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Michigan Catholic Newspaper Transitioning to Digital

DETROIT (AP) — The nearly 150-year-old official newspaper for the Archdiocese of Detroit is set to become an online-only publication.

Officials said Wednesday that the Michigan Catholic will end after its Aug. 24 issue.

Archbishop Allen Vigneron said the archdiocese will launch "a comprehensive digital news website and service" in November. He said the website will aim "to broaden our reach and to provide daily, engaging and timely news coverage of our local missionary activities."

Mike Stechschulte is the managing editor of the newspaper. He attributed the decision to the steady decline of circulation over the past two decades amid rising costs, the same challenges facing newspapers nationwide.

Stechschulte said the digital transition doesn't mean the archdiocese is abandoning its dedication to Catholic news.

"Rather, it will allow us to focus even more on the stories of faith, hope and love that abound in our community, telling those stories in new and innovative ways, and delivering that content to you in a more timely and engaging format," he said.

The Michigan Catholic, which publishes biweekly, was founded in 1872 and covers news for the region's 1.3 million Catholics. It's funded through subscriptions and advertising.

The newspaper had published weekly until 2010, when the archdiocese eliminated its annual subsidy, which ranged from $200,000 to $300,000, officials said at the time.

Officials plan to contact their subscribers and advertisers later this week with more details about the transition.

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