The front page of the last edition of the Yukon Star. Photo Courtesy of Yukon Star.
Whitehorse, YT – The Yukon Star, a daily online and weekly print newspaper seeking to fill the void left by the closure of the Whitehorse Star, has announced the immediate suspension of publishing operations due to insufficient revenues.
Publisher Max Fraser expressed regret over the situation, stating that while the long-term outlook for the 3-month-old publication was promising, the immediate need for financial stability was unmet.
Yukon Star staff, many previously working at the Whitehorse Star, were briefed on the decision on Friday afternoon and have been laid off.
“The staff were all quite surprised. It was a sudden announcement, and I wish it could have been otherwise, but the numbers were very clear when we looked at the finances,” said Fraser. “That was the last payday we could afford, and we wouldn’t be able to afford another one.”
Fraser says that the Yukon Star started like a brand-new business meaning they needed a lot of upfront money they didn’t have and although income was increasing it wasn’t moving at a sustainable pace.
According to an August 25th press release the decision “was regrettable but unavoidable.”
The newspaper’s premises will be vacated by the end of the weekend the website will soon be deactivated.
All remaining business matters, including the collection of receivables and settlement of finances, will be handled over the coming weeks.
The Yukon Star recently celebrated the positive feedback from readers and thanked everyone who supported them.
When Fraser originally took up the idea to ‘Save the Star’ he mourned the loss of the Whitehorse Star. Now with the Yukon Star closing up shop Fraser echoes his worries about the future of local news.
“The saddest thing of all is that there will be less journalism, not more as a result because journalists hold governments and the powers that be accountable,” said Fraser. “The fewer journalists you have, it’s a direct equation, the less accountability there is.”
