Sun-Times to combine Southtown, Star

The Sun-Times Media Group on Wednesday said it intends to combine the Daily Southtown with its Chicago Star twice-weekly newspapers.

"How exactly it will look has yet to be worked out," said Tammy Chase, investor relations director for the Chicago-based newspaper group.

The combined daily newspaper is likely to be renamed, Chase said, but the new publication won't be launched until November.

"Combining the two newspapers takes advantage of the strengths that the Southtown and the Star have in the South suburban markets," said Cyrus F. Freidheim, chief executive officer of Sun-Times Group, in a statement. "What's more, increased zoning opportunities will enhance our new paper's attractiveness to advertisers, while reducing costs of newspaper, circulation sales and head count."

The group aims to save $3 million in the consolidation but declined to say how many workers are likely to be laid off or how it will combine advertising.

"We want to combine the best of both titles," Chase said.

Both the Sun-Times and the Star have their newsrooms in Tinley Park.

In May the Sun-Times Group, which includes more than 100 local publications including the Chicago Sun-Times, warned it might close as many as 25 publications before the end of the year. Chase said it has already shuttered three free shopping publications.

The most recent publicly reported circulation figures show the Daily Southtown with a daily circulation of about 48,860 and the Star's 13 editions twice a week at 36,212 circulation in Chicago's South suburbs and northern Indiana.