ATLANTA — After 157 years, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution printed its final physical newspaper December 31, 2025, marking the end of an era for readers and the men and women who delivered the paper every day.
For paper carrier Kevin Rae, the workday started early as newspapers arrived at the warehouse. He spent the morning bagging papers before heading out on his route.
“The hours are hard and the routes are challenging,” Rae said. “But I enjoy working alone. I enjoy kind of being a captain of my own ship where I can do things the way I want to.”
Across metro Atlanta, thousands of residents picked up their final print edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. By the time those papers reached driveways, carriers like Rae had already been working for hours sorting, bagging, and delivering the day’s news.
“The name of the game with this… watch the clock,” Rae said.
The job, he said, could be demanding.
“The schedule is tough, seven days a week. It’s not easy — it becomes a grind,” Rae said.
With the print edition now ending, Rae and his fellow carriers will shift their focus to delivering national publications to remaining subscribers.
After years of early mornings and long routes, Rae said is proud of the work he and other carriers had done, helping deliver the news to metro Atlanta day after day.