The Portland Tribune is an online newspaper and former printed newspaper in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is part of the Carpenter Media Group, which acquired a number of community newspapers in the Portland metropolitan area from Pamplin Media Group. Launched in 2001, the paper was published twice weekly until 2008, when it was reduced to weekly. It returned to twice-weekly publication in 2014 and was again reduced to weekly publication in 2020. The Tribune ceased print and went online-only in June 2025. joining The Oregonian, the city's only daily general-interest newspaper, and the alternative weeklies Willamette Week and The Portland Mercury. At the time, it was a rare example of the expansion of print news, in a time when many cities were seeing newspapers merge or go out of business. But its launch preceded a significant national downturn in advertising sales, which posed difficulties for a startup newspaper. The newspaper was reportedly losing money faster than anticipated after its first year. By late 2006, its newsroom staff had been reduced to 27. In July 2009, "difficult economic conditions" led to the layoff of two reporters and the resignation of its managing editor, resulting in a newsroom staff of 14.
In January 2020, the Portland Tribune returned to once-weekly on Thursdays and online articles became limited to paid subscribers only. Publication of the print edition shifted from Thursday to Wednesdays in April 2020. In October 2022, publisher Mark Garber announced that the weekly newsprint edition, which had continued to be free, would change at the beginning of November to a paid product, available only to subscribers and by purchase at retail outlets. In June 2025, at least six Tribune newsroom workers were laid off, including its managing editor. The layoffs left the paper with two reporters and no editor. Later that month, Carpenter announced the Tribune will cease print and publish online only.
Coverage
The paper deals almost exclusively with issues local to Portland and the U.S. state of Oregon. The paper is known for its extensive coverage of local high school, college and professional sports teams, with concentration on the NBA, Pac-10, Big Sky Conference and West Coast Conference. A business section was added to the print edition in 2014, along with other coverage expansion, including health and fitness content and more regional coverage.
See also
- Hillsboro Tribune