The Hattiesburg American will begin publishing just three days a week beginning April 5.

The announcement was made Wednesday in a letter to readers by publisher Nathan Edwards posted on the newspaper’s website.

Edwards called the shift from daily print publication a “strategic change that further builds upon our digital-first approach by strengthening the direction of its exceptional seven-days-a-week newsroom and combining the best of its seven-days-a-week print product into three great editions — Wednesday, Friday and Sunday — beginning April 5, 2017.”

“Our research shows subscribers are increasingly choosing to access the American online via our website, mobile and tablet devices, with the Hattiesburg American having 8X more digital readers than print readers,” Edwards said.

Edwards told readers that the “three-day-a-week print products will be as robust as ever, if not more so, and contain all of the great content you have come to rely on and enjoy. We are taking every step to ensure our most popular features and columns find new homes in print.”

“In addition, the majority of our businesses have already opted for a 3-day model in print, with the Sunday, Wednesday and Friday editions currently containing the majority of the American’s print advertising,” Edwards noted.

While the frequency of the print edition is changing, our commitment to covering the news, sports, events and stories that define our community remains a 24/7 priority for our staff and journalists,” he said.

“Our dedication to providing trusted, local news and information to our community every day is unwavering,” the letter stated. “We will continue to report the news as it happens through our many online platforms, including hattiesburgamerican.com, our mobile apps and e-newsletters.”