Bay State Banner not dead, just gone?

Published Jul 06 2009, 05:06 PM by Adam Reilly

Earlier this afternoon, Ashmont Media's Joyce Linehan Tweeted that the Bay State Banner, Boston's venerable Afro-centric weekly, is going out of business. But Banner publisher Melvin Miller says that, instead, the Banner is simply going to "stop publication for a couple weeks."

Why, exactly? "I'm of an age where I think it's appropriate for a younger generation to come up and start running the Banner," Miller tells the Phoenix. "That hasn't been able to materialize because of the downturn in the economy. So we just decided to generate greater interest, let's put it that way.

"For 44 years I've been running the Banner," adds Miller. "So people think I can do it from my grave."

So, just to be clear: the hope is that the Banner's cessation of publication will make possible investors get in touch?

"Absolutely, yeah," Miller replies. "If they want to step up and become part-owners of a thriving community weekly, sure, they should come up and talk to us."

Hmm. If this actually works for the Banner, maybe the Globe should consider taking a few days off....

More Banner: what's your definition of "out of business"?

BoMag's outsider problem

6 Comments

kevin mccrea said:

I wonder if their editorial saying it was time for Menino to go led a chill in their advertising?

July 6, 2009 9:11 PM
Ron Newman said:

I can't find the tweet at the link you gave.

July 6, 2009 11:21 PM
Tony Schinella said:

When I lived in Mission Hill, I used to love reading the Banner. It was a pretty good neighborhoods newspaper - although seemingly influenced by advertisers. It always enlightened me to what was going on in the African-American community from the newspaper's perspective.

July 7, 2009 9:21 AM
BostonPatriot said:

I was pleasantly surprised by the iconoclastic tone of their editorials. One of them feted Juan Williams book "Enough" AND Bill Cosby in one fell swope. Sorry to see it go but something else will take its place.

July 8, 2009 5:48 PM
Henk La Brie said:

The first black newspaper in America, FREEDOM'S JOURNAL" included an editorial that gave a definition and role for an activist black press. In part it said: "We wish to plead our cause,too long have others spoken for us."

It is a trajedy to see the possible demise of the BAY STATE BANNER, which has long been one of the most outstanding members of the black press due to the leadership of Melvin B. Miller. With about 175 papers currently publishing, almost all weeklies, this important segment of the media that has come to be known as the FIFTH ESTATE, plays a critical part in keeping an eye on our FOURTH ESTATE, in the case of Boston, the GLOBE and HERALD. Let's hope someone or some group may step forward to extend the rich heritage of the Bay State Banner.

July 8, 2009 8:54 PM