Stabroek News, one of Guyana’s leading daily newspapers, is set to halt printing operations starting March 15. The announcement was made by Brendan de Caires, Chairman of Guyana Publications Inc. (GPI), during a communication with employees, as reported on the newspaper’s website.
The decision comes as the publication faces challenges, including a decline in circulation and revenue. De Caires informed staff that GPI would soon initiate the process of voluntary liquidation.
“Falling circulation and dwindling revenues impose a choice between corporate mergers, rapid digitization, or managed decline,” he stated. Over the past five years, the Board of Directors considered various options, ultimately deciding to pursue liquidation to ensure the company remains solvent and can meet its financial obligations, rather than risk a forced closure in the coming years.
Founded in 1986 by attorney David de Caires and his wife, Doreen, Stabroek News became a daily publication in 1994. In a reflective article titled “The End of an Era,” Brendan and his sister Isabelle expressed gratitude for the newspaper’s legacy.
“Unbowed. Heads held high. Beholden to none,” they wrote, emphasizing the newspaper’s significant contribution to the democratic process in Guyana. They noted that Stabroek News had nurtured generations of readers, writers, and thinkers, marking it as a fitting time to “hand over the baton” to future voices in the media landscape.
The closure of Stabroek News marks a significant moment in Guyana’s media history, signaling the ongoing challenges facing print journalism in the digital age.
