts to a digital-only print model in February.
The Star-Ledger will disband its editorial board as part of sweeping changes triggered by the decision to cease print operations in early 2025. The layoffs affect editorial page editor Tom Moran, columnist Paul Mulshine, and board members Julie O’Connor and Dave D’Alessandro, marking the end of the newspaper’s editorial board after decades of opinion-shaping influence in New Jersey.
The decision follows an announcement by the Star-Ledger’s parent company, Newark Morning Ledger Co., to end the print edition and close its Montville production facility in February 2025 due to rising costs and declining demand for print media. The shutdown affects both editorial and production staff, though news coverage will continue online via NJ.com, which is managed by NJ Advance Media, a sister company under the same ownership.
“The decision to cease printing The Star-Ledger impacts all employees of The Star-Ledger, as well as production staff at our Montville printing plant,” Wes Turner, president of The Star-Ledger, said in a statement. Turner added that NJ Advance Media will continue its digital operations, covering news, sports, and entertainment for NJ.com’s 15 million monthly readers.
Turner confirmed that NJ Advance Media, which will retain its reporting staff, plans to “re-imagine” its approach to opinion content in the digital era. While the traditional editorial board format will be dissolved, NJ.com will continue to publish guest opinion columns and letters to the editor.
The disbanding of the editorial board underscores a significant shift in New Jersey’s media landscape, as legacy newspapers increasingly migrate to digital-only models in response to economic pressures and changing reader habits. The Star-Ledger’s editorial board has been known for its strong editorial voice, often drawing criticism from conservative readers who have accused it of a liberal bias.
With the departure of its editorial board, the Star-Ledger will join a growing number of American newspapers opting to streamline opinion sections as they adapt to a digital-first approach.
