Rep. Summer Lee Statement on Shutdown of Pittsburgh Newspapers
WASHINGTON D.C. – JANUARY 7, 2026 — Today, Congresswoman Summer L. Lee (PA-12) issued a statement following the announcement that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette would cease publication later this year. The news comes just days after its owner, Block Communications, Inc., ceased publication of the Pittsburgh City Paper as well.
“Local journalism is essential to a healthy democracy, and at a moment when our democratic institutions are failing, losing it is especially devastating. When trusted reporting disappears, entire neighborhoods lose a vital source of accountability and connection, leaving too many people in the dark about what’s happening around them.
“Block Communications has utterly failed our region. In a span of days, it shuttered two legacy papers, the Pittsburgh City Paper and now the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The PG is shutting down after workers fought for years for fair contracts and won, only to be pushed out once again. A business model that relies on exploiting workers is clearly unsustainable and immoral. Instead of finding a more just way to stay in business, they quit in the most irresponsible manner.
“This is a huge loss for the workers who have stood up for their colleagues, their craft, and their community, and for the readers who relied on these trusted sources for critical information.”
Congresswoman Summer Lee serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Education and Workforce. Since taking office in January 2023, she has delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $2.4 Billion brought back to Western PA, including over $580 million for infrastructure, over $110 million for affordable transit, over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania, and over $55 million on clean energy efforts in and around schools to help keep our kids and communities safe. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs. Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 3,000 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.