As many of you will be aware, Metroland, the owner of a number of Community Newspapers in Ontario, including in Muskoka, the Huntsville Forester, the Bracebridge Examiner, and the Gravenhurst Banner has announced that they will seek bankruptcy protection. Consequently, the three community newspapers in Muskoka will cease to exist as print editions.
Although these newspapers have been in decline for some time, there is nothing to celebrate here. Metroland’s decision is a dark day for much of community journalism in Ontario. More than 600 newspaper people have lost their jobs, without notice and without severance pay. This includes a number of good people in Muskoka. Many communities in Ontario will have lost their local voice.
Since this has happened, we have received a number of inquiries as to how these print media closures in Muskoka will affect Doppler.
In South Muskoka, we have been gaining traction as the go-to source for events and new from Bracebridge, Muskoka Lakes, and Gravenhurst and we are accessible to both permanent and seasonal residents, year-round on a 24/7 basis.
My pledge to you is that this will not change. In fact, we will do our best to enhance what we offer, to fill any void that may now exist. We will continue to be your local voice.
We remain committed to our readers and advertisers, no matter what other changes occur as a result of the Metroland closures.
We thank you for your loyalty, your continued presence, and your occasional comments! 
It is all appreciated and treasured. We look forward to being here for you, for many years to come.
Sincerely,
Hugh Mackenzie
Publisher
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Jo-Anne Sander says
The loss of our local weekly newspapers is just devastating. The grocery and retail fliers will be greatly missed as well. Consulting online fliers and ads is a horrible experience. I would be quite willing to pay to receive a similar publication containing local content. It is a sad sign of our times.
Thankyou for your years of information sharing..
God Bless all of the individuals directly affected.
Venessa Barros says
I strongly agree with JAS this is in fact very sad for our times.
I am also in accordance with a paid publication.
90%of all our flyers, coupons, and sales can be found online however with each store having their own loyalty card most stores still don’t have one or you need to download an app on our phones.
I am in my 40’s and find it stressful to carry all of them around and have all these apps on my phone to redeem any type of points.
This has become very stressful to me and even to some of my very own senior family members who don’t have cell phones and now with the newspapers and flyers disappearing it is just very very sad.
My children and grandchildren look forward to receiving the weekly paper and now it too will be a thing of the past.
Thank you Doppler for all your years of service.
Sandra Labelle says
I worked for The Globe and Mail many many years ago. I remember the Superintendent of Composing Jack Sutton warning me if this day when computers replaced the linatypes. That was 50 years ago. They stayed the course, compromising where necessary. Journalism is not dead just revamping. He did say one news force wiuld supply all the news whuch is reminiscent if late as right now they all sound the same. Maybe this is a wakeup call that all views must be printed to have a healthy comminication with the masses. This reminds me if the late 80s and 90s. A big recession is coming and Canada needs to stop our the flow of our hard earned taxes to other countries. Our own people will need financial support starting with the newly laid off employees of Metroland. Good luck to all affected.