Background: the surviving daily newspaper for Portland, the Oregonian has gone through many, many changes over the last 25 years

Frequency: daily?

A few comments: the daily newspaper for Portland, the Oregonian has gone through a number of layoffs over the last twenty years. As staff have been shed, the amount of in-depth local reporting has decreased. It seems like new reporters have come up, increased their expertise, and then been laid off. They have a branding confusion between The Oregonian and their web presence of OregonLive. The comments on the website tend to be incredibly toxic. In my opinion, their failure to merge their print and online brands and offer a native digital subscription has led to a missed opportunity with possible subscribers of my generation.

Background: started more recently, the Portland Tribune and has associated small town papers and is a good way to get a sense of some of the suburban Portland issues

Frequency: 2x a week, I think, but I just read online

A few comments: Bob Pamplin (founder) is a conservative business owner of Ross Island Sand and Gravel

Background: started in early 2000 as a sister paper to Seattle’s the Stranger. Just shifted to every other week.

Frequency: Every other week

A few comments: this was the weekly paper I started reading when Willamette Week seems kind of old. But now I’m old! But Portland Mercury is young at heart, right? One of the big focuses right now are events and activities in Portland.

Background: the alternative weekly paper since [the 1970s?], the writing has ebbed and flowed over the decades. Currently creating print “Best of” compilations that can be quite handy.

Frequency: weekly

A few comments: I mostly read their compilations and attempt to read their website on my phone. There are a few usability issues with a constant pop-up to sign up for the email newsletter and troubles with loading more articles while still knowing where I am in the website. When I do dip into their reporting, I particularly appreciate the local politics coverage, even if I don’t agree with every point. Their voting guides are always useful.