CARLYLE — As of Dec. 18, the Carlyle Observer is no more. For 89 years it has been part of many communities, but now it will become a part of history.
Peter Kvarnstrom, president and community media for Glacier Media Group said, “After more than 20 years of ownership of the Carlyle Observer, we have made the extremely difficult decision to close our newspaper. While the support from the community never wavered and we managed to maintain a strong engagement with our many, many readers, unfortunately we were faced with a relentless revenue migration of advertising to the foreign-owned giants, Facebook and Google. We are forever grateful of the work and service by Dolores Young in our local office, who did a terrific job of pulling stories from the communities in the area into an interesting and engaging read every week. It has been our pleasure and privilege to serve Carlyle and area for these many years.”
Dolores Young was a familiar face each time someone walked into her office and was full of knowledge when it came to the paper. This is what she had to say.
“I have had the privilege of working with the Carlyle Observer for six and a half years and have enjoyed it very much,” said Young. "But with sadness, sometimes all good things come to an end. Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for the honour of working with you. Thank you to all the businesses that supported the Observer through the 89 years of being in business. Also, thanks to all freelance writers whom I had the privilege to work with and for supplying all the wonderful articles, photos etc. to the Carlyle Observer.”
This paper began in the 1920s but was known as the Carlyle Herald and Ed Homes became the sole owner. In 1936 the paper was sold to the O’Neill family and was renamed the Carlyle Observer.
***
This is the seventh Vancouver-based Glacier Media newspaper in Saskatchewan to be sold or closed recently. In January, The Estevan Mercury was closed.
Glacier sold the Canora Courier, Kamsack Times and Preeceville Progress to Canora resident Devan Tasa, effective Aug. 29. Tasa had been the publisher (general manager) of the three newspapers on behalf of Glacier since April 2022.
In October, it was announced the Battlefords Regional News-Optimist along with The Outlook and the Unity-Wilkie Press-Herald had been purchased by Western Newspaper Corp. from the Prairie Newspaper Group of Glacier.
Glacier still owns and operates Yorkton This Week, Assiniboia Times and Weyburn Review.
