Statement from Press Forward SWPA regarding the closure of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Foundation is a founding partner and funder of Press Forward Southwestern PA.
PITTSBURGH, PA, Jan. 9, 2026 -- The news that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will cease operations after more than a century is disheartening. It underscores the fact that supporting local news matters.
Strong communities depend on strong local news. Local news connects neighbors, holds leaders accountable and gives people the information they need to make informed decisions. At a time when trust in many institutions is eroding, local news remains a unifying source of reliable community information.
Press Forward was created to strengthen local news, so communities stay informed, connected and engaged. Many news organizations are still telling our region’s stories. That includes nonprofit outlets supported by Press Forward funders—such as WESA, PublicSource, and Spotlight PA—as well as for-profit and community-supported newsrooms across southwestern Pennsylvania, including those in the Pittsburgh Media Partnership. Since 2019, Press Forward funders in the region have invested more than $21 million in the local news ecosystem.
Over the past year, we have listened closely to residents, journalists and community leaders for their thoughts on how to sustain and strengthen local news in Pittsburgh. We will continue to listen and collaborate with those groups and the greater community that values local news in Pittsburgh.
Press Forward is a national initiative with 41 chapters working to strengthen communities by supporting local news and information. Since 2024, Press Forward Southwestern PA has convened funders and partners to support collaborative, community-centered journalism across 10 counties in the region. Founding partners include The Benter Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, Henry L. Hillman Foundation, The Pittsburgh Foundation and the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
The Pittsburgh Foundation
Matt Minczeski
Director, Communications and Marketing
The Pittsburgh Foundation
minczeskim@pghfdn.org
724-554-7993
Press Forward
Debra DeCourcy, APR
Press Forward Southwestern PA
513-405-5061