The publisher’s political editor Robert Rankin told Mediamatters.org that polls had been cut from 30 daily newspapers in the face of budget reductions but admitted that they would be impossible to replace.

“We are staffing [political coverage] at about the same level,” he said, “But we can’t cover the absence of polls. There is no way to replace them.”

Speaking to Research, Rankin said: “Budget constraints forced McClatchy to let its contract with Ipsos expire, to the regret of both parties, ending what’s been an excellent relationship for the past two years. We did approximately one poll per month. There’s always a chance that we will resume regular polls in the future, economic circumstances permitting.”

Ipsos senior vice president Clifford Young added: “Ipsos enjoyed its relationship very much with the McClatchy News Group. It’s unfortunate that budget cuts at the news outlet has ended our professional relationship but our personal friendship has not been affected.”

Newspapers in the McClatchy group include the San Jose Mercury News, The Miami Herald, The Idaho Statesman, The Fresno Bee and The Wichita Eagle.