Black buyout shuts down four B.C. newspapers

Four community newspapers will cease to exist in the wake of the buyout
of 11 B.C. publications by Black Press, including two hundred-year-old
community papers.

As reported by J-Source earlier this week, management announced that the Nelson Daily News and Prince Rupert Daily News would stop publication on September 3rd. Now the Vancouver Sun reports that two other publications – The Quesnel Adviser and 100 Mile Adviser will be shut down immediately.

Black Press has bought Trail Daily Times, the Creston Valley Advance, the Fernie Free Press, the Grand Forks Gazette, the Nelson Daily News, the Weekender, the Prince Rupert Daily News, the Quesnel Advisor, the Cariboo Advisor, the 100 Mile House Advisor, and the Coast Mountain Advisor.

Black’s company already owns more than 80 titles in B.C., Straight.com reports:

“Black Press already owns papers in some of these markets, including the 100 Mile Free Press, the Quesnel Cariboo Observer, the Trail-Rossland News, and the Nelson Star. . . As part of the transaction, Black also bought the Red Deer Express from Great West Newspapers, of which Glacier Media is a partner.

“Black already owns the Red Deer Advocate, so this gives his company a more dominant market share over the publishing market in the central Alberta city.”