8 North Dakota newspapers cease with family business’s closure

UNDATED (AP)- Eight weekly newspapers in North Dakota have ceased publication due to the closure of a century-old family business. Ness Press closed in early August 2023. The small-town business had no one to take it over, with little advertising revenue from the area. Ness Press had two employees and three or four volunteers. The eight papers printed 1,400 to 1,500 copies, and the business also provided printing services. Other North Dakota newspapers have closed or nearly closed in recent years. Newspaper advocates warn of “news deserts” as a detriment to communities without local newspaper coverage.