The Revival of The Washington Star: A New Era in D.C. Journalism

In a striking development in the media landscape, The Washington Star, a newspaper that ceased print operations over four decades ago, is making a comeback under the ownership of Dovid Efune, a prominent media executive and publisher of The New York Sun. This revival comes amid a competitive clash with NOTUS, a political news site that has announced its rebranding as The Star, aiming to expand into local news and sports coverage in Washington, D.C.

The Resurgence of a Historic Name

The Washington Star, a conservative-leaning afternoon newspaper, operated for 128 years before its bankruptcy and closure in 1981. The Washington Post, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, acquired the Star’s former headquarters and printing presses during the bankruptcy sale. Now, Efune’s new venture seeks to revive the Star’s legacy, positioning it as a rival to The Post, which recently reduced its staff by a third and scaled back on metro and sports coverage.

“We’re reviving one of the great and epic rivalries of American journalism,” Efune stated. The new Washington Star is currently publishing on Substack, with plans for a custom website within two months and a weekend print edition by year’s end. Efune is also recruiting up to 50 full-time journalists and contributors, emphasizing a focus on “limited government” and opposition to “bureaucratic corruption and federal overreach.”

The Legal Battle Over the Name

The rivalry has already escalated to the courts. Efune filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against NOTUS, challenging its planned use of the “Star” moniker. The lawsuit argues that the similarity in names and the familial connection of NOTUS’s underwriter, Robert Allbritton, to the old Washington Star could cause consumer confusion.

NOTUS, which plans to more than double its newsroom to 95 journalists by year’s end, has denied the claims. A spokesman for NOTUS stated, “The entity does not and cannot own the word ‘Star,’ which has been used by and associated with dozens of media publications for over 100 years.”

Competing Visions for the Future

Robert Allbritton, co-founder of Politico and founder of the Allbritton Journalism Institute, is backing the new Star. The institute, which focuses on training young journalists, currently publishes NOTUS. Tim Grieve, editor-in-chief of NOTUS, confirmed the rebranding plans, which include aggressive expansion into Washington coverage.

Efune, who previously revitalized The New York Sun, remains undeterred by the legal challenges. He stated that the launch of Allbritton’s Star “accelerated our timeline to scale up.” However, the dispute over the trademark highlights the high stakes of reentering a saturated market dominated by established players like The Washington Post.

The Broader Implications for Media

The revival of The Washington Star and the expansion of NOTUS reflect broader struggles in the media industry. Publications are grappling with declining search traffic, staff reductions, and the need to build paid subscriber bases. The Washington Post,