The owners of the Toledo newspaper The Blade have announced plans to sell the publication, warning that if a buyer is not found, both its print and digital editions will cease operations by the end of this year. The paper’s parent company, Block Communications, cited ongoing financial losses as the primary reason for the potential closure.

In a message to staff on Tuesday, Jodi Miehls, president and chief operating officer of Block Communications, described the decision as “extremely difficult” but necessary. Miehls emphasized that continuing to subsidize the newspaper is no longer financially viable, noting that “the financial losses the Blade has endured for years are simply not sustainable.”

The Blade, a longstanding source of news in Toledo, Ohio, has faced mounting challenges in a changing media landscape marked by declining print revenues and shifts to digital consumption. Block Communications previously made a similar decision earlier this year involving another of its newspapers, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In January, the company announced it would halt publication there as well, citing comparable financial difficulties.

However, that closure was averted when the Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, a non-profit organization, acquired the Pittsburgh newspaper just weeks before the planned shutdown in May. The move allowed The Post-Gazette to continue publishing under new ownership focused on local journalism.

Block Communications has not indicated whether it has engaged potential buyers for The Blade or if a similar outcome might be possible. For now, the future of the Toledo newspaper hinges on its ability to find a purchaser willing to assume responsibility for its continued operation. If no agreement is reached, readers can expect both print and digital editions to end after this year.