Whitehorse, YT – On the front page of last Friday’s paper from the Whitehorse Star reads “End of an Era,” marking the final day of publication for the 124-year-old local newspaper but as one star stops sparkling another is set to shine later this week.
The Yukon Star will officially start publishing online news articles at some point this week following the closure of the Whitehorse Star on Friday, May 17th. The decision to close was made by Whitehorse Star ownership after dealing with a problem that’s all too common with local Canadian news outlets – lack of advertising dollars.
The transition is spearheaded by Max Fraser, who worked at the Whitehorse Star in the 1970s, as he aims to provide a local paper that serves people of all backgrounds in every corner of the Yukon.
“We need to make sure that every segment of our society sees itself in the pages of the paper,” said Fraser. “The Yukon has changed over the years, and there’s a large immigrant and ethnic population that we need to reflect.”
The Whitehorse Star has previously been criticized for publishing racist depictions and opinions about minority groups and the Whitehorse Star has admitted to perpetuating anti-Asian sentiment in the past.
Another key struggle for the publication came as advertising dollars dried up in the digital age. Adapting to journalism in a digital world guides the long-term goals of Fraser’s renewed publication as he highlighted goals of having Yukon Star coverage conveyed through podcasts, videos, and social media.
That’s why he’s searching for experienced multimedia journalists, columnists, freelancers and sales representatives to join the Yukon Star team which already includes five ex-Whitehorse Star staff.
Vince Fedoroff, long-time photographer for the Whitehorse Star, sorting photos on his second day at the Yukon Star. Photo Courtesy of Max Fraser
The Yukon Star’s revenue strategy includes advertising and subscriptions. Initially, access to the website and newsletter will be free, with potential plans for a paywall for more exclusive content. Fraser points out that public donations will also be pivotal.
“It’s vital to the Yukon’s civic ecosystem that this venture succeed,” Fraser said. “We are counting on community support to make this happen.”
Their website will be the main source of reporting from the Yukon Star but there will be a weekly physical copy of the paper and a daily e-newsletter that readers can sign up to receive on their website which is set to come online this week.
Before speaking with CKRW, Fraser remarked that he had just come out of the first story meeting for the new publication and voiced his excitement at working again in a media landscape that’s changed drastically since first stepping foot in the Whitehorse Star.
Despite the excitement, Fraser is looking forward to handing off the role of publisher to someone else after he finishes guiding the transition between the two stars.
“I am at an age where I don’t need to do this every day,” Fraser says as he chuckles. “I’m prepared to manage the transition, get things going and do the new hires so that we can provide the content that people are looking for.”
