In December 2023, Pamplin Media Group announced the closure of its Gresham, Oregon, printing plant, resulting in the layoff of approximately two dozen employees. The shutdown, scheduled for early January 2024, is part of the company’s strategy to address financial challenges, including declining advertising revenues and increasing operational costs. Following the closure, Pamplin Media Group plans to outsource printing its newspapers to The Columbian’s facility in Vancouver, Washington.
This decision also highlights concerns regarding the company’s financial practices. Reports indicate that in 2019, the Gresham printing plant property was sold to the company’s pension fund for $1.55 million, which allowed CEO Robert B. Pamplin Jr. to extract cash while transferring an aging asset to pensioners. Additionally, property taxes on the printing plant were reported to be three years in arrears, totaling $62,000.
The closure of the Gresham facility is part of a broader trend affecting Pamplin Media Group. In June 2024, the company sold its portfolio of newspapers, including the Portland Tribune and two dozen other local publications, to Mississippi-based Carpenter Media Group. Subsequently, in July 2024, the new ownership implemented layoffs, including the termination of longtime statehouse reporter Peter Wong, and ceased publication of the Sherwood Gazette.
These developments reflect the ongoing challenges local news organizations face in maintaining traditional print operations amid financial constraints and evolving media consumption habits.
