A former councillor in Prince George has purchased the city香蕉视频直播檚 only newspaper after watching multiple outlets in other British Columbia Interior communities shut down last year.

Cameron Stolz is the new owner of the 108-year-old Prince George Citizen after buying the paper from Glacier Media.

Stolz, a businessman who owns a toy and comics store, said he entered talks to buy the weekly newspaper last November after outlets in Fort St. John and Dawson Creek closed, followed soon after by the newspaper in Kamloops.

He said he was worried that the Citizen, which lost about $56,000 last year, would be the next to go.

香蕉视频直播淚 do believe firmly that there is a need for local news for communities, I believe that there香蕉视频直播檚 a need for people to be aware of what香蕉视频直播檚 going on in their community and be able to find a trusted source of information on their stories,香蕉视频直播� Stolz said.

香蕉视频直播淚 also believe that local communities need to have their elected officials being watched, you know? (With reporters) paying attention to what they香蕉视频直播檙e doing, and then reporting what they香蕉视频直播檙e doing to the community to inform people.香蕉视频直播�

The number of local newspapers in Canada has been in steady decline for years, with a steep drop in 2023 after the end of pandemic-related government supports.

A study out of Toronto Metropolitan University香蕉视频直播檚 School of Journalism found that between Jan. 1 and Dec. 1, 2023, 36 local news outlets closed in Canada. Twenty-nine were community newspapers and seven were privately owned radio stations.

Stolz said he didn香蕉视频直播檛 expect the Citizen to become incredibly profitable but believed he could turn things around to the point where he would hire more reporters in 18 months.

香蕉视频直播淚 never envisioned the Citizen being something that香蕉视频直播檚 going to be buying me a new vehicle. That香蕉视频直播檚 not the case,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淚f we go from a $56,000 loss to a $56,000 profit that means I can spend that money on additional wages for additional reporting.香蕉视频直播�

He says his plan focuses on being 香蕉视频直播減ro-Prince George,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播減ro-solution香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播減ro-business香蕉视频直播� while remaining connected to the community.

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