ESTEVAN – Glacier Media’s Community Newspaper Group closed two of its papers this week. Officially out of operation are the Thompson Citizen of Thompson, Man., and the Estevan Mercury.
“It was a particularly difficult decision to close these publications, that have been proudly serving their communities for decades,” said Gord Brewerton, Vice-President and Group Publisher, Prairie Newspaper Group.
“Sadly, it is a reflection of the difficult landscape faced by local media in this day and age.”
Brewerton pointed to an industry-wide loss of advertising that has resulted in the loss of newspapers across the country.
“Despite our best efforts, dwindling advertiser support had created a situation whereby these two publications were no longer viable, nor sustainable,” said Brewerton. “We were left with no other option than to shut down operations.”
He added that four of six staff members affected will stay on with the Prairie Newspaper Group and have accepted positions in other PNG markets.
Â鶹´«Ã½AV.ca will continue to post news gathered by reporters in Estevan.
According to the Estevan Mercury’s own historical information, E.A. Bailey was the first owner/publisher of The Mercury in 1903. In 1905, The Mercury was sold to Donald Dunbar. By the mid 1930s, Dunbar sold The Mercury to his son, Donald Jr., who continued to operate it until 1944. He then moved to Copper Cliff, Ont., which prompted the sale to Andrew King and sons Stirling and William of Rouleau. They published the newspaper for 14 years, through a huge boom period of growth fuelled by the oil industry. Their show poster and commercial printing business was as large and significant as the actual newspaper. As their family dispersed to take on new challenges, the Kings were ready to sell the paper in 1958. The paper would change hands several times over the next couple of decades until it was purchased by Peter Ng. In 2004, Ng sold The Mercury to Glacier Media.
The Thompson Citizen operated in Thompson for 65 years.
