WESTERN STAR - Corner Brook and Curling

Dates of publication:    Apr. 4, 1900-

Frequency:     Semiweekly (weekly in the winter), Apr. 4, 1900-Dec. 27,1901.
               Weekly, Jan 1, 1902-Dec. 3, 1948.
               Semiweekly, Dec. 7, 1948-Sept. 12, 1952.
               Daily (except Saturday and Sunday), Sept. 15, 1952-Dec. 31,

1953.          Daily (except Sunday), Jan. 2, 1954-

Location: Birchy Cove, Bay of Islands (later called Curling), 
Apr 4, 1900-Oct. 1941. Corner Brook, Nov. 1941-.

Publisher:
               Walter S. March, Apr. 4, 1900-May 11, 1904.
               Star Printing and Publishing Co., May 18, 1904-Dec. 31, 1924.
               A. L. Barrett, Jan. 7, 1925-Jan. 21, 1926.
               Western Printing and Publishing Co., Jan. 27, 1926-Jan 31, 1979.
               Thomson Newspapers, Feb. 1, 1979-Oct. 25, 1996.
               Southam Inc., Oct. 26, 1996-
			   
Publisher and  general manager:
               H. John Adderly,     -July 11, 1986.
               W. Leith Orr, Oct. 8, 1986-June 16, 1989.
               Robert C. Marshall, June 27, 1989-May 14, 1990.
               David A. Beattie, May 15-Dec. 31, 1990.
               John Cheek, Jan. 1991-Dec. 9, 1995.
               Ian M. Baird, Feb. 6, 1996-1997.
               Robert Verge, 1998-

Editor:        Walter S. March, Apr. 4, 1900-May 11, 1904.
Manager:       John A. Barrett, May 18, 1904-June 3, 1908.
               George Webber, July 29-Oct. 14, 1908.

Editor:        William M. Dooley, Oct. 21, 1908-Feb. 21, 1912.
               Andrew L. Barrett, Feb. 28, 1912-Nov. 12, 1941.
               Albert Bergeron, Nov. 19-Dec. 1941.
               J. G. Blake, Dec. 1941.
               J. C. Fitzgerald, Jan.-Mar. 1942.
               Albert Bergeron, Mar.-Aug. 1942.
               Charlotte Burry, Aug. 1942-Dec. 1945.
               F. B. Gill, Dec. 1945-Oct. 31, 1949.
               Elizabeth Smith, Nov. 1949.
               Kenneth Pritchard, Nov. 1949- ?
               Ed Finn, 1956-1959.
               Calvin M. Holloway, 1966-1977?
               Marvin Youden, July 16, 1977-?
               Calvin M. Holloway, ? -Jan. 9, 1984.
               Richard Williams, Oct. 15, 1986-

From the beginning the Western Star was first and foremost a voice for the
interests and development of the West Coast of Newfoundland.  In 1908, the
paper vowed: "We are going to fight in the interest of the West Coast, but
without the spur of party interest" (Aug. 5).  "Our interests are 
not identical to those of the East, nor do the Easterners understand our needs 
... We need a provincial parliament of our own" (Oct. 7).


The Western Star held the opinion that the various political battles in
the capital were not necessarily "all-absorbing to the people of this
colony," (Apr. 27, 1900) and noted that of all the newspaper editors in the
country, only two not actively involved in politics, Evening Herald editor
P. T. McGrath, and Western Star editor W. S. March.  (Sept. 25, 1900).  The
paper claimed to be "absolutely free from party politics", and denied
accusations that "it is being conducted for the propagation of Toryism, and
that it is owned by Reid, the railway contractor" (July 6, 1900).
Nonertheless, the paper strongly supported the railway: "We regard the
railway and the prosperity of the country as inseparable" (Oct. 23, 1900).
The Western Star had especially strong coverage of the forestry industry,
mining and the herring fishery, and recognized the potential of the tourist
trade before its eastern counterparts did.


Because the West Coast was isolated and often cut off by winter storms, in
1903 the paper announced, "At large cost we have arranged for a daily
telegraphic news message from St. John's ... The difficulty of putting out a 
newspaper in a place shut off from all communication can be better appreciated 
by members of the profession than the general public." (Mar. 4, 1903). 


The paper was printed on a hand operated press until 1912 and used hand-set
type until 1931.  In 1910, it became the first paper to be printed on
Newfoundland newsprint.  The paper moved to a more modern plant in Corner
Brook in 1941.


Editorially, the Western Star opposed Bond and supported Morris and, in 1908,
the banner of "The People's Party" appeared on the masthead.  The paper
opposed W. F. Coaker and referred to his paper, the Advocate as  "that
notorious sheet," but later supported the Squires government.  In the
elections of 1928 and 1932, theWestern Star took the nearly unprecedented 
option of remaining politically neutral and encouraged other journalists to 
do the same.  It was neutral in its attitude toward the Commission of Government 
and, while leaning toward Confederation in 1948, encouraged voters to decide 
for themselves on the question.


During the Smallwood era, the Western Star expressed concern about the lack
of a viable opposition party, criticised the Liberals for not holding nominating
conventions and accused Smallwood of gutter politics for his personal 
attacks on those who disagreed with him.  One unusually outspoken editorial asked:
"What politician bases all (yes all) his associations with people on how they
think politically? What politician unleashes the hardest invectives against
newspaper and radio reporters at the mildest provocations? What super public
relations man disregards the meaning of public relations, and reveals only those 
morsels of information best suited to his political whim?" (Nov. 22, 1958)


With the closing of the Daily News in 1984, the Western Star became one of the
two remaining dailies in the province.  A partial index to the Western
Star is available in the Provincial Reference and Resource Library.


Digitized copies of the Western Star 1900 - 1952 can be accessed via Memorial Universiy of Newfoundland - Digital Archives Initiative.