Two B.C. community newspapers close up shop

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."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2023.