The Times-Picayune And The Advocate Fighting For Readers

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — As The Times-Picayune in New Orleans scales back its print edition to three days a week, a newspaper in Baton Rouge is starting its own daily edition to try to fill the void.

The move by The Advocate sets up an old-fashioned newspaper competition, even as more and more people get their news online and from cellphones.

The Advocate announced it would start a New Orleans-focused print edition in The Times-Picayune's backyard after the newspaper announced in June it was laying off 200 employees.

The Times-Picayune was one of the nation's oldest daily newspapers. It will begin publishing three days a week Monday.

The Advocate hopes to grow its print audience by 20,000 in the New Orleans area. Currently, they sell about 400 papers a day there.