NOTE TO USERS This reproduction is the best copy available. UMI "Endangered Weeklies: A Case Study of Three Maritime Weekly Newspapers^ By Kim Kierans A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Arts in Atlantic Canada Studies at Saint Mary's University Halifax, Nova Scotia September 28, 2004 I Kim Kierans Approved By: I Dr. loji^ Reid' Supe:(ÿisor ) "^r. 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Canada Table of Contents Page Abstract üi Chapter I Introduction 1 The Three Case Studies 7 Methodology 13 Chanter II T/zhAfrMM: The Sons of Inverness 17 The Ora» Begins: 1976 21 The Ora» Community 32 The Ora» and its Journalism 42 The Ora» and Community Development 48 The Ora» 's Future 56 Chanter III The f^arfgr» OranAic: PETs Political Conscience 62 The OrapAzc s Beginnings 66 The OrapAic Community: local and provincial 71 The OrapAzc Grows and Consolidates 82 The Transition 84 The Second Generation 89 The OrapAzc's Future 98 Chapter IV The Zeagkr: Community News Goes Corporate 105 Miramichi Newspapering 108 The Cadogan Years: 1973-2003 112 The New Corporate Economy 126 The Move to Media Concentration 132 A New Beginning 153 Chapter V Cnmmnnitv Newspapers in a Concentrated Media World 158 Bibliography 169 Appendix A : Certificate of Ethical Acceptability of Research Involving Human Subjects 183 Appendix B: Atlantic Canada Studies Program - Interview Consent Form 184 Abstract ENDANGERED WEEKLIES: A Case Study ofThree Maritime Community Newspapers Kim Kierans September 28,2004 The role of the community newspaper in rural communities is crucial. It is an important vehicle by which people from various communities and with varied interests communicate with one another. It is the way communities come to know about issues that aflect them as citizens. At its best the community newspaper is not only a mirror to reflect the good and bad, but also a catalyst for change. The ideal model is an independent weekly because its owner is connected to and interested in the welfare of the community. As corporate consolidation takes over, this model is changing. The thesis examines three enterprising weeklies in the Maritimes: the Inverness OroM in NS, the Eoffgr/i GropAm in PEI and the Miro/MicAf leackr in NB. It explores their relations with their communities, their roles as advocates of change, and the effects of corporate ownershipand how that limits democratic debate. HI Chapter I: Introduction The 2001 Statistics Canada census figures tell the sad story of rural Canada.' The physical and economic exodus 6om rural to urban areas continues with little more than 20 per cent o f the country's population living in rural and small town Canada.^ The Maritimes, a substantially rural region, is swept up in this trend.^ Small towns are losing basic services. Banks, post offices, service stations, grocery stories and even schools are moving to centralized areas to cash in on a bigger population base and wider margins of proGt.'' People in rural areas now have to travel to centres such as Port Hawkesbury, Moncton and Charlottetown to conduct everyday business. Rural areas still export their most valuable resource - young people who are moving to bigger centres such as Halifax, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver in search of jobs. This trend poses a problem for people in rural communities and for their means of mass communication. Local radio stations have a limited presence as they downsize staff and move to pre-recorded music and ' Statistics Canada, “2001 Census of Canada,” <http://www.statcan.ca/english/census01/home/index.cfm> Also David Bruce, “Rural Communities An Important Part of Nation's Fabric,” Tribwne-f ost, Sept. 25, 2002, p. 7. Bruce, director of Rural and Small Town Programme at Mount Allison University, sets out a strategy for revitalizing rural Canada and one component is a strong weekly press. His research is part of the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation's New Rural Economy Study. See <www.crrf.ca>. Also Christopher Gooding, “Rural Study Praises Community Newspapers,” SjprrngMiyParrfboro Recorai, April 14, 2004. ^ Serge Lavoie, “Desperately seeking rural supporters,” f uh/isAgr, May 2002, p. 4. Also, Derek Dunn, “Mayor cites causes for population decline,” MfromicA; lew kr, Mar. 14, 2002. The article is based on Statistics Canada 2001 Census of Canada figures. ^ /fa/ifhx CArowc/e-ffero/(y, Mar. 12,2002; MêramfcW featfer, Mar. 14,2002; /nvgrnaw Oran, Mar. 20,2002; the Rostgrn Grcy;Am, Mar. 19,2002. These papers are just a sampling of this view coming from rural press in Canada. For the rest of this thesis 1 may also refer to the papers as the Oran, the Gr^yAic and the Leader. ^ Rankin MacDonald, “The Royal Treatment,” Editorial, /nvemgss Oran, May 8.2002, p 5; and Rankin MacDonald, “Port Hood trying to come to grips with bank closure,” fnvemess Oran, May 8,2002, p. 1; Editorial, 6)pgcrator, Jan. 15,2001; and many other community newspapers. Douglas Blanks Hindman, “Commimity Newspapers, Community Structural Pluralism, and Local Conflict with Nonlocal Groups,” yonrna/ÜTM & Moss Comnmn/cahon guarrerJy, (Autumn 1996), p. 708, writes that the growth of outside influences over communities such as “factory shut downs, reduction in governmental aid and the regional consolidation of services,” is a natural outcome hom growth in bureaucracy and centralization of control in both public and private sectors. satellite programming 6om afar/ That leaves commimity newspapers as one of the last vehicles for people in communities to talk to one another/ The function of these papers is often compared to the conversation over the back fence/ It is where people share what is hz^pening politically, culturally and socially. In the book CommnMzty JbwmaZzf/M.' fAe ferfonnl yfpproncA, Jock Lauterer deSnes community as people with certain things in common: "a common 6ame of reference, common knowledge about infrastructures and people and systems. It also implies certain interactiveness, and accessibility to all."^ All across Atlantic Canada we have communities made up of residents who belong to institutional groups such as municipal council, schools, the artistic communities, religious and athletic organizations and so on. These separate and diverse communities come to know and understand themselves and each other through their weekly community newspaper.^ It can "act as a glue to bind people ^ Community Media Canada, “ComBase sheds light on local radio,” April 14, 2004, <httD://www.communitvmediacanada.ca/news/>. ® ComBase, the Canadian community Newspaper Database Corporation found that 71.5% of English speaking Canadians read commimity papers. Atlantic Canada has the highest exclusive readership rate with 56% of Atlantic Canadians reading weekly papers as compared to 50% for daily newspapers. Also, Leo Jef&es, Jean Dobos, and Mary Sweeny, "Communication and Commitment to Community," CommwMrcar/oM A&reorcA, (Dec. 1987), p. 639, found neighbourhood residents "hungry" for local news and information because metro media devote relatively little attention to neighbourhood news. The same can be said for local coverage in provincial newspapers. ^ Fred McGuinness, "Community newspapers just like backyard chat," the Jfegw/gr (Berwick, NS), June 13, 2001. Excerpt hom McGuinness' book, LettersSection J7. Patricia Moy, Jack M. MacLeod, and Dietram A. Scheufele, "Community Communication, and Participation: The Role of Mass Media and Interpersonal Discussion in Local Political Participation," fo/itico/ CommzmicotioM, (1999), p. 316-21, discuss how communication is a mediator where citizens acquire information about issues and problems in the community and learn of opportunities and ways to participate, pp. 316-21. ' Jock Lauterer, Co/Mmunrty tAe Personal ,4pproocA, (Aimes: Iowa State UP, 2002), p. 8, quotes communications theorist James Carey who writes, "A ritual view of communication is not directed toward the extension of messages in space, but the maintenance of society in time; not the act o f importing in&rmation, but (he representation of shared belieû." Also see Harold A. Innis, Bros qf Conwnwnloatlon (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1971) for a criticism of the communication in which he disputes the value of heedom of the press and says it has "become the great bulwark of monopolies of the press." p.