Midcoast Villager
| Type | Weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Print and digital |
| Owner(s) | Reade Brower |
| Publisher | Aaron Britt |
| Editor | Willy Blackmore |
| Headquarters | Camden, Maine |
| Sister newspapers | The Ellsworth American, Mount Desert Islander |
| Website | midcoastvillager |
The Midcoast Villager is a weekly newspaper serving Knox and Waldo counties in midcoast Maine.[1] Launched in September 2024, the publication was formed by merging four legacy newspapers: The Courier-Gazette, The Camden Herald, The Republican Journal, and The Free Press, along with the digital platform VillageSoup.[2]
The newspaper is owned by Reade Brower and operates under Islandport Media, which also publishes The Ellsworth American and the Mount Desert Islander.[2] The consolidation did not result in job losses and added six journalism positions.[3]
History
Background of merged publications
The Republican Journal was founded in 1829 in Belfast when Robert White Jr. and Cyrus Rowe purchased the printing press of the defunct Waldo Democrat.[4] The Courier-Gazette was established on January 24, 1882, when William Fuller of the Rockland Courier entered into business with John Porter of the Rockland Gazette.[4]
The Camden Herald was first published on February 6, 1869, by William H. Berry.[4] The Free Press was founded in 1985 by Reade and Martha Brower as an alternative weekly covering arts, culture, and politics in midcoast Maine.[4]
Formation of the Midcoast Villager
The merger was announced in August 2024.[1] Publisher Kathleen Fleury Capetta stated that the goal was to eliminate overlap among the four newspapers.[3]
The consolidation occurred during a period when local media outlets have faced declining audiences and revenue.[2]
Operations
Editorial leadership
Willy Blackmore was appointed editor-in-chief of the publication.[2] Aaron Britt joined the organization in September 2024 and was named publisher in early 2025.[5] Britt previously worked at The New York Times Magazine and Dwell Magazine.[6]
Coverage and mission
The newspaper publishes weekly and covers news, community profiles, arts and culture for midcoast Maine.[2] The publication plans to launch digital newsletters and uses membership as a revenue source.[2]
Community engagement
Villager Café
The publication opened Villager Café in Camden in 2025, which serves food and hosts events.[7]
Awards and recognition
In October 2024, staff from the four newspapers that merged to form the Midcoast Villager won multiple awards at the Maine Press Association conference, including Best in Show for photography and first place awards for Editorial Page and Front Page Design.[8]
Industry coverage
The publication has been covered in Editor & Publisher Magazine[3] and the Nieman Journalism Lab.[9]
References
- ^ a b "Local newspapers to merge as the Midcoast Villager". Editor and Publisher. August 12, 2024. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
- ^ a b c d e f Ryan, Aidan (August 8, 2024). "Four Maine newspapers are merging to form the Midcoast Villager — plus a coffee shop". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
- ^ a b c "The Midcoast Villager: A reimagined news outlet serves a growing region of Maine". Editor and Publisher. October 31, 2024. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
- ^ a b c d "About Us". Midcoast Villager. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
- ^ "Aaron Britt is named publisher of The Midcoast Villager". Editor and Publisher. February 7, 2025. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
- ^ "Maine Pages". Local News Initiative. Northwestern University. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
- ^ "Midcoast newspaper opens café to connect with the community". WABI. May 9, 2025. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
- ^ "Midcoast Villager Staff Win Industry Awards". Midcoast Villager. October 28, 2024. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
- ^ Owen, Laura Hazard (August 7, 2024). "Four local newspapers in Maine are merging into the Midcoast Villager". Nieman Journalism Lab. Harvard University. Retrieved 2025-07-07.