Hometown newspaper closing doors - sign of the times

DomainReport.ca

In more signs of the times, the five day a week newspaper in the small town where I live (population ~ 10,000) is closing down this summer. The newspaper was one of many in Canada bought by Black Press from Glacier Media. Black Press is keeping some newspapers alive and shutting others down because they already operate competing newspapers in the area.

The Nelson Daily News has been in operation for 109 years. Although I knew newspapers were losing ground due to the internet, I didn't think the paper would be completely eliminated. Maybe it would go to only 3 or 4 days a week, but not disappear entirely.

Black Press operates a competing paper in the area called the Nelson Star. It is free, comes out one day a week, and has an online website. The Nelson Daily News costs a dollar per issue, comes out 5 days a week, and only started an online edition last year. The online site seemed to be well received by the community, maybe things would be different if they had started it sooner.

Black Press feels the community size only warrants a weekly release, and will continue with their Nelson Star.

I'm not completely surprised, but when you see a business that's 109 years old go under, it really puts things in perspective on how the world is changing. I also feel for the 25 workers and their families, some of whom I know, who will feel the effect of this through lost jobs and income during a time when good employment is hard to find.

Here is a link to this news:

http://www.nelsondailynews.com/article/20100706/NELSON0101/307069986/-1/nelson/after-109-years-ndn-s-run-over

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