By paNOW

Doubts over P.A. Daily Herald future

Dec 10, 2017 | 9:33 PM

The future of the Prince Albert Daily Herald newspaper is more uncertain than it appeared just under two weeks ago.

The newspaper’s owner has said he plans to sell or close it, along with other interests in this province.

The comments to CBC from Roger Holmes, the president of Star News Publishing, appear in stark contrast to the message given recently by the editor of the P.A. Herald. At the end of November, Daily Herald editor Peter Lozinski told paNOW the publication was not shutting down, after they printed an editorial to that effect. Lozinski said rumours of the newspaper’s demise were “just not true.” However, Holmes’ comments have cast some doubt on their future. 

Holmes told CBC he planned to sell or close his handful of remaining Saskatchewan interests. That includes the P.A.Herald.

The Moose Jaw Times-Herald, also owned by Star News Publishing , ceased publication last Wednesday after over 128 years in print. In the weeks leading up to that closure there was speculation the Prince Albert Herald would be following suit. Lozinski and publisher Donna Pfeil felt compelled to assure the P.A. community, readers and advertisers in their Nov. 29 editorial that they were “[not] going anywhere.”

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Holmes told the CBC he was hopeful another buyer could be found for the Herald but nothing had been finalized.

Last month’s editorial read in part:

“Unfortunately there are some in this community who would gladly see the Prince Albert Herald come to an end. Some may be propagating these rumours in the hope that it accelerates what they see as our inevitable demise. We hate to disappoint those people, but the demise they see in our immediate future isn’t there.”

The Herald employs 10 full-time people as well as carriers and mail room staff.

panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow