What Happened to The Miami Herald?
The Miami Herald is a prominent American daily newspaper, founded in 1903, that has evolved from a print powerhouse to a digitally focused news organization. Despite facing industry-wide challenges like declining print circulation and newsroom layoffs, it continues to serve South Florida with award-winning investigative journalism under the ownership of The McClatchy Company, which is backed by Chatham Asset Management. The publication has embraced digital transformation, launching new platforms and maintaining a robust online presence while upholding its commitment to local news and community engagement.
Quick Answer
The Miami Herald remains a leading news publication in South Florida, actively publishing daily in print and maintaining a robust digital presence as of July 2026. While its print circulation has significantly declined, the newspaper has adapted by focusing on digital subscriptions, multimedia storytelling, and investigative journalism. It is owned by The McClatchy Company and continues to win prestigious awards, including Pulitzer Prizes, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to impactful local reporting despite facing economic pressures and newsroom adjustments.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline17 events
Founding as The Miami Evening Record
The newspaper was founded as The Miami Evening Record, serving the nascent community of Miami.
Renamed The Miami Herald
The newspaper changed its name to The Miami Herald, reflecting Miami's increasing prominence and beginning an era of growth and expansion.
Acquired by John S. Knight
John S. Knight acquired The Miami Herald, integrating it into what would become one of the largest American newspaper chains, Knight Ridder, and ushering in an era of journalistic excellence.
Wins First Pulitzer Prize
The Miami Herald won its first Pulitzer Prize for its reporting on organized crime in Miami, establishing its reputation for investigative journalism.
Ownership Transferred to The McClatchy Company
Ownership of The Miami Herald passed to The McClatchy Company after its acquisition of Knight Ridder, marking a significant change in corporate structure.
Significant Layoffs Announced
The Miami Herald announced 42 job cuts, including veteran journalists, as part of broader industry-wide economic pressures.
Further Job Cuts and Furloughs
The Miami Herald Media Company announced additional job eliminations and mandatory week-long furloughs for all remaining full-time employees due to prolonged revenue declines.
Doral Offices Closed, Shift to Remote Work
The Miami Herald closed its Doral offices and transitioned to a period of remote work, a change accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Doral Office Sold
The publication sold its Doral office for $27.3 million, continuing its adaptation to a more flexible work model and digital focus.
Pulitzer Prize for Surfside Collapse Coverage
The Miami Herald team was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for its comprehensive coverage of the Surfside condominium collapse.
Layoffs and New Executive Editor
The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald laid off six workers, the worst round of job cuts since 2019. In the same year, Alex Mena was named the newspaper's executive editor.
New Headquarters Announced
After being without physical offices since 2020, The Miami Herald announced its new headquarters would be in the Waterford Business District.
Launch of 'Edition' Digital Platform
The Miami Herald unveiled 'Edition,' a new digital platform designed to provide a revolutionary way to engage with the newspaper, replicating the print experience online.
Print Circulation Falls to 12,623
The average daily printed circulation of The Miami Herald had fallen to 12,623 by August 2024, reflecting the ongoing shift away from print.
68th Annual Silver Knight Awards
The Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald hosted its 68th annual Silver Knight Awards, recognizing over 940 academically achieved and community-minded high school seniors in South Florida.
Pulitzer Prize Recognition for 2026
The Miami Herald newsroom earned a 2026 Pulitzer Prize Special Citation for Julie K. Brown's reporting and Pulitzer Prize finalist honors for Local Reporting.
Newsroom Staff Listing Updated
The Miami Herald's newsroom staff listing, including executive editor Alex Mena and various editors and reporters, was updated, indicating ongoing operations.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
The Miami Herald, established in 1903, has a long and distinguished history as a cornerstone of journalism in South Florida, earning 24 Pulitzer Prizes throughout its existence. For decades, it was a dominant force, with an average daily print circulation reaching 440,225 as recently as 1998. However, like many traditional newspapers, the 21st century brought significant challenges, including a dramatic shift in reader behavior towards digital platforms and a decline in print advertising revenue.
Key turning points in the Herald's recent history include its acquisition by The McClatchy Company in 2006, following McClatchy's purchase of Knight Ridder. This period marked the beginning of intensified financial difficulties, leading to multiple rounds of employee buyouts, furloughs, and job cuts. For instance, in 2011, the company announced further job eliminations and mandatory week-long furloughs for remaining full-time employees. More recently, in 2023, the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald laid off six workers, marking the worst round of job cuts to the newspaper's news staff since 2019. These measures were often attributed to the need to find 'efficiencies' and align resources with a changing media landscape.
In response to these pressures, The Miami Herald has undergone substantial transformations to remain competitive in the digital age. It implemented a paywall system for online content and has heavily invested in its digital strategy, with journalists now expected to produce content for multiple platforms, incorporating video, interactive graphics, and social media. In June 2024, the newspaper launched 'Edition,' a new digital platform designed to replicate the traditional print reading experience on various devices, further enhancing its digital offerings. The newspaper also relocated its headquarters, closing its Doral offices in 2020 and selling the property in 2021, before announcing a new headquarters in the Waterford Business District in 2023.
As of July 2026, The Miami Herald continues to operate as South Florida's premier news outlet, with a robust digital presence complementing its traditional print format. Alex Mena, who began his career at the Herald at age 19, serves as the Executive Editor and Senior Vice President, Local News for McClatchy Media, having been appointed in 2023. The publication remains committed to investigative journalism, winning multiple national and state awards in 2025 for impactful reporting that led to arrests, investigations, and strengthened laws. In May 2026, the Miami Herald was recognized with a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation for Julie K. Brown's reporting and was a finalist for Local Reporting for its series on the Brightline Railroad. The newspaper also hosted its 68th annual Silver Knight Awards in May 2026, celebrating academically achieved and community-minded high school seniors, underscoring its ongoing community engagement.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if The Miami Herald made different choices?