Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Depressing News

The Black Press has purchased 11 papers from Glacier Media, in the Kootenies the Trail Daily Times, Grand Forks Gazette, Creston Valley Advance, Fernie Free Press,  and Nelson Daily News, in the Cariboo the Advisor group of  the Cariboo Advisor, Quesnel Advisor, and 100 Mile House Advisor and Prince Rupert Daily News and the Hagensborg Coast Mountain News

The Black Press already has papers in 100 Mile House, Williams Lake, Quesnel, Prince Rupert,  and Nelson.   In four of these towns the Black Press is closing the competing paper, only in Williams Lake are they keeping both papers open, though for how long anyone can guess.

They are closing four of the papers, two of which I can understand, the Quesnel Advisor and 100 Mile House Advisor, the Black Press already has papers in those towns.  The Black owned Nelson Star has only been around since 2008 and the Northern View in Prince Rupert since 2006.  It feels really odd that the Black Press would close the long established dailies in Prince Rupert and Nelson in favour of the recent start ups.   The only sense is that the existing dailies are union shops and this is a way to get rid of the CEP.

Not mentioned in much of the press about these purchases is that Glacier sold more papers, the Cranbrook Townsman and Kimberly Bulletin were purchased by Don Kendall who was a VP with Black Press

In the interior of BC there are very few small town papers not owned by David Black or his former VP.


No where west of Prince George can read a non Black Paper, between Prince George and Kamloops he owns then all.