Veteran journalist Edgar Blatchford, an associate professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, has purchased The Tundra Drums and Seward Phoenix Log, part of the Alaska Newspapers Inc. group, Calista Corp. announced Wednesday.
The Tundra Drums and Seward Phoenix Log are the last of the six newspapers in the group to be purchased from Calista, which had planned to shut all six publications on Aug. 31.
Jennifer Gibbins, a Cordova resident and editor of The Cordova Times, has purchased that newspaper, and The Arctic Sounder, The Bristol Bay Times and The Dutch Harbor Fisherman have been purchased by an Anchorage business couple, Jason Evans and his spouse, Kiana Peacock.
"I appreciate Calista's commitment to rural journalism and I'm excited about the possibilities of the Seward Phoenix Log and The Tundrda Drums," Blatchford said. "I see tremendous potential in working with local people. The future is very bright for these areas. We will be open, honest and objective."
"It is wonderful to know that the communities Calista served for the past 19 years will continue to have a voice," said Margaret Nelson, senior vice president of Calista. "With Blatchford's ownership it feels like the publications are remaining in the family."
Blatchford has a direct connection to ANI, having founded the company in the early 1980s. Since 1995, he has been an associate professor at UAA, teaching media-related courses. He also holds degrees from Alaska Methodist University (Now Alaska Pacific University), Columbia University, the University of Washington, Dartmouth College and Harvard University.
Blatchford assumed ownership of the Seward paper in 1984 after the owners, Bev and Willard Dunham, decided to sell. In 1989, Calista and Blatchford founded ANI, and soon afterwards, ANI purchased The Tundra Drums.
Nelson said that despite strong efforts by ANI employees and management, the increasing costs of fuel, paper and print technology prevented the subsidiary from supporting the company's long-term financial interests and service to shareholders.
Calista's board of directors voted on July 22 to shut down and liquidate ANI.