Close X
Sunday, October 6, 2024
ADVT 
National

Two B.C. community newspapers publish their last editions this week

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 Oct, 2023 05:34 PM
  • Two B.C. community newspapers publish their last editions this week

Two newspapers in British Columbia are publishing their last editions this week, eliminating coverage by community papers for a large swath of the province's northeast. 

Glacier Media announced it is shutting down both the Dawson Creek Mirror and the Alaska Highway News out of Fort St. John.

A letter published online from Peter Kvarnstrom, the president of Glacier's community media division, says the business model for the papers is no longer sustainable as advertising dollars have shifted online.

"While we have participated in the digital media landscape and have grown our audience significantly, we have lost most of our advertising to those same digital platforms," the letter says.

"These same platforms have helped us grow our audience engagement online, but we can no longer rely on the advertising revenue to keep our operations viable."

The Alaska Highway News was first published in 1943 and the first incarnation of the Mirror arrived in 1930.

Both newspapers published weekly, on Thursdays, and maintained a daily news presence online. 

In his own letter to readers, the Mirror's managing editor Rob Brown apologized.

"Here's something you won't hear often either. I'm sorry this company could not keep your paper going," he wrote.

"Perhaps a new locally-owned, and smaller outfit could get one going. Perhaps."

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. sets out law to ban use of illegal drugs in many public places

B.C. sets out law to ban use of illegal drugs in many public places
British Columbia is setting out new rules as it attempts to navigate a way to curb the overdose crisis with drug decriminalization. Possession of small amounts of many illicit drugs was decriminalized in B.C. in January after the federal government issued an exemption, but legislation introduced by the province today would make their use illegal in many public spaces. 

B.C. sets out law to ban use of illegal drugs in many public places

'Extremely fluid': Liberals and NDP haven't yet agreed on promised pharmacare bill

'Extremely fluid': Liberals and NDP haven't yet agreed on promised pharmacare bill
The federal New Democrats have rejected the first draft of the Liberals' pharmacare legislation, in what the health minister describes as "extremely fluid" negotiations over the highly anticipated bill. The Liberals promised to table pharmacare legislation this fall as part of the supply-and-confidence deal the government struck with the NDP.

'Extremely fluid': Liberals and NDP haven't yet agreed on promised pharmacare bill

Victoria police looking for suspects in possible arson

Victoria police looking for suspects in possible arson
Police in Victoria say they're looking for two women who may have seen the suspect or suspects in a possible arson over the weekend. They say officers responded Saturday evening to reports of two fires inside a retail store, where staff used fire extinguishers to douse the initial flames.

Victoria police looking for suspects in possible arson

Man rams SUV into police cruiser

Man rams SUV into police cruiser
B-C's police watchdog has found a man who rammed his S-U-V into a police cruiser outside a Vancouver Island R-C-M-P detachment last spring was not seriously injured when he was hit by a single police bullet. One officer was also injured in the incident last May.

Man rams SUV into police cruiser

Champagne to announce initial commitments from grocers to stabilize prices today

Champagne to announce initial commitments from grocers to stabilize prices today
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne says he is ready to announce the initial commitments he has secured from grocers to stabilize food prices. The Liberal government called on Canada's major grocers last month to present a plan to stabilize prices by Thanksgiving, or face consequences.  

Champagne to announce initial commitments from grocers to stabilize prices today

Competition intensity has decreased over last two decades, Competition Bureau finds

Competition intensity has decreased over last two decades, Competition Bureau finds
Competition Bureau commissioner Matthew Boswell says new research from the bureau finds the competition intensity in the country has decreased over the last two decades. Boswell shared the initial findings of a new report during a speech he delivered Thursday at the Competition Summit, a conference hosted by the bureau.

Competition intensity has decreased over last two decades, Competition Bureau finds