Isthmus, the Madison-area alt-weekly newspaper that’s put out a free edition every week since 1976, is going dark, at least for the foreseeable future.
In a statement titled “Survival Plan,” Isthmus ownership wrote that they were “heartbroken” to share the news that they’d be shutting down.
“Over the past few weeks we have been trying to cover the turmoil and grief that COVID-19 has caused our Madison community. Today, we unfortunately need to share our own story,” they wrote. “We have decided that if there is any chance of seeing life on the other side of this storm, Isthmus must go dark for an undetermined amount of time.”
In recent years, the newspaper has relied increasingly on events to bring people together and to bring in revenue through sponsorships. Public gatherings cannot happen in the midst of a global pandemic.
“Isthmus financially depends on people coming together for concerts, food, drink, lectures, movies and more. And when it all goes away at once, we are left without options,” the statement said. “We are going to take this time to try to figure out what is next and what Isthmus might look like in the next life.”
