Houston Press ceases print edition, lays off "nearly all" staff

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Declining ad revenues have forced the Houston Press to cease production of its print edition and lay off "nearly all" of its staffers, editor-in-chief Margaret Downing announced Friday.

Downing said the outlet was hit particularly hard by the "mini-recession caused by the downturn in the oil and gas industry that did nothing good for the Houston economy." She said Hurricane Harvey was the "topper," negatively impacting the restaurant and arts communities that advertise heavily with the Press.

Going forward, the outlet will be run by a sole editor overseeing a team of freelancers instead of a full staff.

"A lot of good people here will no longer have jobs at the Houston Press and that for me is the saddest and most painful part," Downing said.

The development comes a day after the complete closure of DNAinfo and Gothamist, whose portfolio included hyperlocal news sites in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington and San Francisco.