St. Croix Courier halts publication, negotiating new ownership

To say the St. Croix Courier is an institution of southwestern New Brunswick is an understatement.

It started printing in 1865 — two years before Confederation.

In an article published Wednesday on its website, the Courier says it's pausing publication while its ownership, Halifax-based Advocate Media, talks to CHCO-TV "to consider taking over the newspaper in the months ahead."

"Running a newspaper is tough these days. Running a newspaper from another province, 550 kilometres away, has additional challenges," the article says.

The St. Croix Courier being printed in St. Stephen in a 2012 file photo. The paper has been printed since 1865, two years before Canadian Confederation. (CBC)

"As an Atlantic Canadian media organization, we believe the St. Croix Courier should be in local hands to best serve its community."

It is unclear how long publication will be "paused."

The owners of both the Courier and Advocate Media were contacted for comment Wednesday afternoon but were not available.

The article said the paper has been owned by Advocate since 2002.

CHCO wants to preserve print edition

Vicki Hogarth, CHCO reporter and news director, said she hopes a deal is reached "in the coming weeks" for a possible full launch in the fall. She's interested in keeping the print edition alive because of its longstanding history in the region.

"It might seem like an unconventional move in the digital age to get into the newspaper industry, but I think that our main motivation for it is just the well-being of the community," Hogarth said.

"And I believe that a local newspaper is really essential to having a well-informed and connected community."

Vicki Hogarth, reporter and news director of CHCO-TV, said she wants to preserve the print edition of the Courier and hopes to have a deal in place in the coming weeks. (Submitted by Vicki Hogarth)

Hogarth said it's been a few years since the courier has had a reporter physically in the community, instead using reporters and editors in Nova Scotia.

"So I think that reaching out to us was just their way of saying they don't want to see the paper die either."

Former editor says paper was purely local

Krisi Marples was the paper's editor from 2016 to 2022. She no longer works in journalism, but said she's still sad to see the paper stop publication.

"We've been watching the demise of print media for years now, and it sadly was likely only ever going to be a matter of time before this was the end," Marples said.

She said the paper was entirely local coverage.

"So it was everything from, you know, donations raised at a fundraising event for somebody local who had maybe lost their home in a fire," Marples said.

"Just everything that local journalism is held up to be and is supposed to be."

Krisi Marples was the Courier's editor for six years, and said staff dwindled over her time at the paper. (Submitted by Krisi Marples)

The paper covers Charlotte County, including St. Stephen, Saint Andrews and St. George.

Marples, who was the last editor based in St. Stephen, isn't surprised by the news since she saw staff numbers dwindling over the years. But some locals may be surprised, she said.

"It might be a realization that has come too late for some people."

Marples estimated the paper had about 5,000 readers during her time, but during the pandemic, "I think those final nails started going into the coffin."

As Marples reflected on her time as editor, she had a word of advice.

"If anybody out there is not from this area and they still have a local newspaper, support it," she said.

"Local newspapers are a labour of love. Nobody's making their millions keeping the local newspaper alive … they do it because they love their communities."

Mayor says Courier helped local democracy

Saint Andrews Mayor Brad Henderson said he has memories of the paper going back to his childhood.

"I still have it in my attic, just like probably attics all over Charlotte County, different clippings and different stories over the years that your parents give you or your grandparents give you," Henderson said.

He said the courier was able to keep a pulse on the community and cover hyper-local stories that larger outlets couldn't.

"Who's to say little Johnny who wins the science fair shouldn't be in the local paper, right?"

Saint Andrews Mayor Brad Henderson said the Courier was essential for covering municipal politics in the region when nobody else did. (Submitted by Brad Henderson)

But along with carrying stories of all the little Johnnies, the Courier was also important to local democracy, Henderson said.

Before CHCO-TV came on the scene, Henderson said there were many nights where the Courier reporter was the only person in the audience at municipal council meetings across Charlotte County.

"So for visibility and transparency of local governments in our area, there was a time where if the St. Croix Courier didn't report it, that people really didn't know it."

Henderson said he's hopeful that a deal can be reached with CHCO-TV, adding that they are a creative team that covers the area well.

"I do think that this is a good opportunity when you have something like this happen, to maybe not necessarily rebrand, but take a look at how can we make this go for the next 50 years."