Community newspapers across South Dakota say tariffs on newsprint are increasing operation costs.
Tariffs were imposed last year, predating the Trump Administration’s trade war.
South Dakota papers remain hopeful a decision later this week by the US Department of Commerce will remove the tariffs.
Almost a year ago, the North Pacific Paper Company filed a petition on imports of uncoated groundwood paper from Canada. That category includes newsprint. A tariff was imposed last year.
Dave Bordewyk is executive director of the South Dakota Newspaper Association. He says almost all newsprint from South Dakota comes from Canada.
Bordewyk says the tariffs impact smaller papers more than the papers in Sioux Falls and Rapid City.
“Such as our weeklies in South Dakota, our 114 weekly newspapers, which are publishing at a central printing plant somewhere in the state,” Bordewyk says. “That printing plant is buying newsprint on a much smaller scale than Gannett or the Rapid City Journal’s parent company. They’re much more vulnerable to the whims of how these prices are going up.”
One paper in South Dakota taking a hit is the Black Hills Pioneer, which is in Spearfish. Letti Lister is the publisher for the northern hills paper. Over the last ten years, she says subscribers to the Pioneer have increased. She says the tariffs increase their cost for paper by 4 to 6 thousand dollars per load. She says that eats into the paper’s profit margin. She says the paper is absorbing the cost hike and taking a wait and see approach.
“It just might get a little bit tougher, and we might have to figure out some more strategies,” Lister says. “We’re used to that, but this is a big one for sure. I’m truly more concerned about some of the smaller papers”
Lister says the company offers other products, in addition to the paper, that bring in a profit, which gets reinvested into the paper.
Both Bordewyk and Lister say the South Dakota congressional delegation recognize the impact of and oppose tariffs on newsprint.
