The newspaper was founded on November 2, 1912, as the Alaska Daily Empire.[2] It was founded by John Franklin Alexander Strong, who would later be the second territorial governor of Alaska.[3]
In 1969, Morris Communications bought the newspaper.[2]
The paper laid off five employees, three people in the business office and two graphic designers, in September 2015. Several newspaper offices were also consolidated into one location in Anchorage.[4]
A staff photographer and a sports reporter were laid off in January 2020.[7]
On May 3, 2023, the Juneau Empire reduced its print frequency from five days a week to two. The paper has also shifted print production to a facility in Lakewood, Washington[8] and decreasing subscription prices 15-25%.[9] The press, a Goss Community Offset originally installed in 1986, has since been dismantled and shipped to Seattle for storage.[3]
