Depiction of a newspaper printing press, AI Enhanced / Dreamstime

New jersey's largest newspaper to print final edition this weekend — Depiction of a newspaper printing press, AI Enhanced / Dreamstime

NEWARK, N.J. — The Star-Ledger, New Jersey’s largest newspaper, will cease print publication next month following years of declining circulation, rising costs, and shifting reader preferences, its parent company announced.

The final print edition of The Star-Ledger will be published on February 2, 2025, along with The Times of Trenton and South Jersey Times. The weekly Hunterdon County Democrat will print its last issue on January 30, 2025. The newspaper’s Montville production facility will also be shut down.

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In addition to economic challenges, The Star-Ledger has lost readership in recent decades as it adopted a more left-leaning editorial stance and moved away from traditional news coverage. Earlier this month, the company made its first cuts to its editorial staff, which had been criticized for its opinion-driven approach.

Advance Local, which owns NJ Advance Media and NJ.com, said that while print editions are ending, digital versions will continue, offering subscribers seven-day online newspapers with exclusive local and national content. Subscribers of the Hunterdon County Democrat will have access to The Star-Ledger’s digital platform.

“Today’s announcement represents the next step into the digital future of journalism in New Jersey,” said Steve Alessi, President of NJ Advance Media. “It’s important to emphasize that this is a forward-looking decision that allows us to invest more deeply than ever in our journalism and in serving our communities.”

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Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

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