Another Saskatchewan paper set to fold unless Oxbow-Carnduff Herald-Gazette finds buyer
Southeast Saskatchewan paper with over 100 years of history likely to close by Dec. 22
Star News Publishing has plans to close the Oxbow-Carnduff Herald-Gazette if it doesn't sell in the next two weeks.
The impending closure was announced on the southeast Saskatchewan paper's website on Tuesday, when reporter Melissa Buchanan Collver wrote a column entitled El Fin.
"Many of you took note of the closure of other papers within the Star News Family. We now have confirmation that we are included in the closures," she wrote.
I hope somebody can swoop in and save the paper.- Krystyn Gillies, columnist
Star News Publishing closed the Moose Jaw Times-Herald this week.
The company also owns the Prince Albert Daily Herald and a number of smaller papers in the province.
The company's president, Roger Holmes, said he thinks there may still be a future for the Oxbow-Carnduff Herald-Gazette outside of his company.
"It will either sell or close by the end of the month," Holmes confirmed to CBC on Saturday, saying there has been some interest from potential buyers.
The paper serves about a dozen communities in southeast Saskatchewan, including Estevan.
Herald-Gazette columnist Krystyn Gillies said she found out about the paper's possible closure not from management, but from a Facebook post. She said the paper has provided a great service to the community, keeping residents up-to-date with events and local news.
"Printed newspapers seem to be going out and it's too bad because there is still quite a bit of the population that doesn't have social media or doesn't have access to a computer, so it's really going to hit them where it hurts," she said.
"I'm really disappointed that it's happening."
Two papers, the Carnduff Gazette and the Oxbow Herald, were bought by Star News Publishing in 2015 and 2016, respectively. They were merged at the beginning of 2017.
The Gazette had been running since 1899 and the Herald since 1913.
According to the paper's website, any subscriptions to the Herald-Gazette will be ended as of the Dec. 22, with any remaining balance to be refunded to subscribers.
"I hope somebody can swoop in and save the paper but it's kind of hard to say," said Gillies.
There is no word on the sale price of the publication. Holmes would not say whether the company has lost money on the venture.