Real Times Media, parent company of the Chicago Defender today announced that effective July 11, 2019, the Chicago Defender will complete its evolution from a printed newspaper and relaunch as a digitally-focused content platform dedicated to online editorial, premiere events, custom publishing, and archival merchandising.

"It is no secret that the media and publishing landscape has shifted drastically and the pace of change continues at dizzying speeds, said Hiram E. Jackson, chief executive officer, Real Times Media. "That is why, over the past few years, we've made significant investments in digital media. Having experienced initially promising returns, we have concluded that we need to do more to continue building a business model for the future. It is simply time for the publication to break away from the printed page and put more focus on bringing our readers daily content from the African American perspective and increasing the impact of our community voice." CONTINUES....