The UK’s two leading Jewish newspapers will cease publishing, casualties of a reduced advertising and readership market sparked by the Chinese coronavirus epidemic.
The Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News said they were not able to survive in their current form.
The boards of the papers, which announced plans to merge in February, said they expected the closures to be finalised in the coming weeks although “every effort” would be made to continue publishing over this period.
The outlets announced their plans “with great sadness” in similarly worded statements on Wednesday.
“Devastating news for us,” said Stephen Pollard, editor of the Jewish Chronicle. “I won’t be saying anything beyond confirming that the paper will be out as usual next week, and we have every intention of avoiding any interruption.”
Founded in 1841, the title – often known as the JC – is the world’s oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper.
The Kessler Foundation, owners of the JC, said it was working to secure a future for the masthead after the financial liquidation. The Guardian newspaper reported staff had been told the parent company had run out of money during the lockdown.
A statement on its website read: “With great sadness, the Board of the Jewish Chronicle has taken the decision to seek a creditors voluntary liquidation of Jewish Chronicle Newspapers Ltd.”
“Despite the heroic efforts of the editorial and production team at the newspaper, it has become clear that the Jewish Chronicle will not be able to survive the impact of the current coronavirus epidemic in its current form.”
A spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said there remains hope that a last-minute buyer may be found: “We hope that a buyer will come forward to salvage the many jobs that may be lost.”
Jewish News was established in 1997 and is distributed for free weekly.
The news came as the global Jewish community prepares to celebrate the annual festival of Passover.