Happy Hallowe'en
Hallowe'en weekend is upon us. I've been looking forward to this time for a while. I don't think I am celebrating as hard as I would have planned before but I'm quite satisfied with my plans as they are. The Novemeber issue is tucked away. It's actually sitting somewhere in the city awaiting dispersal next week. December has already been started but for the last couple of days, and this weekend, I am mostly free to relax, play some guitar, meet some friends, and drink from a bottle of Old Pulteney scotch that followed me home from the Liquor Store last night.
Speaking of last night, I made it to my first meeting of the young professionals group starting up in the city. Readers of the magazine may remember me reporting on it in the first issue. I've been quite busy putting issues together so last night was the first chance for me to afford time to go. There were a great bunch of people there from many walks of life. One of the key elements of the group is the diversification of professions on the Miramichi to which the initial membership seems to reflect well.
On the downside, I've heard word that an old busquer friend of mine, whom I actually was able to meet up with for a short time when I visited Halifax over the summer, was attacked last night. The word from a friend of mine is not good at all but I'm sending out my hopes that he can recover.
Another piece of news has come up too. This is a provincial matter and while I am sitting here with my sketchpad in hand, I doubt it would be permitted as editorial cartoon subject matter for Tuesday's paper. The Irving's have purchased Here. Here was/is a weekly entertainment newspaper, similar to The Coast in Halifax. It started in Saint John and then moved into Moncton.
Basically, after the demise of the Fred in Fredericton, that spells an end to independent media in two of New Brunswicks largest cities. Moncton still has Macaret which is a billingual publication. As far as English language publishing goes, that leaves them and me as far as I know (mind you I am still under the radar for the most part, being only a monthly at the moment)and whatever publications that St. Croix Printing puts out in St. Stephen. They're owned by the Pictou Advocate which, incidently, I worked for at one time as well. They put a weekly newspaper and a magazine similar to mine, I believe. Someone could probably fill me in a bit better.
That's it for non-Irving English language publications as far as I know-- two weeklies and two monthlies.
There's quite a bit moving on the newspaper front though. I've heard some confirmed rumours of late about the local paper... and even today's news leads me to a bit of serious speculation. I'm not about to commit any of them to type here though. I'll just watch and maneuver. I've developed a decent advertiser base to guarantee I'll be around for a while yet.
But when you're toasting the "dead" tonight. Don't forget to take a sip for independent publishing in New Brunswick.
