Rochester NY, like any other medium sized city, has a hunger for news. Many Rochesterians get their news from Rochester New York newspapers. The biggest Rochester newspaper is the Democrat and Chronicle. Originally founded in 1833 as The Balance, the paper eventually changed its name to the Daily Democrat. In 1870, the Daily Democrat merged with another local paper, the Chronicle to become the Democrat and Chronicle, the name it has to this day. The Democrat and Chronicle has a circulation of 154,599 for its weekday morning runs and 196,146 for its Sunday run. This circulation makes the Democrat and Chronicle one of the best newspapers in the country as far as market penetration is concerned.

City Newspaper is the other main Rochester newspaper. Unlike the Democrat and Chronicle, which is a traditional newspaper, City Newspaper has positioned itself as Rochester’s alternative newspaper. It is published only once a week and is free. Founded in 1972, the paper focuses on issues of local government and also features a large arts section.

In the past, Rochester has other newspapers, most notably the Rochester Times Union. The Rochester Times Union functioned as Rochester’s main afternoon newspaper from 1918 until it closed in 1997 to merge with the Democrat and Chronicle.

The future of Rochester newspapers is uncertain. Newspapers all over the country have been shutting down or scaling back. Reasons for the decreased readership include increased competition from other sources such as television and internet. While both newspapers have healthy circulations today, no one can say what the future will bring. To find out more information about either the Democrat and Chronicle or City newspaper, search online, or better yet, pick up a copy at your local newsstand.