ILLINOIS ISSUES DROPS PRINT

In light of a dire state budget outlook, Illinois Issues announced on Wednesday it will drop its print magazine and go digital only. The monthly magazine, begun in 1975, is in its 40 th year of publication. Illinois Issues, which merged with WUIS radio earlier this year, offers in-depth coverage of state government and related topics. Announcing the change in focus, Illinois Issues executive editor Jamey Dunn cited an expected 20 percent cut in state support due to the state budget impasse, which translates to a $120,000 projected defi cit for Illinois Issues and a $70,000 projected defi cit for WUIS. “We cannot wait to see what will happen,” Dunn wrote in her announcement. “We must make contract decisions for the new fi scal year, which is already upon us. And we must make tough choices now to avoid what could be potentially deeper cuts later in the fi scal year, depending on the level of funding we eventually receive.” The August issue will be the magazine’s last in print, after which it will be available at WUIS.org for free, doing away with the publication’s longstanding subscription model. Dunn said the decision helps Illinois Issues avoid potential staff cuts. WUIS will drop certain programming to make ends meet, although the programs will still be available for download online. To read the announcement, visit bit.ly/ilissues.