Monitoring instances is no easy task. It requires commitment, finances and a dedicated team.
I can understand if the team overseeing Journa decided that after a year, other parties should shoulder the burden. On top of your day job, family etc...you're dealing with the daily demand to clean a platform that threatens to be swarmed by fascists, trolls and racists if abandoned for even a day. I imagine it can be rigorous.
But...journalists should have been notified.
Not notifying us was wrong.