News Corp. group owned by Robert Murdoch has announced that it will halt the release of 60 Australian local newspapers in a paper copy, with the already strapped sector receiving a new blow by declining advertising revenue due to the Covid-19 epidemic .
The group said that newspapers in the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia will cease publishing in print and will transfer to digital.
"We haven´t made the decision lightly. The Corona virus has caused unprecedented economic pressures and we are doing our best to maintain the largest possible number of jobs," said Group CEO in Australia Michael Miller.
"We were forced to suspend the printed copies due to the rapid decline in advertising revenue due to restrictions on real estate auctions and the closing of banquet halls and restaurants due to the virus," he added.
Several Australian media groups had begun the transition to electronic versions prior to the emerging Corona virus crisis.
A global inclination is recorded in the same direction.
The largest publisher of American newspapers, Gannett, announced on Monday that it would give unlimited leave to its employees and deduct their wages.
Newspaper revenue declined due to a drop in readership and the rise of Google and Facebook as the primary players in advertising.
