A weekend Tribune-Review print edition will seek to fill the gap for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County readers after owners of troubled rival Post-Gazette announced it would close at the beginning of May.

The move is the latest in a city in which readers have seen decades of disharmony and disruption.

Unionised journalists and others at the Post-Gazette who returned to work in November after a bitter three-year strike, heard of the closure from Block Communications president Jodi Miehls via a prerecorded two-and-a-half-minute Zoom call last week.

The rare positive news came from Trib Total Media president and chief executive Jennifer Bertetto (pictured), who said the aim was to ensure Pittsburgh still had a newspaper of record. The Tribune-Review itself had gone all-digital in 2016, publishing its last print edition on November 30.

The new Saturday print edition for Pittsburgh launches on May 9, and is underpinned by Triblive.com and an e-edition. Bertetto says the publisher is prepared to grow its 80-strong newsroom “in a thoughtful, financially sustainable way” to support the expansion.

“We are actively seeking to bring on the kind of talent and expertise that will help us meet this moment for our region, ensuring our growth is as permanent as it is impactful,” she said in a statement.

“We will provide frequent updates as our plans evolve, but for now, please know that we are here, we are invested, and we are committed to ensuring the stories of Pittsburgh continue to be told.”

Richard Scaife had bought the Greensburg-based Tribune-Review in 1970, adding a Pittsburgh edition in 1992 after a divisive strike killed the Pittsburgh Press. The six-day Daily News – acquired 2008 – had been closed in 2016.

In its statement, Block’s Miehls said the company had lost more than US$350 million (A$523.6 million) “in cash” operating the Post-Gazette.

The family-owned multimedia company – which has publishing connections dating to 1786 – had closed its other Pittsburgh publication, Pittsburgh City Paper a week earlier.