Paris’ online newspaper will launch print edition in March
By Stewart Grant
“Start the Presses!” was the big headline in the Saturday, Feb. 15 online edition of The Paris Independent, as managing editor Casandra Turnbull broke the exciting news to her hometown that their newspaper would be available for the first time in print format on Wednesday, March 19.
Effective March 1, the Paris Independent becomes the 11th newspaper under our Grant Haven Media banner as we continue to follow our mandate of “restoring local journalism, one community at a time.”
I have admired the work of the Paris Independent for over a year; ever since our company expanded into Brant County in January 2024 with the purchase of the Brant Farms publication. The Paris Independent, like the St. Marys Independent in my hometown, developed locally in response to failures of the media conglomerates to safeguard local news reporting. Three years after St. Marys saw the closure of its Journal-Argus, Paris lost its Star.
Paris Independent founder Chris Whelan wrote in his history column this week about the rich history of journalism in Paris.
“The Paris Star, a stalwart publication, stood as a testament to the town’s commitment to news dissemination. … Had fate been kinder, the Paris Star would have celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2025. Alas, the echoes of its presses fell silent in 2020, hushed by the hand of Postmedia.”
Though Postmedia had closed the Paris Star during the pandemic, along with 14 other community newspapers, a grassroots campaign began the following year to fill this void.
“Throughout the majority of 2021, our community endured a notable absence of a vital communication channel precisely when it was most needed,” said Whelan, who put a call on social media hoping to find likeminded people to help launch a new digital publication. “The outpouring of support was truly overwhelming, notably from key figures such as Casandra, the former editor of The Paris Star until 2011.”
The first edition of the online Paris Independent was launched in September 2021. For each of the last 180 weeks, Whelan, Turnbull and the rest of their Paris based team have put out a digital newspaper, building up a loyal following of over 2,000 readers. Still, an online paper has its limitations. It’s not something that you can see or be aware of when you are walking the streets of Paris and visiting the stores, restaurants, or coffee shops.
Last month, I met with Whelan for lunch at the Cobblestone Public House in Paris and suggested we establish a partnership with the goal of converting the Paris Independent into a print publication so it may make an even greater impact to its community, with a more visible presence and a powerful new distribution model.
Following our meeting, Whelan, who I’ve found quickly to be a kindred spirit, consulted with Turnbull who agreed this was the perfect time to take their newspaper in this direction.
“This was always our end goal,” said Turnbull of a print edition. “When we started the Paris Independent, we promised the community that if it was viable, one day we would roll out a print edition. With a strong online presence and digital footprint, it's only natural that we take that next step in growth and publish a weekly edition that will reach stores, businesses and community centres across Paris. Even as the community has adjusted to digital news, we still get the occasional question, 'Where can I pick up a copy?' There will always be a longing for a print edition, something tangible to hold in your hands and flip the pages as you digest what is happening in your own backyard.”
The presses will begin to roll soon, with the first print edition being delivered to Paris on March 19 while also being available online at www.granthaven.com.
It's heartening to see those who prize local journalism contributing so much to make this noble effort succeed. Congratulations to all!