Seattle Times, P-I end operating agreement

Published 8:24 am Friday, March 20, 2009

SEATTLE — The Seattle Times and Hearst Corp. have agreed to end a joint operating agreement under which the Times has handled business functions for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer for the past 26 years.

Hearst stopped printing the P-I on Tuesday. The new agreement, which took effect that day, explains what transition services the Times will provide for the first 30 days of the online-only version of the P-I.

The Times reports today that a copy of the termination agreement was sent to Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna. It says the Times and Hearst agree not to sue each other over matters arising from the JOA. No more cash will change hands between the one-time partners.