Puerto Rico's Legacy Newspapers to End Print Editions

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Two of Puerto Rico's largest newspapers, El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora, will cease their print editions in the coming days, transitioning to digital-only platforms. GFR Media, the owner of both publications, announced the decision Monday, attributing it to shifts in consumer behavior.

Primera Hora is scheduled to publish its final print edition on Sept. 24, followed by El Nuevo Día on Sept. 27. María Luisa Ferré Rangel, publisher of GFR Media, stated that the company aims to continue serving the Puerto Rican diaspora, which extends across the island, the United States, Europe, and beyond.

The company has not yet disclosed the number of employees who may be affected by this transition. A GFR Media spokesperson confirmed that the company's official statement is its sole comment on the matter at this time.

This move by GFR Media mirrors a broader trend affecting newspapers globally and on the U.S. mainland. In recent years, hundreds of newspapers across the United States have closed or shifted to digital formats as advertising revenue declines and readership habits evolve. Poynter, a nonprofit media institute, reports that approximately 3,500 U.S. newspapers have shut down over the past two decades, resulting in the loss of more than 270,000 newspaper jobs.

El Nuevo Día, which began publication in 1970, has a history of chronicling significant events in Puerto Rico and beyond. Notable past front-page stories include the election of Joaquín Balaguer in the Dominican Republic, the 1984 visit of Pope John Paul II, and the 1987 hotel fire that claimed numerous lives. More recently, the paper covered the island's 2015 announcement of an unpayable public debt exceeding $70 billion and the 2019 resignation of former Governor Ricardo Rosselló amidst widespread protests.

In 2019, El Nuevo Día published its first and only front page in English. The headline, "Mr. President: Your Numbers are Fake," addressed U.S. President Donald Trump and concerned the federal aid allocated to Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Both newspapers launched their digital sites in 1997. El Nuevo Día reports over 3.4 million unique monthly users for its digital version, while Primera Hora has more than 2.8 million. GFR Media has also been expanding its digital content, recently launching a video-podcast news program and planning a news analysis program for next month.