As part of a wide range of publication changes at the Virginian-Pilot, its regular Suffolk-focused tabloid section, the Suffolk Sun, will reduce publication to one day a week, Editor Denis Finley wrote in a Sunday column.

“The amount of money it takes to produce, print and deliver high-quality journalism every day is tremendous,” wrote Finley, editor of the metropolitan daily that serves the Hampton Roads area. “As a result, we face more pressure than ever to save expenses wherever and whenever we can to keep the bar for our work high and provide it to you anywhere and any time you want it.”

As a result, Finley wrote, a few changes are coming.

Most noticeable to Suffolk residents will be the loss of the Suffolk Sun section on Thursdays. The section still will be published on Sundays, Finley wrote, in keeping with Norfolk and Portsmouth, which also get one local tab every Sunday.

“We will look to beef up the Sunday Sun and increase distribution of our Wednesday tab called Your Corner,” he wrote, referring to the tab that circulates in the North Suffolk and Churchland areas.

Finley did not return messages Tuesday afternoon requesting comment.

Ginger Stanley, executive director of the Virginia Press Association, said newspapers are constantly making changes to “find the best formula to reach the most readers in the best format for the majority.”

“At the same time, newspapers must be profitable to stay in business, and so recent changes to frequency, zoned products and publication days of the week are happening all across Virginia,” Stanley wrote in an emailed response to a request for comments about how the changes reflect the current state of the newspaper industry.

“The changes reported by The Pilot this week are in keeping with what I have seen in other localities. I expect to see more new products geared to what advertisers need and creative ways to charge for subscriptions to satisfy the newspaper audience. The more ‘local’ a newspaper can be is the best formula for connecting to the community it serves.”

Finley also wrote that the newspaper’s Saturday Home Section will be combined with Gracious Living. Some features from Gracious Living will move to the Daily Break section. Some features from Daily Break will move or disappear. The Friday, Saturday and Sunday auto sections will be combined into a Saturday Drive section.

Changes to the newspaper’s digital products also are planned, including a redesigned website, HamptonRoads.com.