The Golden Star – At a time when changes to the communications industry have significantly changed the business models of many community newspapers, The Golden Star is getting a reboot with new but familiar faces at its helm.
Resident Megan Crandall, along with help from her mother, Janet Crandall, is purchasing The Golden Star from its current owner, Black Press. Many Golden residents will remember the Crandall family, who owned the Star from 1982 to 1987. They also operated the Golden News from 1991 to 2003, when they sold to Black Press.
The Crandalls have some history with newspapers in Golden. The second generation of Crandalls to live in the Golden area, Duane and Norma, operated a local printing press in addition to the day-to-day running of the newspaper. It was a family business, with four generations participating in the daily operations.
Janet played many roles throughout the years in the family business. “I started in the mailroom, and my first adult-type job was in sales/advertising when I filled in for a sales rep who went to Europe for the summer,” she recalled.
“I barely had a driver’s license. I’ve spent most of my newspaper years in production and management, but you learn to fill in where needed, whether in the editorial department, the mailroom or delivering papers. My grandparents often helped out in the mailroom, my aunt worked in accounting, my siblings worked there, and my grandfather drove the flats to the press in Banff for many years, as it was the closest printing press in the 1980s. And everyone worked at the press at one time or another.”
While Janet worked through various roles in the industry, Megan also had the opportunity to grow up in a fast-paced environment.
“I remember spending my early years at the office with my family. Since my mom was a single parent, and she worked for the family business, it made sense for me to come to work with her every day,” Megan said.
“I was fortunate enough to spend my days surrounded by family. Since I was there so much, the grown-ups figured that I needed a space of my own. My grandpa found an old stairway landing about a metre by a metre and a half that we stocked with some blankets, books and a TV.
“Before long, it was called Meg’s Office. I was so proud! If I wasn’t at the newspaper office, I was likely at the printing press with my grandpa. I remember I would raid his chocolate bar stash and go sit on the huge rolls of newsprint with my Archie comic to pass the time.
“This is also where we would stuff papers, which was my first job. It was a weekly occurrence where all generations of Crandalls would get together to stuff papers over popcorn bags.”
When the family sold the paper, Janet continued as publisher of The Star until 2012.
“We launched the Golden News in 1991 and operated it until 2003, when we sold it to Black Press and merged with The Golden Star. At that point, we also had several real estate papers, primarily the Canmore Banff Real Estate paper,” Janet said.
“We also had our press, which my parents had purchased in 1993, which gave us an advantage. It could also be a disadvantage sometimes; it was a beast of a thing if you didn’t know what you were doing. My folks learned to operate it, but it was a long and sometimes painful process.“
Not only are Meg and Janet getting back into the newspaper business in Golden, but Janet’s twin sisters, Jessica and Jamie, never left it. They both work for Black Press at the Red Deer Advocate in Alberta.
Janet has high hopes for the Golden Star’s future. “As a realtor, I see firsthand that Golden is becoming a sought-after destination. People are moving to this part of the world and building their lives here,” she said.
“While Golden’s history is firmly rooted in the railway and forestry industries, I believe Kicking Horse Mountain Resort really put us on the map and paved the way for other attractions like the Skybridge. With the near completion of the Kicking Horse Canyon construction project, I think we’re going to see even more people consider Golden, where they might not have before, when the highway to get here was so challenging.”
Janet and Megan believe the Golden Star’s long history, which began publishing in the late 1800s, indicates a sufficient role for a community newspaper to play in Golden, and they want to do their part to continue that legacy.
“We’ll be the first to admit that we’re not experts and make some mistakes along the way. But the thought of it potentially shutting down was enough to motivate us to risk taking it on ourselves,” Megan said.
While no major changes are planned yet, they would love to hear from the community about what they would like to see in their local paper.
“Born and raised local, I have watched this town grow and develop. I love visiting with business owners and long-time locals who have been around for years, reminiscing about the old days, and meeting people who have recently decided to make Golden their home, excited to be a part of our town,” Megan said.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with the community through the local newspaper. I hope to bring a fresh perspective to the publication while delivering a great newspaper to the community.
“Our goal is to make a difference in your life, the lives of our readers, and the lives of our advertisers. We will work hard to do that!”
“Black Press Media is excited for the Crandall family,” said Josh O’Connor, chief operating officer of Black Press. The Golden Star is in very good local hands. The Crandalls are a third-generation newspaper family with deep roots in the Golden area. Their experience, local connections, and passion for community journalism will ensure a bright future for the Golden Star.”
History has a way of repeating itself, and Janet agrees this is certainly no exception.
“My folks received a random phone call in 1982 from then-owner Rosemarie Nakamura asking if they would be interested in purchasing The Golden Star. I doubt they would have ever thought that 40 years later, I would receive a similar phone call from Black Press to buy that same business again.”
